Three VCU Students Receive Boren Scholarships

By Tom Gresham

Three Virginia Commonwealth University students have been awarded the National Security Education Program David L. Boren Scholarship to study abroad during the next academic year.

Margaret Cotter, Bertrand "Yohannes" Mpigabahizi and Rachel Sine each received the scholarship, which provides support for U.S. undergraduates to study languages and cultures critical to United States national security interests. The students are members of the VCU Honors College. VCU students have now won 12 Boren Scholarships over the past five years.

“We’re proud to have three more VCU students selected to participate in this prestigious program,” said Beverly Warren, Ed.D, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs at VCU. “These students reflect our university’s determination to engage with the international community, and their success demonstrates the competitiveness of our students on a national scale.”

Cotter, who is from Midlothian, is a senior majoring in international studies and political science with a minor in Italian. She postponed her graduation this month to complete a year of continued study in Turkish language, culture, history and politics in Istanbul.

Mpigabahizi, who is from Bristow, is a freshman majoring in political science and economics. He plans to pursue a minor in Arabic. He will spend the next year studying Arabic and Egyptian politics, history and culture in Cairo.

Sine, who is from Roanoke, is a sophomore majoring in international studies with concentrations in international relations and Southeast Asia studies and a minor in religious studies. She will spend her year abroad continuing her Hindi studies in India, while also studying Indian culture, history and politics.

Boren Scholarships are funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and provide up to $20,000 of support for each student.

The Boren recipients applied for the scholarship through the Honors College’s National Scholarship Office, which assists VCU students and alumni who wish to compete for prestigious national and international scholarships.