Two University of Richmond Students Receive Boren Scholarships to Study Critical Languages Abroad

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND — Two University of Richmond students have received prestigious Boren Scholarships to study language in Indonesia and Vietnam.

The Boren Awards, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide scholarships for students studying the languages and cultures of nations that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad programs. Recipients commit to working in the federal government for at least one year following graduation.

UR’s 2024 Boren Scholars include:

Eli Chancey, a graduating senior from Charlottesville, Virginia, will study Vietnamese through the Southeast Asia Flagship Language Initiative. He will complete a course at the University of Wisconsin–Madison this summer and continue his studies abroad in Hanoi, Vietnam, this fall.

"The Boren Scholarship is an exciting opportunity to build on my past international and foreign language experiences,” said Chancey. “It will greatly help me advance my career as I chart my path toward the federal government and the Department of State.”

Chancey, a triple major in political science, French, and mathematics, studied abroad in France, Prague, and Denmark while at UR. Among his academic accomplishments, he is a recipient of the Spencer D. Albright Book Award for his scholarship in political science.

Luke Orris, a sophomore from Boulder, Colorado, will study Indonesian through the Southeast Asia Flagship Language Initiative. Orris will complete a summer program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and then study abroad in the fall in Malang, Java, Indonesia.

“The Boren is a great opportunity to study abroad while learning a critical language that will be useful during a career in public service,” Orris said.

A double major in global studies and politics, philosophy, economics & law (PPEL), Orris has also studied Spanish and Portuguese, and has traveled to over 70 countries.

Since 1995, 20 University of Richmond students have been offered Boren scholarships or fellowships. UR’s 2024 Boren Scholars were selected out of more than 600 applicants for about 200 recipients.   

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