International Affairs Student Travels to Mozambique with David L. Boren Scholarship

Fourth-year University of Cincinnati undergraduate International Affairs student Jacob Fessler learned about culture and politics and made international friendships during his year-long study in Maputo, Mozambique, last year after winning a nationally competitive scholarship focused on government and international service. 

Named for the American politician and university administrator, the award is given to a student interested in studying the language and culture of another country. The scholarship gives students opportunities to explore cultures that are important to national security and also offers recipients a monetary prize. In return, scholarship winners commit to a year of service in an American national security agency. 

Fessler, who is a transfer student in his fourth year, said that because his high school did not teach foreign languages, he wanted to learn in college. 

He chose Portuguese because he already was fluent in Spanish, but noted that because Portugal was not relevant to national security, he opted for Mozambique. “It’s really all about how you frame the argument in your application,” he said. 

He credited Pam Person, director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at UC, and Jill Reister, assistant director of International Programs, for giving him a general idea of what it’s like to apply for a nationally competitive scholarship. “They were incredibly helpful,” he said. 

In Mozambique, Fessler took courses on language like writing, grammar and speaking, but he also learned about politics and culture. He explained that since Maputo is still developing a culture of higher education, learning settings were diverse. His classes were split between more personalized sessions and more traditional lecture-based options. When not in class, Fessler said he spent time with both American and Mozambican friends. 

He has no doubts about how the international experience will help shape his future. “It’s very concrete how it’s going to affect my career,” he said. “Part of the scholarship requires me to work for the U.S. government for at least a year.” 

Boren set up the scholarship at the end of the Cold War, when he was concerned that Americans would lose interest in other cultures and politics. Fessler’s passion for foreign communication and government service indicates that interest is not only alive and well, it continues to thrive. 

To learn more about UC and international scholarships, visit the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards’ webpage.