Josie Crane, a sophomore from Mattawan, MI, has been awarded a Boren Scholarship from the National Security Education Program to fund a year of study in South Korea during the 2019-20 academic year. The Boren Scholarships “provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East.” (Boren Awards web site)
Josie plans to use her study abroad experience to integrate her love of language, her interest in both North and South Korea, her technical abilities gained through study of Computer Science, and her desire to contribute to our national security. Her eventual goal will be to serve as a Cyber Threat Analyst, Weapons Threat Analyst, or a similar position within the CIA.
Her interest in the Korean language and the logic and patterns in the Korean alphabet, Hangeul, are what led to her interest in studying Computer Science. The flexibility of Hope’s Computer Science curriculum paid a big role in her decision to attend Hope.
I chose to attend Hope College partly because me studying abroad in Korea would be encouraged, even as a STEM major. Subsequently, I have been extremely diligent in planning when and where to take which classes for my computer science and international studies double major, as I have been eager to study Korean in South Korea since the 11th grade.
As part of her study abroad experience, Josie will study at Korea University, where she will work hard to become fluent in the Korean language, as well as expanding her knowledge of computer security and cyber defense at one of the most prestigious universities in the country. She plans to supplement her time at the University by participating in the Lexis Korea language school between semesters, and will stay with a Korean family during that five week period, immersing herself in genuine Korean culture throughout her day.