Global learning

Boston College students earned prestigious fellowships for study abroad during the 2024-2025 academic year, according to a report by the University’s Office of Global Education.

Four Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences undergraduates were selected to receive Critical Language Scholarships that will enable them to study languages of critical need this summer: Ethan Erickson ’26, Arabic (Advanced); Luke Shimizu ’26, Japanese (Advanced); Connor O’Brien ’28, Turkish (Advanced Beginning); and Caroline Serenyi ’28, Arabic (Advanced Beginning).

The CLS Program, which is sponsored and overseen by the United States Department of State, partners with universities and nonprofits around the globe to provide cohorts of U.S. students an opportunity to study the language and culture in a country/location where the target language is commonly spoken. Most languages offered by the CLS Program do not require applicants to have any experience studying critical languages. CLS scholars are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future careers.

Six students were awarded a Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship for the 2024-2025 academic year: Rebecca Atkins ’26, MCAS; Elleen Kim ’26, MCAS; Nicole Carrara ’26, MCAS; Oumou Diallo ’26, CSON; Cailin Templeman ’26, MCAS; and Mohamed Bullo ’26, MCAS. 

An additional five received scholarship awards for study this summer: Seline Schafer ’27, MCAS; Mohamed Dirar ’27, MCAS; Leo King ’28, MCAS; Imani Safari ’26, MCAS; and Doha Boukri ’26, Carroll School of Management. Among the countries of destination for BC’s Gilman Scholars: Ireland, Ghana, Croatia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Portugal.

The program, an initiative of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills essential to American national security and economic prosperity.

Morrissey College rising sophomores Leo King and Caroline Serenyi, along with 2022 alumna Isabella Wellinghorst, were awarded Summer Arabic Language and Media (SALAM) scholarships for study in the Sultanate of Oman. The intensive Arabic language program, sponsored and hosted by the Sultan Qaboos College for Teaching Arabic Language to Non-native Speakers, enables students to gain a deeper knowledge of Arabic while becoming familiar with Omani history and culture.

Office of Global Education administrators noted that some BC students selected for Gilman and CLS scholarships declined them due to other commitments, or because they received multiple awards and plan to submit applications again in the future.

In addition, undergraduates received fellowships from programs established through gifts to the University. Morrissey College students Connor O’Brien ’28 and Caroline Serenyi ’28 will conduct summer research projects in, respectively, Tajikistan and Morocco via Omar A. Aggad Travel and Research Fellowships. The Mizna Fellowship Program will support summer research for the Jesuit Refugee Service in Jordan by Leo King ’28 (MCAS) and Maia Choe ’28 of the Lynch School of Education and Human Development. 

Ninety-four students—including 37 for this summer—received McGillycuddy-Logue Travel and Research Grants. Five undergraduates studied in Asia during the past fall or spring with the support of the Fung Scholars Program; another 11 earned FSP grants for this summer and eight others for next fall.