Kyle Olsen ’14, of Los Angeles, will spend the next year studying in Russia as a recipient of a Boren Scholarship for International Study. A record 1,014 undergraduate students applied for the scholarship and 161 were awarded.
The Boren program provides up to $20,000 to U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad. It requires that award recipients work for one year in the federal government in a position with national security responsibilities.
The scholarships are sponsored by the National Security Education Program, a major federal initiative designed to build a broader and more qualified pool of U.S. citizens with foreign language and international skills.
Olsen, a political science and Russian double major, is currently getting his first taste of Moscow this month and next as a participant in a Holy Cross summer Study Abroad program at the Russian State University for the Humanities. After a brief return to the United States, Olsen will begin the yearlong program at the same institution in August.
The courses offered during the yearlong program cover a variety of topics related to Russian politics, history, and society, and will all be conducted in Russian. Olsen believes this immersion in Russian language and culture will be an integral step in helping prepare him for a future career as a foreign service officer or an Eastern European specialist at the U.S. Department of State.
Olsen plans to volunteer as an English language tutor twice a week at the university or at a nearby school. He hopes his volunteer service will allow him to connect with the local culture on a deeper level and help him cultivate personal relationships with students in Moscow.
Following the program, Olsen will consider applying for the Junior Fellows Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which will allow him to serve as a research assistant to a senior associate at the Carnegie Moscow Center for one year. He then hopes to fulfill the Boren service requirement the following year by serving at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow or the State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.
Although Olsen displayed initiative in mapping out his plan, he credits Holy Cross faculty and staff for inspiring his vision and helping him prepare.
“I have to thank Professor Amy Adams of the Russian department for her continued dedication and guidance,” he said. “Her language courses have helped prepare me for the study abroad experience.”
Olsen’s relationship with Judith Chubb, professor of political science, has also had a large impact on his academic career.
“The conversations I’ve had with her both inside and outside of the classroom have not only inspired me but furthered my passion for political science and cultural immersion,” he said.
Finally, Olsen credits Anthony Cashman, director of the Office of Distinguished Fellowships and Graduate Studies, for helping him secure the scholarship.
“We worked together throughout the application process, and he helped me to craft a competitive application,” Olsen said. “I cannot thank him enough.”
A member of the College Honors Program, Olsen plans to write his thesis on the 2011-2012 Russian protests, which began as a response to the legislative election process, when he returns to Holy Cross for his senior year.
Related Information:
- Read Kyle Olsen's blog: "Los Angeles Native Olsen ’14 Finds Holy Cross Offers a Bit of Everything"
