Four University of Nebraska–Lincoln undergraduates and a recent alumna have earned nationally competitive language-learning fellowships that will support intensive study abroad and strengthen their preparation for globally focused careers. The students earned awards through the Critical Language Scholarship Program and the Boren Awards, which support immersive study of languages critical to U.S. diplomacy, national security and international collaboration.
Critical Language Scholarship recipients
Three Husker undergraduates have been awarded 2026 Critical Language Scholarships to support summer language study. They are:
- Zanib Al Razaq, of Lincoln, a senior economics and Spanish major studying Portuguese this summer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Al Razaq is an executive fellow at ECHO Collective, supporting program development and community engagement initiatives. She is also a Forsythe Family Undergraduate Research Fellow, studying the economic impact of refugee- and immigrant-owned businesses in Lincoln. Al Razaq previously received the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship to study international law abroad in Spain. An Arabic, Spanish and English speaker, she plans to pursue a Juris Doctor in international law and work in economic development.
- Samaa Niazi, of Lincoln, a senior criminology and criminal justice major studying Persian this summer in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Niazi plans to attend law school to assist immigrants and refugees. She said she believes linguistic and cultural competency are essential for effective communication in both professional and personal environments. As an Afghan American Persian speaker, she is committed to refining her linguistic proficiency and understanding regional dialects to better represent the wider Persian-speaking region.
- Brenna Whitten, of Elkhorn, Nebraska, a senior global studies, political science and French major, studying Hindi this summer in Jaipur, India. Hindi will be her fourth language after English, French and Spanish. A member of the University Honors Program, Whitten previously studied abroad in Angers, France. She is the president of several student organizations, including the UNL Intelligence Community Scholars, the French/Francophone Club and the United Methodist campus ministry. She hopes to use her language skills this summer to continue her education and career in global security and human rights.
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Boren Award recipients
In addition, a Husker undergraduate and recent alumna have been awarded Boren Scholarships to support summer or academic year language study. They are:
Laura Bui of Lincoln, a senior global studies major who is studying Vietnamese this summer at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and will travel this fall to Hanoi, Vietnam, with the Boren Awards’ Southeast Asian Flagship Languages Initiative. Bui has supported English-language learning and cross-cultural exchange through the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Programs in English as a Second Language and Cultural Conversation Program, where she facilitated discussions on American culture and daily life with visiting international students. She also studied abroad in Nagasaki, Japan, conducting independent research on urbanization and cultural preservation. She aims to pursue a career in immigration or diplomacy and contribute meaningfully to U.S. national security priorities in a strategically significant region.
Shahla Abrahim, of Lincoln, a May 2026 graduate who will study Arabic during the 2026-27 academic year in Morocco. Abrahim, who previously studied abroad in Jordan, is a Center for Advocacy, Response and Education peer educator and Library Service Desk student assistant. As president of the UNL Middle Eastern and North African student organization, she partnered with more than 15 other student organizations on community-building and enrichment activities. As an intern with the Nebraska Writers Collective, she served as a coach for All Writes Reserved, a youth poetry program; assisted with slam poetry competitions; and edited an anthology. Abrahim plans to use her language skills to work as an Immigration Services Officer and pursue a Juris Doctor in immigration law.
About the Critical Language Scholarship
The Critical Language Scholarship is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. government and supported in its implementation by the American Councils for International Education. The program aims to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages critical to the country’s national security, economic prosperity and engagement with the world. Each summer, Critical Language Scholars from colleges and universities across the United States spend about eight weeks studying one of nine languages, either overseas or virtually. Participants are selected based on their commitment to language learning and plans to apply their language skills to academic or professional pursuits. In 2025, about 315 participants were selected from a pool of more than 4,500 applicants.
About Boren Awards
Boren Awards are scholarships and fellowships for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students committed to long-term overseas study and to public service. Awardees receive funding to study the languages most critical to the nation's security. In exchange for funding, Boren Award recipients commit to working in the federal government in support of U.S. national security for at least one year after graduation.
Former U.S. Senator and Oklahoma governor David L. Boren is the principal author of the National Security Education Act of 1991, which created the National Security Education Program and the Boren Awards, the scholarships and fellowships that bear his name. The purpose of NSEA is to address the need for U.S. citizens and federal employees to possess advanced language and cultural skills to protect national security interests. Today, NSEP manages multiple programs to provide proficiency among graduating students in many languages critical to U.S. competitiveness and security, including Boren scholarships and fellowships.
Undergraduate research and fellowships support
At Nebraska, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships advises and nominates candidates for 30 supported scholarships and fellowships. To learn more, students and campus community members should contact staff at ucare@unl.edu.
