WKU News

For the third year in a row, WKU is among the nation's top performing institutions in the Boren Awards program. All seven of WKU's applicants were offered awards this spring, dramatically outpacing the average selection rate of 32% nationwide and tying WKU's previous record set in 2024.

The Boren Awards program is sponsored by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), a federal initiative designed to build a broader and more qualified pool of U.S. citizens with foreign language and international skills. Boren Awards--Scholarships for undergraduates and Fellowships for graduate students--provide U.S. students with resources to acquire language skills and experience in countries critical to the future security and stability of the United States.

WKU is tied for third place among Top Performing Institutions in Boren Scholarships alongside Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, and University of Wisconsin. Among universities producing both Boren Scholars and Fellows (undergraduate and graduate awardees), WKU ranks fifth nationally, tied again with the University of Arizona. The full rankings can be found here.

Contact: Anna Mayo, anna.mayo@wku.edu

About the Office of Scholar Development: The Office of Scholar Development mentors students applying for national scholarships to fund “academic extras” such as study abroad, research, professional experience, and more. From first drafts to final submissions with multiple revisions in between, OSD helps students make more possible. By conceptualizing and revising the stories they tell in application essays and interviews, students better understand their strengths, interests, and purpose—and explore multiple possible pathways to that work.