WASHINGTON –Two Howard University students, Diane Ijoma and Darryl L. Jones II, have been selected to receive the prestigious 2019 David L. Boren Award. The Institute of International Education (IIE), on behalf of the National Security Education Program (NSEP), awards David L. Boren Scholarships to undergraduate students and David L. Boren Fellowships to graduate students with the goal of adding important international and language components to their education through study abroad experiences in regions critical to U.S. interests.

NSEP’s Boren Awards program provides U.S. undergraduate and graduate students with resources and encouragement to acquire language skills and experience in countries critical to the future security and stability of our nation.

“On behalf of Howard University, I extend congratulations to our two extraordinary Boren award winners,” says President Wayne A. I. Frederick. “As future leaders, the international experience and perspective they are committed to developing will serve them well in their careers of global service.”

Ijoma, a junior political science and economics major at Howard University from Howard County, Maryland, has been named a 2019 Boren scholar. An alumna of the Freshman Leadership Academy, Ijoma is also involved in the International Affairs Society and the Petey Greene Program. She is managing editor of The Liberato, Howard University's first publication dedicated to political discourse. As an intern for the U.S. Department of State, Ijoma worked closely with American Diplomats serving in Juba, South Sudan. She spent last summer in Arusha, Tanzania, studying Swahili as a Critical Language Scholar. She is also a recipient of the HBCU ETS Presidential Scholarship, a one-year, full-tuition merit award sponsored by the Educational Testing Service.

As a Boren scholar, Ijoma will receive more than $20,000 toward her French and Wolof studies. She will also participate in both a domestic summer program at the University of Florida and a fall semester abroad in Dakar, Senegal.

“I am tremendously honored to receive the Boren Scholarship,” says Ijoma. “Dakar is one of West Africa's most vibrant cities, and I am excited to improve my French proficiency and be exposed to Senegalese culture for a semester. I look forward to representing the students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in study abroad, especially on the African Continent.”

Jones, a doctoral student in the Department of African Studies, has been named a 2019 Boren fellow. Jones’ research focuses on the impact of desertification and drought on nomadic and pastoral societies, and traditional forms of slavery in the West African Sahel. He holds a master’s degree in African studies from the University of Ghana, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the International University of Monaco.

As a Boren fellow, Jones will receive $23,500 to study Arabic and Tamazight ("Berber") in Morocco for the entire 2019-20 academic year. By learning these languages, Jones hopes to enhance his ability to access centuries-old archival records for further investigation.

"It is an extraordinary honor to have been awarded a Boren Fellowship to study in Morocco,” says Jones. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to explore Morocco and its rich customs and culture, and to be able to study the storied Arabic and Tamazight languages. I look forward to representing the very best of black America and Howard University in all my encounters abroad once again."  

This year, 851 undergraduate students applied for the Boren Scholarship and 273 graduate students applied for the Boren Fellowship. The IIE awarded 244 Boren Scholarships and 106 Boren Fellowships in 2019.

Since 1994, more than 6,000 students have received Boren Awards. Boren scholars and fellows represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena, and program alumni are contributing to the critical missions of agencies throughout the federal government.

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Misha Cornelius, misha.cornelius@howard.edu