Baruch Graduate Student Wins Boren Fellowship

June 6, 2023

The pursuit to become a Boren Fellow consisted of mixed emotions for Baruch College graduate student Owen Maireni Daniel Sanchez (’25).

Daniel Sanchez initially was an alternate for the prestigious award, and at that time, he felt a “plethora of hope, but then started doubting himself.” But when a notification appeared on his phone that he was now a finalist, Daniel Sanchez’s feelings drastically changed for the better.

“I was at work, came back to my cubicle from a meeting and saw the notification on my phone,” recalls Daniel Sanchez, who is pursuing a Master of International Affairs with a concentration in global security at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. “I started jumping and then ran to the nearest colleague that I could find to show him what was on my phone screen. It was just plain excitement.”

Daniel Sanchez is among 108 graduate students across the U.S. to win the Boren Fellowship, through which he plans to study Mandarin in Taiwan. This is the second time a Baruch student received a Boren Fellowship.

The Boren Awards program provides undergraduate and graduate students with resources and encouragement to acquire language skills and experience in countries critical to the future security and stability of the United States. In exchange for funding, Boren Award recipients agree to work in the federal government for a period of at least one year.

Daniel Sanchez applied for the Boren Fellowship because he wants to pursue a career within the U.S. executive government, specifically within the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security or Department of Defense.

“I am looking to significantly improve my Mandarin in order to use it professionally,” says Daniel Sanchez, who studied abroad in Paris and completed an intensive learning course in Shanghai as an undergraduate at Baruch. “I also am seeking to better understand Taiwanese people. I have been to China before, and I look forward to seeing the difference and similarities between both countries.”

Fellowships and Scholarships Advising Support

Baruch students interested in applying for fellowships and scholarships can visit Baruch College’s Office of National & Prestigious Fellowships Advising. This office helps guide students through the application process when pursuing awards that support their academic studies.

In addition to the Boren Fellowship, other opportunities available to students include a Fulbright award, the Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship, Gilman International Scholarship, Freeman-ASIA scholarships, Venture for America, Public Policy International Affairs Fellowship, and many more.

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