Megan Burnham

About Megan Burnham

Megan Burnham is a 2nd-year MA student at the Russian and East European Studies Institute. Her specialty is in international security, and she is writing her thesis on Russian hybrid tactics in the Baltic states. She received a David L. Boren Fellowship from the Department of Defense's National Security Education Program to study Russian in Riga, Latvia. While abroad, she took advantage of NATO's active presence in the Baltic states to attend multiple conferences on regional security. Her Boren Fellowship has opened up multiple other opportunities for her academic and professional development, including the opportunity to travel to Monterey as an MSSR Fellow to participate in the 7-week Monterey Summer Symposium on Russia and the upcoming opportunity to travel to Berlin to participate in a NATO workshop on the benefits and risks of social media for multilateral organizations.

Megan considers these experiences to be invaluable to her development as a future security expert, and she encourages all interested students to apply for a Boren Award or other similar government-funded awards. Megan consulted with the GradGrants Center twice during the application process for the Boren Fellowship, and she recommends all applicants take advantage of the expertise present at IU to assist in crafting successful essays. 

About the Award

Boren Fellowship

Boren Fellowships provide funding for U.S. graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Boren Fellows represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. oIn exchange for funding, Boren Fellows commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

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