A UNC grad student and a Carolina alumna have been awarded the National Security Education Program’s David L. Boren Fellowship.

Christine Kim and Julia Tenyotkin were awarded the Boren Fellowship, which supports a field of study – particularly languages – identified as vital to national security.

The scholarship is valued at $30,000 and is awarded to graduate students in exchange that the students pursue a career working in the federal government – specifically departments like defense, homeland security or other intelligence agencies after graduation.

Mary Floyd-Wilson, director of Carolina’s Office of Distinguished Scholarships, said in release that the Boren Fellowship is vital for students to study topics that are important to national security.

“The Boren Fellowship is among the few awards available to fund deep pursuit of language study for graduate students, and the award underlines the commitment of both the federal government and the Institute of International Education to educate our country’s citizens,” Floyd-Wilson said.

Kim is currently a doctoral student in health policy and management in UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health. She graduated with a degree in History from University of California-Berkeley in 2007 and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University in 2011.

The Boren Fellowship will allow Kim to travel to Uganda where she plans to complete a project focused on improving community-based learning, according to the university.

Tenyotkin graduated from UNC in 2012 with a Global Studies and Peace, War and Defense double major and a Chinese minor. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in International Affairs at Monterey Institute of International Studies.

The Boren Fellowship will enable Tenyotkin to study Mandarin in China where she plans to complete a project focuses on understanding the South China Sea conflict.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Student Representatives Share Successes, Farewells with Board of Trustees
UNC Student Body President Taliajah Vann and Graduate Student President Theodore Nollert shared highlights of their tenures last Thursday.
UNC Students Call to Raise Graduate Student Pay
Facing an affordability crisis in Chapel Hill, graduate students are calling for a change. UNC’s graduate and professional student government leaders are stepping up their efforts to raise the graduate student pay. 
Hot Start Helps UNC Women's Basketball Romp Past SMU
UNC shot better than 70 percent in the first quarter and finished well above 50 percent for the game in a 94-42 win against SMU at Carmichael Arena Thursday night. The 52-point margin of victory is Carolina’s largest ever in an ACC game, and it was also the 400th win in the career of head […]
UPDATE: UNC Men's Basketball Star Caleb Wilson Suffers Fractured Left Hand at Miami
UNC star freshman forward Caleb Wilson suffered a fractured left hand in the first half of Tuesday night’s 75-66 loss at Miami. The injury was initially reported to be a sprained left wrist and was confirmed as such by a program spokesman, but a release published Thursday afternoon clarified the injury as a fracture. Caleb […]
UNC Men's Basketball vs. Pitt (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time
UNC will return home to the Smith Center and celebrate Valentine’s Day Saturday afternoon when it hosts Pitt in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are looking to rebound from a loss at Miami Tuesday night. If you aren’t attending the game, here’s how you can follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those hoping to listen […]
Chansky's Notebook: Banghart's Breakthrough?
Courtney Banghart and UNC will need to be at their best in the home stretch of the regular season if they want to break through in the ACC.
Chansky's Notebook: Desperation
Anyone who has experienced a hangover understands at least part of the explanation for UNC’s loss at Miami on Tuesday night.
UNC Men's Basketball Falls Flat in Loss at Miami
UNC fell behind early and never led Tuesday night at Miami, falling to the upset-minded Hurricanes 75-66. Miami used red-hot early shooting to build a lead as large as 10 points at 22-12 inside of eight minutes played. After missing their first two shots of the game, the Hurricanes promptly made 11 of their next […]
Chansky's Notebook: The Hangover
UNC will need to avoid a classic trap game when it faces a dangerous Miami Hurricanes team tonight in Coral Gables.
UNC's Caleb Wilson Named ACC Freshman of the Week, National Player of the Week
After leading the Tar Heels to wins against Syracuse and No. 4 Duke, UNC star freshman was named the ACC Freshman of the Week and the Naismith National Player of the Week Monday afternoon. Another one for Caleb 📈 🔗 https://t.co/Gph3xXuFZT pic.twitter.com/TQbBStDu3F — Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) February 9, 2026 National Player of the Week 😮‍💨 […]
›