HPU Student Receives Boren Scholarship to Study in Morocco

High Point University student Emerson Siefken, a rising senior and Air Force ROTC cadet from Saint Paul, Minnesota, has received the Boren Scholarship to study modern Arabic in Morocco. He was pictured in one of his favorite places to study on campus, the library at the Nido Qubein School of Communication.

HIGH POINT, N.C., May 15, 2026 – High Point University student Emerson Siefken, a rising senior and Air Force ROTC cadet from Saint Paul, Minnesota, has received the prestigious David L. Boren Scholarship to study modern Arabic in Morocco.

An initiative of the U.S. Department of Defense, the Boren Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students to support the study of languages critical to U.S. national security. After their fellowship ends, students work in positions that are critical to national security throughout the federal government, including the departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security.

In Morocco, Siefken intends to strengthen the Arabic language skills he first developed as a freshman during a 12-week intensive program in Amman, Jordan, through the Project Global Officer program, a Department of Defense language scholarship for college ROTC students.

“Being named a Boren Scholar is both an honor and a strategic investment in my development as an Air Force officer and future professional,” said Siefken, who is pursuing a dual degree in international relations and political science with interests in national security, foreign policy and U.S. engagement in the Middle East and North Africa. “It is a deliberate step toward becoming a more capable, globally minded Air Force officer who can contribute both operationally and strategically throughout his career.”

Siefken was recognized at HPU’s 15th Annual Veterans Day Celebration in 2025. During the event, he received the Brigadier General Norman C. Gaddis Leadership Award, a university honor bestowed on an upperclassman who exemplifies the values of the U.S. military. He also earned the Jack London Supreme Council ROTC Award, which recognizes the ROTC cadet who makes the most significant contributions on campus through service. The award-winning cadet must: Have contributed the most among cadets on campus to encourage and demonstrate patriotism by deeds or conduct during participation in extracurricular activities or community projects; have demonstrated academic excellence by being in the top 25% of his or her academic class; have demonstrated a potential for outstanding leadership by exhibiting qualities of dependability, good character, self-discipline, good citizenship and patriotism.

Dr. Mark Setzler, professor of political sciences and director of HPU’s International Relations Program, celebrated Siefken’s success.

“For four years, Emerson has pursued rigorous training in history, economics, political science, foreign language and military science,” Setzler said. “He is a high-caliber student with a very bright future.”

Upon graduation from High Point University, Siefken will commission into the U.S. Air Force as a pilot and attend Undergraduate Pilot Training. He also hopes to be selected for the highly competitive Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program, where communication, adaptability and international awareness are highly valued.

“Immersion in Morocco will sharpen those skills in ways that extend far beyond the classroom,” Siefken said. “Looking further ahead, I also hope to pursue opportunities through the Air Force’s Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP), which develops service members with foreign language skills and regional expertise to support global operations and international partnerships. LEAP officers are often called upon for exercises, exchanges, coalition coordination and missions requiring cultural and linguistic capability. The Boren Scholarship provides a natural progression toward future opportunities, as well as long-term  specialization in international affairs, regional strategy and security cooperation with partner nations through roles such as becoming a Foreign Area Officer (FAO).”

Other HPU students who received the Boren Scholarship include:

• Jorgen Krone, who is from Wilmette, Illinois, and graduated from HPU in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He was awarded the Boren Fellowship for 2025-2026 to study Arabic at the Qasid Arabic Institute in Amman, Jordan.
• Two HPU students were selected as Boren scholars in 2024. Savannah Graver, an international relations major from Orefield, Pennsylvania, received a Boren Scholarship to study Mandarin at National Taiwan Normal University in Taiwan from July 2024 to February 2025. Mac Mollins, an honors scholar from Clayton, North Carolina, with double majors in history and political science, received the Boren Scholarship to study Turkish at the University of Baku, Azerbaijan.
• HPU student Daniel Desjarlais, an international relations and criminal justice double major, was named a Boren scholar in 2023 to study Turkish language and culture.
• Yasmene Dergham, an international relations and political science major from Plattsburgh, New York, was named a Boren scholar in 2018 to study Arabic, international relations and history in Jordan.