Isabelle Davis, an International Studies student at the University of Iowa, earned a 2020 David L. Boren Fellowship, and will spend next year studying Turkish in Azerbaijan as part of the new 2020 Turkish Flagship Language Initiative.

The Boren Fellowships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. graduate and undergraduate 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.

Hometown: LeClaire, IA
Degree: International Studies major, French and Arabic minors

Do you have professors or mentors to thank?
When I transferred to Iowa in 2018, I did not imagine that I would find such strong support throughout the university. I would like to thank Dr. Aron Aji, Dr. Ahmed Souaiaia, Dr. Karen Wachsmuth, and Claire Frances for helping me realize my dream to learn Turkish.

Were there experiences at UI that inspired your decision to pursue a Boren?
My goal to study Turkish arose in July 2016 while participating in the University of Iowa’s summer National Scholars Institute in high school. While I was supposed to study creative writing and psychology, I discovered my interest in Turkish through the Turkish friends I made in the program. I was entranced by how their native language perfectly translated their personalities. During the second week, my Turkish friends received messages that their country was facing a coup d’etat. As they frantically tried to contact their families, I understood for the first time the impact government has on peoples’ safety and security.

How do you foresee this influencing your future career?
By teaching me advanced Turkish, cultural, and political knowledge, Boren will prepare me for my future career inside the federal government as a Turkish language analyst.

What excites you the most about spending a semester in Azerbaijan?
I am excited that I get to meet the other Turkish language learners from around the United States. I am excited that I get to share this incredible experience with other Americans.

For more information on the Boren Fellowships: https://international.uiowa.edu/students/awards