May 21, 2026
University of Missouri senior Mairi Beranek recently received a prestigious Boren Award, earning the opportunity to travel this fall to Morocco, where she will immerse herself in the language and culture.
Beranek, a criminal and justice studies major in the College of Health Sciences who transferred to Mizzou last fall, quickly sought ways to continue building on her background in Arabic. Beranek minored in Arabic Language and Literature at the United States Air Force Academy before becoming a Tiger.
The Boren Awards fund language-focused study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests.
“I was certainly ecstatic to receive the scholarship, but my initial reaction was honestly surprise,” Beranek said. “I am very excited to have the opportunity to study abroad and increase my fluency in the language.”
Beranek will study Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) through her courses and learn the specific Moroccan dialect, Darija, through conversations with locals.
This will be Beranek’s first study abroad experience. While the opportunity will help her build her language skills, it will also allow her to continue to develop analytical and interpersonal expertise that she will eventually use toward a career in criminal investigation and behavioral analysis.
Read more from the Office of Global and National Fellowships
