Three Harris Students Chosen as Boren Fellows

Three Pearson Fellows were awarded the Boren Fellowship, which funds research and language study in world regions critical to US interests. Hannah Balikci, Nick Burdi, and Natalie Reyes, all MPP Class of 2025 at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and Pearson Fellows, were chosen to continue their language studies abroad. In total, six University of Chicago students were chosen as Boren Fellows, making the university a top-performing institute with the Boren Fellowship Program.

Balikci will study Turkish in Baku, Azerbaijan, as part of the Turkish Flagship Language Initiative (TURFLI). "After completing an intensive language program this summer at UW-Madison, I'll continue my Turkish studies in Baku where I am excited to learn more about Azerbaijani history and culture," she said.

Balikci completed her B.A. in Economics and Modern Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. She is the co-publisher of the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcast Network (UC3P) and producer of the Pearson Institute's Root of Conflict podcast.  

Burdi was awarded the fellowship to study Malay. "I'm going to Malaysia and I'm most excited about visiting and living in Kuala Lumpur. It's a fascinating city that combines so many cultures from around the world."

Prior to entering graduate school, Burdi was an Infantryman in the U.S. Army. During his service, he held various tactical and leadership positions. He deployed to Logar and Helmand Province, Afghanistan, from 2019 to 2020. He attended Loyola University of Chicago and received a Bachelor of Arts in sociology. 

Reyes, meanwhile, will study Persian in Tajikistan. "Learning a language is the truest way to understand a culture, and, even more significantly, it can serve as a way to build trust with speakers in that community,” she explained. “Settling into life in Dushanbe, I have witnessed international politics descend onto the city, but, as I very slowly develop my Persian skills, I have only a small glimpse into what that means for the different generations of Tajik citizenry. My hope is that, over the next few months, I will be able to obtain conversational fluency and learn about how Tajiks view the world and how it differs from the other Persian cultures."

Reyes holds a Bachelor of Arts in international relations global business from the University of Southern California (USC) as well as a Master of Arts in Turkish studies from Sabanci Universi. She sits on the Executive Board of the Chicago Policy Review as head of community engagement, and she works as a nonprofit manager at the Community Programs Accelerator in the university’s Office of Civic Engagement.

About the Pearson Fellowship

The Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts promotes discussion, understanding, and resolution of global conflicts through research, education and engagement with the global policy community. As part of the education component of its mission, The Pearson Institute annually awards Fellowships to a select group of distinguished MPP students.