Educational Exchange

Although conversing in Indonesian is now second-nature for Kate Alonso, it was just a few months ago that her vocabulary was limited to hello, goodbye, please, and thank you in the language, also known as Bahasa Indonesia.

The Florida State University senior has been abroad studying in Malang, Indonesia, since August where she is pursuing her passion for international human rights through a Boren Scholarship, a nationally competitive language opportunity administered by the National Security Education Program to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages critical to U.S. national security and economic prosperity.

Boren Awards, named for former Oklahoma governor and three-term senator David L. Boren, provide up to $25,000 for U.S. undergrads to study languages not commonly taught and in regions that tend to be omitted from traditional study-abroad programs.

Alonso is earning dual degrees in philosophy, under the Department of Philosophy, and international affairs in the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy with a minor in French from the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics.

“I’m able to use my philosophy background and apply ethics to how international human rights treaties, refugee treaties and international laws are created,” she said. “Utilizing applicable ethics on an international scale allows us to figure out what benefits the international community the most, not just from one perspective.”

Alonso’s range of studies allows her to investigate these needs across various perspectives. Before heading to Indonesia, she completed FSU's Center for Global Engagement Global Citizenship Certificate — which prepares individuals for the global workforce — and CGE’s Global Noles program where she mentored exchange students as they became acclimated to life at FSU. Alonso has also studied Arabic and completed the U.S. Intelligence Certificate with the Askew School of Public Administration.

“Although pursuing what you love isn’t always easy, your love for it makes all the difference. I’m grateful and excited to continue doing what I love — helping people and crossing multicultural bridges...”

— Kate Alonso

“Seeing the international framework in our Tallahassee community was amazing,” she said. “FSU has so many international students and intercultural and culturally diverse communities on campus. You can experience so many facets of the world without leaving Leon County.”

Thanks to courses and CGE programs, Alonso felt she was well-prepared for international study and, with help from Jesse Wieland, associate director of FSU’s Office of National Fellowships, she secured funding to support her study abroad.

“Kate is one of the most thoughtful, kind, and creative applicants I’ve worked with in nearly 10 years with ONF,” Wieland said. “She has a geune passion to become the type of ambassador America needs abroad, one that is patient, tactful and people-oriented.”

Alonso’s current trip isn’t her first to Indonesia — she spent summer 2023 interning with Asia Justice and Rights, a human-rights organization in Jakarta, supported by a fellowship grant from FSU’s Center for the Advancement of Human Rights. Hoping to return to Indonesia upon that internship’s completion, Alonso applied for the Boren Scholarship through the Regional Flagship Languages Initiative, a program separate from the Boren Awards that allows Boren applicants to study abroad in specific regions.

“Working on human-rights research solidified my interest in international human rights,” Alonso said. “Although Southeast Asia has always been at the forefront of my interests, it’s difficult to find some information in the U.S. After I learned about the Southeast Asian Flagship Languages Initiative program, I had to apply.”

Alonso began the RFLI program in summer 2024 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and took two months of Bahasa Indonesia language classes before traveling more than 9,000 miles to live with a host family and study at the State University of Malang.

“We’re in the classroom five days a week from 8 a.m. to noon. From 2-4 p.m., we have extracurricular classes, culture classes and meetings with language partners — it’s super immersive,” Alonso said. “I originally stumbled over my words, but now I’m comfortable holding conversations covering anything from personal interests to current news.”

While abroad, Alonso earned a scholarship extension to become an Independent Boren Scholar and design her own spring studies program after completing the predesigned flagship program. She plans to continue studying at the State University of Malang through April 2025 and then has her eyes set on graduate school and a career in international relations.

“I’m so thankful my love of languages has brought me here, and I know it’s not where my love will stop,” Alonso said. “Although pursuing what you love isn’t always easy, your love for it makes all the difference. I’m grateful and excited to continue doing what I love — helping people and crossing multicultural bridges — when I leave Malang.”