Florida Tech Student Valerie Robbins-Roth Makes History with Prestigious Boren Fellowship Award

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BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech student Valerie Robbins-Roth, a doctoral candidate in the Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology Ph.D. program, has been awarded a David L. Boren Fellowship. It will allow her to study in Japan.

She is the first Florida Tech student, graduate or undergraduate, to receive the prestigious recognition, which is presented by the Institute of International Education on behalf of the federal National Security Education Program (NSEP).

A total of just 102 graduate students nationwide received fellowships this year to add important international and language components to their educations by studying overseas in regions critical to U.S. interests.

Robbins-Roth’s areas of study center around corporate leadership and culture, and the fellowship will provide support for her research in cross-cultural leadership dynamics by supporting her trip to Japan.

“Receiving this fellowship is a tremendous honor and opportunity. It is meaningful recognition of my hard work over the past four years and a glimpse into my aspired international career,” Robbins-Roth said.

“I’m incredibly excited to further my Japanese language skills and to research and collaborate with experts in Tokyo. I deeply appreciate the support and encouragement I’ve received along the way.”

The National Security Education Program, a component of the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO), is a major federal initiative designed to build a broader and more qualified pool of U.S. citizens with foreign language and international skills.

NSEP’s Boren Awards program provides U.S. undergraduate and graduate students with resources and encouragement to acquire language skills and experience in overseas locations critical to the future security and stability of the United States.

In exchange for funding, Boren Award recipients agree to work in the federal government for a period of at least one year.

Since 1994, over 7,800 students have received Boren Awards and contributed their vital skills to careers in support of the critical missions of agencies throughout the federal government.

“To continue to play a leadership role in the world, it is vital that America’s future leaders have a deep understanding of the rest of the world,” says former U.S. Sen. David Boren, the principal author of the legislation that created the National Security Education Program and the scholarships and fellowships that bear his name.

“As we seek to lead through partnerships, understanding of other cultures and languages is absolutely essential.”

Robbins-Roth said the best way to foster strong, successful cross-cultural leaders and communication is by broadening our understanding of different cultures. Her time in Tokyo will allow her to do that.

“Assuming leadership theories from the West or China are the same in culturally diverse contexts like East Asia can obscure our understanding of effective leaders,” she said.

“I aim to understand Japanese leadership organically, examine the applicability of commonly applied Western leadership styles like servant or transformational leadership, and synthesize the findings to understand globally competent leaders.”

Utilizing qualitative interviews and quantitative survey methods, Robbins-Roth will work with Toshio Murase, Ph.D., of Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, to connect with, interview and survey Japanese leaders and followers. This project is part of her dissertation work advised by Jessica Wildman, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the I/O Psychology Program.

“Not only do recipients of these awards experience a great opportunity for foreign language development, but they also receive extensive career counseling and opportunities for public service positions in many branches of government,” noted Gary Burns, Ph.D., professor and Organizational Leadership Program Chair in the School of Psychology and campus representative for the Boren Awards.

Robbins-Roth said she will fulfill the Boren Awards commitment to public service by serving most likely as a government research psychologist or organizational development specialist.

Her longer-term plans are to continue working as a management consultant, while also conducting applied research and pursuing international consulting positions focusing on U.S.-Japan business relations.

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