From Denver to Taipei: The Boren Scholarship in Action

In her nearly four years at the University of Denver, Sofia Pineda Velez has spent almost as much time on the other side of the world as she has on campus. 

An international studies and Mandarin student, Pineda Velez is currently on her third stint in Taiwan on a Boren Scholarship. The Boren program sends U.S. students to study languages and immerse themselves in cultures all over the world with the goal of strengthening the United States’ representation in international public service.

Prior to this fall, she spent her summer studying Mandarin at Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) on a Critical Language Scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, and before that, she studied abroad in the country during her junior year. 

Pineda Velez’ summer at NCKU was challenging, she says. She spent hours of her day in class and meeting with a language partner, speaking strictly Mandarin, before coming home to a host family, with whom she spoke more Mandarin.

“It was really hard,” she says. “I can honestly see why they call it ‘super intensive’ language study.”

But, Pineda Velez says, it was worth it—her language skills improved immensely. Coming from a Spanish-speaking family of international travelers and looking to eventually work in international affairs, she knew she wanted to add Mandarin to her repertoire.

Now, Pineda Velez is living in Taipei and studying in the International Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan University—and meeting people from all over the world. She lives in a shared apartment with other students.

“I have roommates from Thailand, Japan—an American roommate, too—and had one from Macau earlier,” she says. “And then the rest are all Taiwanese.”

Her daily life revolves around studying. She spends several hours in class each weekday and then, in the evenings, often goes to a cafe or the school library to study or join classmates who are also studying. 

Getting a taste of Taiwan

Much of her time outside of class, Pineda Velez says, is spent seeking out her next tasty meal.

“Exploring Google Maps to see what I want to eat takes up a good portion of my day, but it's also really good Chinese practice, because the menus are in Chinese,” she says. “So, it’s definitely very immersive, every single day. I think I speak more Chinese than I do English at this point in my day-to-day life, which is good.”

She often goes out with a Taiwanese friend she met during her study abroad program.

“She teaches me everyday Chinese, like how to read the news or how to order very specific things that a foreigner would never know,” Pineda Velez says.

Ordering food, too, is a great way to learn more Chinese.

“Sometimes it feels like your Chinese isn't very good because the employee at the restaurant didn't understand you when you said, ‘I want tofu pudding,’” she says. “But maybe there's that one day where they understand every single topping that you wanted, and you're like, ‘Yes, my Chinese is improving!’ Sometimes that's more fulfilling than the grades on your exam, too.”

Having spent so much time abroad, there are certain things Pineda Velez says she misses about home and speaking her native language, Spanish, with her family.

“I think I talk to my parents a lot more when I'm living abroad than I actually do when I'm in Denver,” she says. “I find myself missing speaking my native tongue, even the way it feels on your lips, like, sometimes I just miss rolling my R's, or sometimes there's certain slang that you miss—ways of expressing yourself that you don't get to do when you're a foreigner abroad.”

Going abroad takes work at home

Pineda Velez didn’t come by her international opportunities through luck. She worked hard with DU’s Office of Scholar Development and Fellowship Advising to develop her application materials—a process that she says could get pretty personal. 

“Whenever you're doing draft after draft of a 500-word essay, it's kind of like opening your heart up to someone,” Pineda Velez says. “It's a very vulnerable experience. I feel like people don't realize how vulnerable it is to really expose yourself and your dreams and desires, but I think they make it a very safe place to do that.”

Working with the office really helped her to develop her self-confidence, too.

“A lot of the time when we're writing these applications, we say, ‘I think I am this kind of person, and therefore I'm capable of doing this,’ but it really helps to apply with words like, ‘I am capable of doing this,’ or ‘I know I am capable of doing this,’” Pineda Velez says.

Pineda Velez will graduate from the University of Denver in June 2025.

Anyone interested in competing for the Boren Scholarship or other nationally or internationally competitive awards can work with DU’s new Office of Scholar Development & Fellowship Advising.