On Friday, May 6, the NC State Belltower will be bathed in red to celebrate the recent accomplishments of Park Scholar and University Honors Program student Garik Sadovy ‘12. Sadovy was named a recipient of the David L. Boren Scholarship by the National Security Education Program (NSEP) and the Morris K. Udall Scholarship by the Udall Foundation.

Sadovy will use the awards to fund a year abroad in Indonesia. While in Indonesia, he will study language, culture, business, and ecology in Yogyakarta, the center of traditional Javanese culture. Sadovy then plans to engage in a field research project based at an Islamic university in Malang, addressing the question of what environmentally conscious development can do to alleviate poverty and foster sustainable growth, in addition to looking at U.S. security concerns.

“Essentially, my study abroad experience in Indonesia will give me an understanding of Indonesian Islamic culture, a foundation in Bahasa Indonesian, and an opportunity to research the rural Muslim community dynamic in the context of poverty, sustainable economic development, and environmental conservation,” says Sadovy. “For the United States to promote peace and economic stability in the region, it will be critical to have global operatives well versed in each of these areas, and I hope to be a great asset to the United States’ influence on environmentally conscious development in Indonesia.”

Garik Sadovy ‘12 in California during a summer research project.

After his time in Indonesia, Sadovy, who is majoring in materials science and engineering with a minor in environmental science, will return to NC State to complete his bachelor’s degree. He then plans to begin his Ph.D. in geography and environment, ideally at the University of Oxford.

Ultimately, Sadovy intends to pursue a career with the Environmental Protection Agency or World Resources Institute as a consultant for strategy in sustainable development, particularly in the areas of biological infrastructure materials, investment driven biodiversity preservation, and non-toxic, environmentally compatible technology.

Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 to U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad. The NSEP draws on a broad definition of national security, recognizing that the scope of national security has expanded to include not only the traditional concerns of protecting and promoting American well-being, but also the challenges of global society, including sustainable development, environmental degradation, global disease and hunger, population growth and migration, and economic competitiveness.

Udall Scholars are selected on the basis of commitment to careers in the environment, health care or tribal public policy; leadership potential; and academic achievement. Each scholarship provides up to $5,000 for the Scholar’s junior or senior year. Since the first awards in 1996, the Udall Foundation has awarded 1,234 scholarships.

To view the Sadovy Udall story, click here.

To view the NC State listing of Belltower celebrations, click here.