Zachary Rybarczyk believes that his Boren Fellowship in Morocco to research water access and government policies will teach him "the successes and challenges of providing urban and rural populations with clean water and adequate sanitation."

Rybarczyk worked with the director of SPA's Center for Environmental Policy to apply his domestic policy studies to the Boren Fellowship's international framework.

"Over the coming months, I will reach out to [Moroccan] environmental officials and NGO coordinators to learn more about the successes and challenges of providing urban and rural populations with clean water and adequate sanitation," Rybarczyk said.

Prior to receiving the fellowship, Rybarczyk maintained a foothold in the world of public policy through internships at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Center for American Progress, and in the office of Rep. Nancy Garland, D-Ohio.

For his capstone project, he investigated pollution mitigation tools under the 2014 Farm Bill for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. "The introduction to the inner workings of the USDA and the subject matter expertise that I gained will be invaluable to my future career," he said.

Boren Fellows are granted monetary awards up to $30,000 by the National Security Education Program (NSEP) to engage in research throughout areas of world critical to U.S. interests. Research often occurs in nontraditional security fields, including sustainable development, population growth and migration, economic competitiveness, and access to safe water.

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"I feel very fortunate to have chosen a program with attentive professors that took time to get to know me. They have offered advice for life in and outside of the classroom, and some that even helped guide me professionally."