THE VOYAGER SCHOLARSHIP – THE OBAMA-CHESKY SCHOLARSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE
This scholarship gives college students financial aid to alleviate the burden of college debt, meaningful travel experiences to expand their horizons, and a network of mentors and leaders to support them.
Requirements include:
- Finishing sophomore year in Spring 2022
- Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent
- Have demonstrated a commitment to public service
- Plan to pursue a career in public service upon graduation
- Be a United States (US) citizen, US permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card), or an individual granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA)
- Students must demonstrate financial need to be considered for the program
Recipients will receive the following:
Financial aid up to $50,000: Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in “last dollar” financial aid to cover remaining tuition and/or living costs for their junior and senior years of college. This last-dollar approach builds on other financial aid programs and helps ensure the students can pursue a career in public service and are not constrained by crushing student debt.
Summer Voyage: President Obama and Brian have different backgrounds, but share the fundamental belief and lived experience that exposure to new places and experiences broaden our horizons and redefine what we believe is possible. With a budget of $10,000, students will design their own summer voyage between their junior and senior year of college. The experience will allow students to pursue internships or mentorship opportunities anywhere in the world that will broaden their horizons and prepare them for careers in public service. Students will also be able to stay in homes on Airbnb using credits provided by Airbnb.
10-year travel stipend: After graduation, Airbnb will provide the students with a $2,000 travel credit every year for 10 years, totaling $20,000. This will allow students to continue to broaden their horizons and forge new connections throughout their public service careers.
Fall Summit: Voyagers will be invited to an annual Fall Summit. This fall, the summit will include a meeting with President Obama, Brian Chesky, and other leaders. They will also get access to a network of other Voyagers and alumni with whom they can connect with at the summit and beyond.
A network of leaders: Throughout the program, students will be invited to an ongoing speaker series, giving them access to a network of leaders. This network of leaders will expose them to new areas of service and innovations happening in their fields. After graduation, they will join the Obama Foundation’s global community, providing them with Foundation resources and programming.
For more information, contact Karen Mura at karen.mura@gatech.edu.
