Rising third-year UC Davis student Maddison Cunningham received The Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service, known as The Voyager Scholarship, Tuesday. Cunningham is the first UC Davis student to earn The Voyager Scholarship since its inception in 2022. 

Voyagers, as the recipients are called, design an immersive travel opportunity, between their junior and senior year, that advances their commitment to public service. Cunningham continues to explore potential opportunities and wants to work with communities impacted by climate change or other urgent conflicts.

“I plan to incorporate both volunteer work and personal research. My focus is on public health, mental health and disaster response in these communities,” said Cunningham. “I aim to gain insights that help me contribute effectively to policy development in these areas.”

About the scholarship

The Obama Foundation awards 100 U.S. third-year college students annually who demonstrate financial need and a passion to serve their communities through public service careers. The scholarship aims to shape young leaders and equip them with the resources needed to create meaningful impact.

Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, alongside Airbnb Co-Founder and CEO, Brian Chesky, created the scholarship to bring students together to inspire and build change.

“If we want this next generation of leaders to be able to do what they need to do, they have to meet each other,” said President Obama on the scholarship’s webpage announcement video. “They have to know each other. They have to understand each other's communities.”

Recipients earn up to $50,000 in financial aid to help alleviate college debt, stipends to participate in transformative travel experiences and access to an expansive network of global mentors and leaders.

“It’s hard to dream of something, if you haven’t been exposed to it,” said Chesky in the video. “I am so excited to help unleash potential we already know is there.”

Voyager Cunningham

Cunningham discovered the scholarship through the UC Davis Global Learning Hub newsletter. 

“The opportunity immediately caught my attention due to its focus on public service and its alignment with my career goals,” Cunningham said. “I decided to apply for the Voyager Scholarship to enhance my education. It offers a unique chance to connect with a community of like-minded individuals and gain practical experience through awards like the Summer Voyage.”

Cunningham aspires to work at the United Nations or other governmental organizations with the power to enact change, after she graduates. She hopes to apply her Voyager experiences to help achieve this goal.

 “I’m excited about the potential impact of this scholarship on my future journey,” said Cunningham. “I witnessed the aftermath of the Camp Fire in my community, and it profoundly shaped my commitment to public service, especially in climate action. The Voyager Scholarship helps me turn that passion into tangible, positive change on a global scale.”