Ayanna Norman, a junior allied health studies and psychology double major from Corinth, Miss., became the first University of Mississippi student to be awarded the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
The Voyager Scholarship program is a collaboration between the Obama Foundation and Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky. The scholarship, which was awarded to 100 college juniors across the United States, is designed for young leaders with a notable role in public service.
“It feels unreal (to be a recipient of this award), to say the least! I think I’ve gone back to reread my congratulatory email and essay responses in disbelief over 20 times now. It also feels like I’m on the right path in service, as this opportunity aligns perfectly with the projects I’ve been envisioning,” Norman said. “Now I get to bring those visions to life, and I feel truly blessed and grateful to be chosen as a recipient of such an honorable award.”
Director of the Office of National Scholarship Advisement and Croft Associate Professor of History and International Studies Vivian Ibrahim discussed what the scholarship entails.
“This award is a collaboration between President Obama and the Airbnb owner Chesky to fund rising juniors $50,000 over two years plus $10,000 for travel,” Ibrahim said. “The students are committed to public service and will meet for leadership classes and create a cohort to empower the next generation of public servants. This is the third year of the award.”
Norman, who ultimately plans to attend nursing school, will use the funds to study issues of healthcare access in underserved communities.
“With this life-changing scholarship comes the chance to pay it back to the community. The Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship has not only provided me with financial aid but is also giving me the resources to plan and pursue a summer project of service. With these resources and the guidance from advisers, I will be working over the coming months to develop a project aimed at addressing healthcare disparities,” Norman said.
Norman said that she plans to use her education and experience as a Voyager to help Mississippi communities.
“Looking into the future, I plan to continue focusing on healthcare disparities and use my summer voyage and the network provided through the scholarship to implement community-based interventions starting in Mississippi,” Norman said. “I also plan to establish an outreach program that focuses on supporting students aspiring to enter the healthcare field. The program will be based in Mississippi, with plans to expand to neighboring states and potentially globally once it becomes sustainable, with the goal of creating widespread change.”
While the Voyager Scholarship is highly competitive, Ibrahim urged interested sophomores to apply, as it helps them prepare for other competitive awards they may wish to pursue in the future.
“The application process is great practice for later national scholarship awards like the Truman, Fulbright and Rhodes. It asks questions about how the candidate is passionate about making transformative change to benefit society and what they are already doing,” Ibrahim said.
Norman also encouraged students to apply and gave them a piece of advice.
“With this scholarship choosing only students from a large pool of applicants, I almost didn’t apply, thinking my application was just a drop in the bucket. But it’s important to believe in yourself and the work you’re doing because they’re looking for those who are committed to making a positive change,” Norman said. “And to those who may not receive the award, don’t let that discourage you from continuing to fight the good fight. The process of applying is valuable in itself, as it gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you want to change and how you plan to achieve it.”
