Aayah Osman ’27, Edylene Altidor ’27, and Emily Milfort ’27 have been named recipients of the 2025–27 Obama-Chesky Voyagers Scholarship for Public Service. The scholarship will support their commitment to public service by providing up to $50,000 in financial aid for college, a $10,000 stipend plus free Airbnb housing for travel during the summer after their junior year to work on a project of their own design, and a $2,000 Airbnb travel credit each year for 10 years after college.
The students learned about the program through the Lulu Chow Wang ’66 Center for Career Education and from earlier Obama-Chesky recipients Katherine Maria Torres ’26 and Yamira Patterson ’26.
The program, started in 2022 by former President Barack Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama, and Brian Chesky, CEO and co-founder of Airbnb CEO, prioritizes students who show a passion for public service, leadership, and collaboration.
Travel is an essential component of the program. Patterson, who is double majoring in economics and education, reflects on her summer travels to Peru, Washington, D.C., and Greece: “I learned a lot about different sectors, about working with people, perseverance, and being uncomfortable in a new country. There is so much of the world to see. The world of social impact is beautiful, domestic and abroad. Just the power of an open door. The Obama Foundation is invested in your success, and there are lots of opportunities to take advantage of.”
Altidor, an architecture major, plans to design cities with inclusivity in mind as she works on urban development projects. “I plan to focus on equitable urban development in order to create inclusive cities that reflect the needs and voices of their communities,” says Altidor.
“I hope to use the experiences and connections from the Voyager scholarship to deepen my passion for and expand my reach in public service.”
Emily Milfort ’27
Osman, a data science and economics double major, is excited about the opportunities this scholarship provides: “The very crucial thing is the network that you gain through it,” she says. “One of the main things that I’ve learned is that public service is broad, and hearing about what my fellow voyagers are doing is very eye-opening. We all won the same scholarship, and we are all doing such different things.” Her summer voyage will focus on bolstering financial literacy programs in Brazil, Thailand, and South Africa to help build stable local economies.
Political science major Milfort says her public service goals center on securing equitable housing and access to education. “After Wellesley, I plan to go to law school and become a civil rights attorney and one day write legislation,” she says. “I hope to use the experiences and connections from the Voyager scholarship to deepen my passion for and expand my reach in public service.” She plans to use her post-graduation Airbnb credit to explore different cultural contexts while learning more about and contributing to racial equity and upliftment. “I am very excited for what’s to come,” she says.
The scholarship recipients speak of the empowering, long-lasting impact of the program. “This program has taught me that public service doesn’t look like one thing, and there are so many ways to make a difference in this world. I have met so many voyagers changing the world through music, art, medical care, and legal work,” says Milfort. “The Obama Foundation further instills in us the understanding that we can be the change we want to see in this world, and if you put your mind to it, you can do it.”