Iragi Nshangalume receives
Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship

The College of Social and Behavioral Science (CSBS) is proud to announce that Iragi Nshangalume, an undergraduate majoring in political science and economics, with a minor in philosophy, has been awarded the esteemed Voyager Scholarship from the Obama Foundation for the 2024-2026 cohort.

The Voyager Scholarship was created by the Obamas and Brian Chesky, Co-Founder and CEO of Airbnb to help shape such leaders. Even though they come from different backgrounds, both the President and Brian believe that exposure to new places and experiences generates understanding, empathy, and cooperation which equips the next generation to create meaningful change. 

The two-year scholarship program is open to students entering their junior year of college at an accredited four-year college or university in the US, who have demonstrated a financial need, and who are US citizens, permanent residents, or DACA recipients.  

The 2024-2026 cohort consists of 100 students from 44 states and territories, representing 88 colleges and universities across the United States. 

The 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, including: 

- Up to $50,000 in financial aid: Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in “last dollar” financial aid for their junior and senior years of college. This financial aid should alleviate the burden of college debt so that students can afford to pursue a career in public service. 

- Summer Voyage: Students will receive a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing to pursue a summer work-travel experience between their junior and senior year of college. The students will design their own Summer Voyage to gain exposure to new communities and experience in a chosen field. 

- Fall Summit: Students are invited to an annual summit to help define and inspire their public service journey. 

- 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. 

Reflecting on the achievement, Nshangalume shared, "I applied for the Voyager Scholarship because of the amazing opportunities and resources the scholarship offers. Through this scholarship, I will not only join a cohort of brilliant and passionate students, but I will also learn from leading public servants about becoming an effective and proactive leader while gaining direct and immediate exposure to serving our communities." 
 Nshangalume is deeply committed to addressing legal and policy disparities to create a more equitable society. During an internship at the Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake County, she identified a significant gap between the legal system’s capacity and the community's needs. "I remember being at one of our Community Courts and hearing many of our attorneys and law students talk about how they just didn’t have enough time or mental capacity to meet all the community’s legal demands. This is when I knew that we need to reform our current justice systems to ensure that both our provider’s and community’s demands and needs are being met.” 

 With the support of the Voyager Scholarship, Nshangalume aims to strengthen her leadership skills and critical thinking to tackle complex legal challenges. " I’m confident that with the knowledge I gain for the school and scholarship program, I will have the necessary community-building, analysis, and critical thinking skills that will help me create innovative solutions to our pressing legal policy disparities.”