The Obama Scholars program, inspired and informed by the President’s own experience at Occidental, provides exceptional students from all backgrounds with a carefully crafted set of curated experiences over the course of two years to help propel them toward leadership and impact for the public good.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be sophomores enrolled at Occidental College or transfer student juniors
- Preference given to applicants who are first-generation college students, veterans, and/or community college transfer students
- Applicants must be available to participate in all Obama Scholars programming, including an on-campus summer program
Selection Criteria
Obama Scholars will be chosen based on the following criteria:
- Commitment to the public good - Scholars will be able to define a problem they want to address in the public good and will convey a clear motivation to pursue a career that improves others’ lives.
- Leadership potential - Scholars will demonstrate through their past experiences the ability to take initiative to solve problems they care about.
- Academic strengths - Scholars will demonstrate the ability to balance their service activities and their academic program.
- Interest in the program’s components and goals - Scholars will be eager to develop their leadership skills, interested in refining their conception of the public good, excited to contribute to and participate in the Obama Scholars community, and passionate about making changes that will improve others’ lives.
How to Apply
The application may be accessed online. Applications are due no later than November 11th. Scholars will be notified by late January.
Components of the application include:
- A list of high school and college activities demonstrating your leadership and commitment to the public good
- A short answer about the public problem you most want to address in your future career, and why you are motivated to address it
- A short answer explaining a time when you identified a problem and stepped up as a leader to help solve it
- An uploaded one-page personal statement explaining your motivation for entering the public good, your future goals, and why you want to be part of the Obama Scholars Program
- An uploaded unofficial transcript
Applicants must also request that 2 letters of recommendation be emailed to us by November 11th. These recommendations should speak to the Obama Scholars selection criteria and should be from professors, supervisors, or mentors. At least one letter must be from an individual at Occidental.