The Obama Scholars program, inspired and informed by President Obama’s own experience at Occidental College, provides exceptional students from all backgrounds with a carefully crafted set of curated experiences over the course of 2 years to help propel them toward leadership and impact for the public good.
Scholarship Details
- Preference given to first-generation college students, veterans, and community college transfer students
- Applicants will be expected to participate in all Obama Scholars programming, including an on-campus summer program
Eligibility Criteria
- Sophomore or transfer student junior at Occidental College
- Commitment to the public good
- Leadership potential
- Academic skill
- Interest in the program’s components and goals
Application Process
- Gather the following documents:
- 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
- 1-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
- Unofficial transcript
- 2 letters of recommendation, at least one from an Occidental faculty member
- Submit all required materials to the online application portal
- Ensure your 2 letters of recommendation have also been emailed to the program by the deadline
- If selected as a recipient, participate in all required programming
The application may be accessed online. Applications are due no later than November 10th. Scholars will be notified by late January.
