Voyager Scholarship

UNO junior Giovanni (Gio) Gomez found himself in the room where it happens; a room where he sat by co-founder and CEO of Airbnb and across the room from Barack Obama; a room where he sat as one of the 2024-2026 cohort of Voyager Scholarship awardees who met in Chicago for their fall summit. Gio received notice that he was a recipient of the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service last year, and it was in that room last month that he began his journey representing UNO as 1 of 100 students representing 44 states and 88 different colleges and universities.

Established in 2022, the scholarship is designed for young leaders who are ready tomake their mark in public service. The two-year scholarship program is open to students with documented financial need entering their junior year of study. These changemakers receive financial aid, meaningful travel experiences to expand their horizons, and a network of mentors and leaders to support them.

Gio is a member of both the Honors Program and CBA Scholars, pursuing both his Business Administration and Political Science degrees, and he is the first recipient of this award from UNO. He applied for and became a Voyager based on his dedication to public service work and a commitment to learning and building bridges across communities. His application was related to immigration issues, an area that continues to demand his attention and a facet of his decision to pursue law school after graduation.

Before setting out on his next course of study, he will spend this summer before his senior year engaging in a month-long public service effort funded by the award. That experience and the travel it brings will grow this Voyager’s understanding and insights, and it will no doubt further his ambition to serve even more.

You can learn more about his cohort at https://www.obama.org/programs/voyager-scholarship/2024-2026/

Applications for the next Voyager cohort are available now at https://www.obama.org/programs/voyager-scholarship/