A Yorktown High School alum has secured a prestigious scholarship to continue pursuing youth advocacy and educational reform in East Africa.
Elal Tilahun, a political science junior at Tulane University, is among 100 students from 88 colleges across 44 states and territories who have been awarded the Voyager Scholarship for Public Service.
Now in its third year, the scholarship from the Obama Foundation and Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky offers college juniors up to $50,000 in financial aid. It also includes a 10-year travel stipend, funding for work-travel experiences, and access to a network of mentors and leaders, enabling recipients to undertake public service projects worldwide.
Tilahun says she plans to use the funds to pursue youth advocacy and grassroots educational reform in East Africa “to drive more self-sufficient and sustainable change and reduce reliance on aid.”
“We wanted to see what young people with a passion for public service could achieve with the right support,” former president Barack Obama said in a statement, discussing the program he helped launch in 2022. “The enthusiasm and teamwork displayed by the first two cohorts have been inspiring. Today, as we welcome our third cohort, I am more hopeful than ever about our future.”
The scholarship, supported by a $100 million personal contribution from Chesky, spans two years and equips students with essential tools and resources to start their careers in public service.
Applicants are evaluated based on their academic performance, public service engagements, work history, and involvement in community activities, with financial need also considered. The selection process includes reviewing academic records, descriptions of service and work experiences, and evidence of leadership development program participation.
“The Voyager Scholarship is designed to empower a new generation of leaders to confront and navigate future challenges,” Chesky said in a press release. “The first two classes of Voyagers explored 80 countries, demonstrating the creativity and community spirit central to this initiative. I’m excited to see how this evolving program continues to shape visionary leaders.”
In addition to her academic pursuits, Tilahun serves as the vice president of the Ethiopian-Eritrean Student Association at Tulane. She also manages the aftercare program at École Bilingue de la Nouvelle-Orléans, providing multilingual education to students from toddler through eighth grade, and oversees the resource library at the International City/County Management Association in New Orleans.
Previously, Tilahun interned at The Dream Project in Arlington, focusing on advocacy and fundraising to assist Virginia students whose immigration status complicates their educational opportunities. She also contributed to Bright Star Ethiopia, an NGO addressing socio-economic challenges in Ethiopia, particularly in the realms of education, child labor, and the development of women and youth.
