The University of Chicago Obama Foundation Scholars Program has increased its cohort from 12 to 18 students for the 2022–23 academic year.
Six are from Booth, while the rest come from the Harris School of Public Policy and the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. The broader Obama Foundation Scholars program also includes 12 students from Columbia University in New York.
The six Booth students—all of whom are in their final year of study—are Olamide Babatunde, Binh (Ben) Bui, Ben Harris, Amanda Lee, Omotunde Odedeyi, and Lily Wang.
Now in its fifth year, the program “provides students with a unique opportunity to engage with communities across Chicago and the world,” says Paul Alivisatos, AB ’81, president of the University of Chicago.
Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation, says that the program allows students to “gain insight into the work that fellow young leaders are driving in their communities while speaking to the intersectionality of their efforts through collaboration.”
The program focuses on students with a commitment to advancing social change and includes leadership development workshops, mentoring opportunities, and access to strategic communications and fundraising experts. Scholars have regular meetings with a diverse group of elected officials, diplomats, policymakers, community activists, nonprofit leaders, and journalists.
Since its founding, the program has served 125 young leaders from 55 countries. This year’s Booth contingent includes students from the United States, Canada, Vietnam, and Nigeria.