Â鶹¹ú²úAV

91B0FBB4-04A9-D5D7-16F0F3976AA697ED
C9A22247-E776-B892-2D807E7555171534
Mary Hurner '24
Mary Hurner ’24, a public policy major from Heber City, Utah, is among the first recipients of the , also known as the .

The new initiative, created by the Obama Foundation and supported by Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky, gives students interested in pursuing a career in public service up to $50,000 in financial aid as they finish college. Voyager scholars also receive a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing to pursue a summer work-travel experience between their junior and senior year of college. The students will design their own “Summer Voyage” to gain exposure to new communities and experience in a chosen field.

Hurner said she was motivated to apply for the scholarship because of how directly it seemed to fit her interest in public service and travel. When she was a first-year student and sophomore at Â鶹¹ú²úAV, she volunteered as a COOP service intern, working at The Center, a resource center for refugees coming to Utica.

“I worked specifically in a program that helps connect young refugees between the ages of 15 and 24 to the Utica community,” Hurner said. “I already knew I wanted to major in public policy when I started my internship, but I didn’t know exactly where I wanted to focus my interest in policy. This internship was my first experience working with refugees directly and has sparked my interest in learning more about international refugee policy and aid.”

Â鶹¹ú²úAV Serves

In and out of class, on campus and off, students get involved in advocating for a better world.

In her application, Hurner discussed her interest in refugee policy and her experience in Utica. “Efforts to improve the refugee resettlement process would limit the suffering of millions of people. … My interest in this issue has grown throughout my work at The Center, which has given me the opportunity to help refugees develop a sense of community in Utica. I hope to expand my work to focus on the struggles that refugees experience before being resettled in the United States,” she wrote.

Hurner has yet to determine where she will go for her summer voyage. “The Obama Foundation is going to pair each of us with a coach who is going to help us design what we want to do. As for right now, I’m interested in working directly with refugees abroad, as well as learning more about the policy side of international refugee work. I’m hoping to split my time pursuing both of these interests,” she said.

Related News

COOp Csis 2019

COOP CSIs Connect With Community

Eleven members of the Class of ’23 served as COOP Service Interns (CSIs) during their first year. The CSI program is designed for those students who are keenly passionate about service. Watch this video to hear what two COOP CSIs – Carlo Benavides ’23 and Abigail Less ’23 – enjoy about their internships and how they’re making an impact in the community.

COOP senior fellows 2021-22

COOP Sr. Fellows Link Student Volunteers With the Community

Each year, a group of dedicated students are selected by the Community Outreach & Opportunity Project (COOP) as senior fellows whose job it is to connect students with volunteer opportunities, building a bridge between the Hill and the local community.  

Help us provide an accessible education, offer innovative resources and programs, and foster intellectual exploration.

Site Search