Annabel Chung ’27 is the fourth consecutive CMC student to earn a prestigious Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service since the program’s inception in 2022.
An International Relations and History major at CMC, with a long-term goal of working for the U.S. State Department, Chung plans to use her scholarship to focus on how diplomacy can support refugee resettlement, education, and economic security for defectors, particularly those fleeing authoritarian regimes.
Created by former U.S. President and First Lady, Barack and Michelle Obama, along with Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, the award—also known as the “Voyager Scholarship”—enables young leaders to meet the needs of “an increasingly globalized world” and “bridge divides” to “help solve our biggest challenges.”
The two-year (2025-2027) Voyager Scholarship cohort comprises 100 students from 34 states and territories, representing 71 colleges and universities across the United States. Designed “to alleviate the burden of college debt” so students can pursue public service careers, the scholarship provides “meaningful travel experiences to expand their horizons, and a network of mentors and leaders to support them.”
Open to students entering their junior year of college, the scholarship’s benefits include: Up to $50,000 in financial aid, a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing for immersive summer travel, participation in an annual summit, and invitations to an ongoing speaker series, which provides access to a network of public service leaders. In addition, after graduation, Voyagers receive a $2,000 Airbnb travel credit every year for 10 years, allowing them to continue to broaden their horizons throughout their public service careers.
We spoke to Chung, who is from Los Angeles, about how the award will enable her to pursue her public service career goals.
How did you become interested in the Voyager Scholarship?
As I was studying abroad in Japan last spring during my sophomore year, I found out that my two-year internship had been rescinded due to the federal hiring freeze. Last October, I was accepted into the U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program, a two-year program funded by the State Department, so losing that opportunity was really disheartening. But I kept searching for new opportunities. Then, I came across the Voyager Scholarship, and it felt like the perfect fit. That’s when I realized that rejection can truly be redirection. I’m so glad I didn’t give up, because finding this opportunity made me genuinely excited again.
Are you aware that you are the fourth CMC student to become an Obama-Chesky Voyager?
Yes, and when I found out, I contacted Chumnan Jim Sangsvang ’26 from the third cohort, who is a senior here right now. I was happy that there was another CMC Voyager, so I reached out to him, saying, ‘Oh, I got in. Could you tell me more details about it? How was your summer?’ I got a meal with him. That was really fun.
What would you like to pursue with this scholarship?
Next summer, I hope to go to Thailand and work with the UN Refugee Agency, connecting that experience back to my own community. I’ve always been deeply interested in the experiences of North Korean defectors, especially because my dad’s side of the family originally came from North Korea but had to flee to the South during the war. Learning about what my family went through made me want to understand and support other communities who have faced similar challenges.
When I was in middle school, I visited Laos and connected with the Laotian and Hmong communities. Now, I hope to work with Laotian and Hmong refugees who fled during the Cold War and resettled in Thailand. I want to learn what kinds of policies helped them and continue to support them today. This scholarship is all about that. It’s about building understanding across communities and creating meaningful connections through shared experiences.
What leadership opportunities at CMC helped prepare you for this scholarship?
This semester, I revamped the Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) team at CMC (in partnership with the Mgrublian Center for Human Rights), and I’m ready to start that new community here. In addition, I am a Handley Leadership Fellow (through the Kravis Leadership Institute), taking part in their leadership cultivation workshops, which is an amazing opportunity. I’m also a Wagener Family Global Scholar (for students who demonstrate a strong interest in global affairs, spending time abroad, and learning new languages).
I’m the tutor for Introductory and Intermediate Korean language courses this semester, and had the chance to work as the research assistant this summer with Professor Minju Kim for a Korean linguistics project funded by the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies. In addition, I took part in the World Affairs Podcast Program through CMC’s Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies.
As a student at Downtown Magnets High School in Los Angeles, did you know you wanted to attend a liberal arts college like CMC?
Yes, CMC was actually my first choice. I was searching for a liberal arts college with a strong International Relations program, and CMC stood out immediately. It offered everything I wanted—an excellent major, a close-knit community, and the added benefit of The Claremont Colleges consortium, which combines the best of both a small and large college experience.