A&S students win prestigious Obama Foundation Voyager Scholarships – Vanderbilt University
Posted by Mary-Lou Watkinson on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 in News Story, Profiles.
Three students in the College of Arts and Science were named 2025-2027 recipients of the Voyager Scholarship, the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service.
Awarded to students in their third year of undergraduate education, the two-year scholarship champions young leaders who can bridge divides and help solve the world’s biggest challenges. Through the program, each student receives the tools and resources necessary to launch successful public service careers.
Meet the college’s three Voyagers and learn about their plans for the future, as well as how their time in A&S will support those goals.
Anabel Wilson
Major: Public Policy Studies and Culture, Advocacy, and Leadership (CAL)
What are your plans for the future?
After graduation, I hope to pursue a dual-degree program, earning a juris doctor alongside a master’s in public policy or foreign affairs. I am committed to working at the intersection of law, policy, and public service, with a focus on conflict resolution, democratic resilience, and global cooperation. I want to help shape policies that expand protections for displaced populations and strengthen pathways toward inclusive governance.
How will this scholarship and your A&S education support your goals?
Both of my majors have profoundly shaped how I approach public service. CAL is an interdisciplinary program that combines history, sociology, anthropology, and political science to train students in civic leadership and responsible advocacy. Through CAL, I have learned how cultural identity, community organizing, and applied learning can strengthen democratic participation. Public policy studies has grounded me in analytical tools, persuasive writing, and the ability to challenge conventional wisdom in pursuit of creative, evidence-based solutions. Together, they have prepared me to think globally and act locally. The Voyager Scholarship builds on that foundation by giving me the opportunity to connect theory to practice, grounding my academic learning in direct engagement with communities worldwide. Ultimately, it will help me pursue my long-term goal of serving as an advocate working across borders to advance justice, resilience, and cooperation.
Devin Crawford
Major: Economics and Political Science
What are your plans for the future?
I plan to focus on learning more about how to counter the weaponization of information and technology to delegitimize foreign disinformation campaigns. After graduation, I’ll serve as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, hopefully in intelligence. I’m interested in finding ways to protect citizens from new cognitive warfare threats and digital, political, and psychological manipulation.
How will this scholarship and your A&S education support your goals?
This scholarship will provide an immersive opportunity to take and apply what I’ve learned from my classes and independent exploration directly to real-world challenges. I’m excited to learn from those experiences, but also to bring that knowledge back to campus and continue to engage with it at a higher level in my classes and conversations with peers and faculty.
Ian Mathews
Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology
What are your plans for the future?
My long-term goal is to earn a Ph.D. in genetics and lead research focused on developing genetic screening and therapies for inherited diseases. I aspire to start a research organization that bridges the gap between cutting-edge genetics and equitable healthcare access.
How will this scholarship and your A&S education support your goals?
The Voyager Scholarship offers opportunities to connect with a network of peers committed to social impact. This program is expected to broaden perspectives through travel and experiential learning, while providing resources to apply research in underserved communities. The education in molecular and cellular biology, combined with the interdisciplinary curriculum at A&S, provides both a strong scientific foundation and a well-rounded, global perspective necessary to translate genetic research into practical applications I will apply in the future.
Meet Jason Vadnos, a Peabody student who also received the Voyager Scholarship.
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