Juniper Sokolov ’26, a Roosevelt and a Mildred Alpern Education Scholar, has won a Voyager Scholarship, the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service, from the Barack Obama Foundation – the first Hunter College and only the second CUNY student to receive the honor.
The Voyager Scholarship is a two-year leadership-development and scholarship program for equipping next-generation leaders with the tools to launch public-service careers. Students receive up to $25,000 a year in financial aid for their junior and senior years, a $10,000 stipend, and free Airbnb housing to pursue summer work-travel.
Sokolov is majoring in Psychology, Philosophy, Politics, and Society; and Public Policy. He focuses on the legal treatment of incarcerated and gender-divergent individuals and the many connections between legislation affecting the two.
“I am honored to receive the Voyager Scholarship for Public Service, and incredibly thankful for all the support from my friends, peers, and mentors that made this possible,” Sokolov said. “This award proves the importance of investing in communities and providing barrier-breaking access to higher education. As a Voyager scholar, I hope to further people’s access to such resources and learn from leaders that fight to dismantle the for-profit prison industry.”
A 2024–2025 Pride Policy Fellow at Roosevelt House, Sokolov has written clemency petitions for wrongfully incarcerated clients of Families & Friends of the Wrongfully Convicted, combatted prison censorship with PEN America, organized on campus with Hunter Young Democratic Socialists of America, conducted legislative research for State Senator Andrew Gounardes, and refreshed policies of the NYC Council Queer Caucus for Council Member Tiffany Cabán.
About the Voyager Scholarship for Public Service
The Voyager Scholarship was created by Barack and Michelle Obama and Brian Chesky, Co-Founder and CEO of Airbnb, to help shape leaders. The two-year scholarship program is open to students entering their junior year of college at an accredited four-year college or university in the United Sates, who have demonstrated a financial need, and who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or DACA recipients.
The 2024–2026 cohort consists of 100 students from 44 states and territories, representing 88 colleges and universities.
