Wajiha Mekki, senior, is honored to received this scholarship.Wajiha Mekki, a senior majoring in political science and cancer biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has been awarded the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service in recognition of her expansive understanding of public service’s impact on bettering communities.
“The tight-knit network and the opportunities the Voyager Scholarship promises are unlike any other for undergraduate students,” said Mekki, a Lawrenceville, Georgia, native and an Honors College student. “I am excited to represent UAB through this unique opportunity that allows students to immerse themselves in public service and build upon their experiences.”
The two-year leadership development and scholarship program offers a combination of financial aid, work-travel experience, and a robust network of leaders and mentors that will help Mekki enhance her academic career. She is one of 100 students nationally selected for the cohort.
“The funds will help me continue my political science degree while simultaneously providing the bandwidth to engage in additional courses in public administration, health policy and language — all of which I have wanted to engage in since coming to UAB,” Mekki said.
The Voyager Scholarship is awarded to students in their third year of undergraduate studies who are passionate about public service. Over two years, the program will facilitate refining values-based leadership approaches, build bridges across communities and boost curiosity as they strengthen their commitment to pursuing public service careers. Contact the Office of National and International Fellowships and Scholarships at fellowships@uab.edu to learn about more scholarships.
Concurrently seeking her master’s degree in public health, Mekki is excited to learn about bridging divides and helping solve complex world challenges through exposure to new places. South Asia and the Middle East are her regions of interest because of their unique global health challenges that she can learn from.
“As a student with a unique undergraduate experience, I am excited to work on building an understanding of science and health diplomacy,” Mekki said. “Leveraging what I have learned at UAB, I look forward to more opportunities to build upon my global knowledge and tailor it to my postgraduate plans.”
Mekki aspires to use the scholarship funds to support a potential program or internship with a nonprofit abroad and receive hands-on learning experience.
This scholarship serves as a testament to Mekki’s longstanding commitment to academic and co-curricular excellence at UAB. Throughout her journey at UAB, her incredible achievements include being awarded the competitive CIBA Specialty Chemicals scholarship from the American Chemical Society, being selected as a Johnson & Johnson intern, receiving the United States Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship, and attending the Clinton Global Initiative University annual meeting.