Month: October 2024

From Houghton to Ecuador: Scholarship Winner Shares Internship Experience

Person standing next to waterfall giving a thumbs up gesture.
Quinn Waterfall Scholarship winner Quinn Riordan explored Ecuador this summer—and did research and outreach with a non-governmental agency that works alongside community farmers. (All images courtesy Quinn Riordan)

Quinn Riordan knew she’d have to land scholarships in order to pay for school. The applied ecology and environmental science major went for the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service from the Obama Foundation—and won!

In addition to receiving up to $25,000 per year in last-dollar financial aid for her junior and senior years, covering Riordan’s remaining tuition after other federal, state or institutional aid is applied, the scholarship also included a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing to fund a six-week Summer Voyage between her junior and senior year. For her Voyage, Riordan chose to focus on sustainable agriculture and access to agricultural knowledge.