Four Brown juniors awarded Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service

Maize Cline

Concentration: International and public affairs
Hometown: Berkeley, California

Maize Cline has been engaged in public service since leading gender-justice organizing efforts at her high school in California. At Brown, she has participated in several civic engagement and advocacy groups, including Brown Votes, a nonpartisan, University-wide initiative committed to cultivating participation in the nation's democratic process.

"When I went to an information session from the Brown fellowships office about the Voyager Scholarship, I knew that I wanted to apply because it so clearly bridged my passions for public service and travel," Cline said.

Over the next two years, Cline plans to focus on studying the impact of international politics on reproductive health care to ensure that it's accessible and affordable for all. After graduation, she hopes to work in the government or nonprofit sectors, furthering her impact in reproductive justice and human rights advocacy.

"As I proceed in this chapter, I will use the strong base of my education from Brown to drive my intellectual and professional curiosity and pursuits," Cline said.

Lily Coffman

Concentrations: History and mathematics
Hometown: Waco, Texas

When Lily Coffman learned about the Voyager Scholarship from her friend and fellow awardee Maize Cline, she knew she had to apply.

"I was working on the application over spring break, and the same week, I testified at the Rhode Island State House in support of a same-day voter registration bill…" said Coffman, who serves as co-chair of the Brown Votes research committee. "I knew that regardless of whether I was selected or not, voter advocacy would be a big part of my year."

Coffman credits the skills she's learned and will continue to hone through her studies at Brown - from the analysis of historical context to the logical thinking required in mathematics - for helping her earn the award, and hopes to find a career that uses her background in history while also enabling her to directly interact with the public.

Though Coffman hasn't yet picked a specific field to work in, she said it's "an incredible feeling to know that I'm going to be able to do something that I'm passionate about without worrying about cost."

Corinne LePage

Concentrations: Environmental sciences and critical Native American and Indigenous studies
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts

A public service scholarship felt like the perfect fit for Corinne LePage.

Throughout her studies at Brown, LePage has engaged in service work through her sorority, helped to establish a new student advisory board for nontraditional students, and volunteered and led workshops at Sojourner House - a Providence agency that supports survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

As a Voyager scholar, she plans to combine her fields of study to address human-wildlife conflict and its cross-sector impacts by working with highly affected communities to develop coexistence strategies and awareness campaigns.

After graduation, LePage aims to pursue a year of environmental research before completing both a master's and doctoral degree. She dreams of joining National Geographic's Explorer program and making a meaningful impact through work with a nonprofit organization - and she has also considered a career in government as a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"My Brown education is definitely an asset," LePage said. "The Open Curriculum has taught me to think outside the box when it comes to learning. I'm eager to explore new fields and ways of thinking."

Justin Lim

Concentration: Biophysics
Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island

Justin Lim spent several of his childhood years in Ethiopia and went to high school in Kenya. Through these experiences, international topics, especially those relating to sub-Saharan Africa, have always been important to him - so much so that he has devoted some of his time at Brown to developing a screening software for a Kenyan hospital's community health initiative with a specific focus on rheumatic heart disease.

"Brown is such a great environment for engaging with global issues because of how many professors and students care and think about these issues inside and outside of the classroom," Lim said.

When he learned of the Voyager Scholarship, which blended his interests in international travel and public service, deciding to apply was a no-brainer.

"I was super excited by the possibility of learning from experienced public service leaders, joining a cohort of like-minded peers and expanding community health efforts against rheumatic heart disease," Lim said.

He hopes to continue this work over the next two years as a Voyager scholar. After graduation, his goal is to move back to a medically underserved community in Africa to aid in global health efforts against infectious disease.

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