USF Student Honored with Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship

The scholarship, created by former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Airbnb Co-Founder and CEO Brian Chesky, is a two-year leadership and development course that provides up to $50,000 in financial aid, a $10,000 stipend for work-travel experience in the summer between the recipients’ third and fourth years of college, and a network of mentors to help launch the public service careers of the scholarship awardees. After they graduate, each student receives an Airbnb credit of $2,000 per year for 10 years to continue expanding their experience of the world through travel.

This fall, Menante, a communication studies major in the Honors College, is interning in the Washington, D.C. office of U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada through the McCarthy Center’s USF in D.C. program.  When Menante learned about the Voyager scholarship, she knew she had to apply for it.

The Voyager scholarship is open to rising third-year college students. What’s required? A commitment to making the world a better place and previous community service experience, as well as a demonstrated passion for helping others. Menante, a first-generation college student from Reno, Nevada, fit the mold.

Menante said she was inspired to volunteer in her community after experiencing struggles with her peers’ — and her own — mental health. When she was a freshman in high school, during COVID, a close friend took his own life. “I had always been interested in mental health, but that really made an impact on me and pushed me to get involved with Hope Means Nevada,” Menante said.

The organization’s goal is to “eliminate teen suicide and empower Nevada youth to live hopeful lives.” Menante immersed herself in its mission and before long was a co-chair of the teen branch of the nonprofit. On its behalf, she was the first youth speaker at the inaugural Youth Mental Health Summit in 2022.

Professor Brandi Lawless of the communication studies department said Menante seizes every opportunity available to her. “She has more experience as a junior at USF than most people who have been in their careers for a decade. I know that she will take what she has learned here to work for the greater good.”

Next for Menante is returning from her internship and finishing her third spring semester on the Hilltop. After that, she’s going to use her scholarship stipend to travel — and to be of service to others. “I hope to make a trip to Southeast Asia next summer to study the mental health toll on caregivers,” she said. “I want to volunteer in refugee camps and support organizations working to protect children from child marriage and forced labor.”

Honors College Co-Founder Evelyn Ho said Menante emulates USF’s mission and values.

“Sydney is truly the best kind of USF student — a smart, energetic, and compassionate leader who embodies the Jesuit value of being a woman for others,” Ho said. “The work that she does always comes back to this, whether it is in advocating for youth mental health or promoting the interests of Nevadans in DC. Communities are better because of Sydney’s leadership.”