If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

For most people, it is a hypothetical question; a dream they can answer maybe someday.

Cody Moss, a premedical nutritional sciences major at Oklahoma State University, has earned the opportunity to answer that question in real life.

In September, Moss was named a recipient of the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service. The two-year scholarship is awarded to only 100 students each year. It was created by the Obamas and Brian Chesky, CEO and co-founder of Airbnb, to help shape young leaders. It provides financial aid of up to $25,000 per year, networking opportunities and professional development to students entering their junior year of college.

As part of the program, Moss will design a Summer Voyage, an immersive work-travel experience supported by a $10,000 stipend and up to $4,200 in Airbnb travel credits. Moss hopes to center his Summer Voyage on Native healthcare.

“I want to pursue Native healthcare in some form,” said Moss, a member of the Cherokee Nation. “I’m hoping to eventually practice in Oklahoma and find a way to serve Native communities. Native populations actually suffer a lower lifespan compared to the U.S. population, by roughly eight years. So that's one discrepancy I'd like to help with.”

According to Moss, nutrition plays a role in the chronic diseases Native communities disproportionately suffer, such as type 2 diabetes. He plans to apply his background in diet and nutrition to this issue.

His hope is to travel to Arizona, Alaska, New Zealand and Australia to learn from Indigenous-led food-as-medicine and culturally grounded health programs.

Moss credits several mentors and research experiences for his success. From research in Dr. Yoo Kim’s lab at OSU to contributing at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, he has developed the skills and discipline to pursue his dream. Moss adds the Voyager Scholarship to a list of accomplishments including being a Udall Scholar, Niblack Research Scholar, OMRF Fleming Scholar, OSU Top 20 Freshman and Honors College student.

But he has also made a point to give back.

“Cody’s recognition as an Obama-Chesky Voyager is a testament to his view of what’s possible through a career in public service,” said Jessica Sullins, director of OSU’s Henry Bellmon Office of Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research.

As president of Alpha Epsilon Delta, OSU’s pre-health honor society, Moss brought LifeNet to campus and organized a free lifesaving skills clinic with the Colvin Recreation Center to teach CPR and other emergency response skills to students after a cardiac emergency occurred during marching band rehearsal. As president of Phi Upsilon Omicron, a family and consumer sciences honor society, he helped organize nutrition-focused care packages for Stillwater firefighters in recognition of their service during the wildfires.

He is grateful for the opportunities OSU has provided him.

“Because I was in my home community, I was able to think about initiatives and impacts that could be needed in Stillwater,” Moss said. “My familiarity here really helped me think about service and what I could do for the place I've called home for a long time.”

For Moss, the Summer Voyage is an opportunity to learn from communities across the United States and abroad and bring those lessons back to Oklahoma.

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Story By: Adrienne Frye | adrienne.frye@okstate.edu