The Barack Obama Scholars Program

Media Arts & Culture (MAC) major and Obama Scholar Qingxi Yang ’28 bridges classroom learning with community engagement, collaboration, and public art in Los Angeles through Occidental College’s Education in Action program.

On a sunlit Sunday afternoon on York Boulevard in Highland Park, Qingxi Yang moved through a crowd of artists, neighbors, and passersby, camera in hand, documenting a public art event she had spent months helping to create. After so much planning and coordination, she was relishing the experience of seeing it all come together.

As co-president of the Law Society, Obama Scholar Raymond Arias ’26 has spent his college years reimagining what a pre-law club can look like at a small liberal arts college, ensuring it is not only a space for professional development, but also one rooted in connection, access, and shared growth.

The Obama Scholars Program at Occidental College supports accomplished students who are passionate about driving positive change. Open to students in any field of study, the program seeks individuals with a strong academic record and a deep dedication to the public good—particularly first-generation college students, veterans, and community college transfers.

An economics major at Occidental, Ray crossed paths with Barack Obama frequently in the late 70s, both in the dormitory and on the basketball court. His interest in the economics of healthcare eventually took him to the London School of Economics in his junior year to study the NHS. Over the next four decades, Ray has worked in just about every sector of the healthcare ecosystem. After receiving his MD from Chicago Medical School and cardiology training at UCI and UCLA, he practiced for 21 years in the San Gabriel Valley area.

Richard Whitmore currently serves on the Governing Boards of the College Futures Foundation and EdSource, where he chairs the Investment and Finance Committees, respectively. He provides strategic consulting to educators and education institutions across California.

Joe is a seasoned financial executive and advisor with more than three decades of experience in investment management, strategic advisory, and enterprise solutions. He currently serves as Managing Partner at Cornerstone Wealth Group, where he has led the firm for over a decade. His career includes leadership roles as Chief Financial Officer and Strategic Advisor at Strategic Project Solutions, as well as founding and managing partnerships at JSRG Capital and Gryphon Capital Management.

Davey S. Kim brings decades of experience in transportation policy and leadership across federal, state, and local government. A seasoned executive, he has served in both legislative and executive roles, earning recognition for his ability to build strong teams and communicate effectively.

Nina J. Gutin, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist based in Pasadena, California. She specializes and conducts trainings in suicide assessment, intervention, and postvention. Gutin serves on the Advisory Board of the Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center, where she also facilitates “Survivors After Suicide” support groups.

“The Program has opened my eyes to the diverse ways I can make a difference in the world and helped me be more confident in my abilities as a leader. The leaders, policymakers, and activists who have spoken to us helped me understand that the most impactful social change is collaborative.”

“To be an Obama Scholar is to be a visionary for a greater world, determined to pursue that vision until it flourishes. The Program equips students like me with tools for social change and connects us to those doing great work.”

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