Obse Abebe, CC'27, named US-UK Fulbright Commission Summer Scholar

As a rising third-year student at Columbia College, Obse Abebe is pursuing a double major in Human Rights and Political Science. Her academic interests focus on social power dynamics and the strategies used to challenge them, particularly in the contexts of migration and incarceration. This summer, she will participate in the Fulbright University of Bristol Summer Institute, where she will explore how social theory, the arts, and philosophy have served as vehicles for social change, examining themes such as migration, racial justice, colonial legacies, and environmental sustainability.

At the University of Bristol, her learning will take place both in the classroom and through community engagement, civic initiatives, and creative workshops. This experiential approach is especially meaningful to Obse, whose dedication to social justice extends beyond academics into leadership on and off Columbia’s campus. She serves on the boards of Columbia Students for Sanctuary and the Multicultural Affairs Advisory Council’s Queer and Trans Student Advisory Board, supporting advocacy, direct service, and community-building efforts for immigrant and queer communities. She is also a two-time recipient of the Best Print Editor award at the Columbia Undergraduate Law Review, where she manages the selection and editing of undergraduate legal scholarship. Beyond campus, Obse has worked with the Asylum Support Clinic and The Remedy Project and held an internship with The Bronx Defenders, where she engaged in community organizing and explored the intersection of legal advocacy and systemic reform.