Megha Bhattacharya
2025-2026 University of Chicago Scholar
Chicago, IL
Former Diplomat, U.S. Department of State; former Traveling Press Aide, White House
Equipping young leaders with the tools, networks, and confidence to drive change, empowering them to become lifelong civic participants and active stewards of democracy
Megha Battacharya is a communications professional and political strategist dedicated to deepening civic engagement and fostering robust community participation among young people. In her past roles with the Democratic National Convention, the U.S. Department of State, and the White House, Megha has seen the pervasiveness of civic apathy and disenfranchisement and now aims to address youth disengagement in civic life. While at the State Department, Megha designed a global civic engagement initiative that provided young changemakers from around the world with resources to launch voter registration drives, expand civic literacy training, and build digital platforms to demystify civic participation. As a Scholar, she aims to translate these efforts to launch an initiative on college campuses that equips students with the tools to drive civic engagement in their communities. Megha is eager to strengthen her approach to cross-sector collaboration and leverage deep civic networks to mobilize young people to engage in democracy as a lifelong habit.
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More About the Scholars Program
More About the Scholars Program
The Obama Foundation Scholars program gives rising leaders from around the world who are already making a difference in their communities the opportunity to take their work to the next level.
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