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Hometown:
Boone, N.C. Ian Ellis was preparing to go to North Carolina State University when he found out he had been selected as a Carolina Covenant Scholar. Ellis had been accepted to Carolina, but he had applied too late for financial aid. "I opened up the letter and just about lost it when I saw the total amount. I actually asked both my parents if I was seeing the amount properly. I couldn't believe that an institution as prestigious as Carolina was willing to give that much money in a scholarship." Carolina Covenant Scholars who participate in work-study typically work 10 to 12 hours per week. Ellis works in the Office of Arts and Sciences Information Services (OASIS) for his work-study placement. He assists professors and graduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences with spyware removal and software installation. Ellis said he enjoys his job because of the opportunities it provides. In fact, Ellis, a double major in environmental studies and anthropology, got to take an upper-level anthropology course as a result of his job. "I met Dr. Sorenson through my job. After a successful resolution of his problem, I told him about my interest in anthropology, and he offered to let me take the course, Human Growth and Development," Ellis said. Ellis said school and work keep him busy, but he is a member of the New Sounds committee for the Carolina Union Activities Board. He helps bring local, regional and national music talent to the University. Next year he hopes to write for The Hill and join the fencing team. After graduation,
Ellis plans to go to graduate school with an eye toward gaining
expertise in environmental energy technology. So, his time at Carolina
will build toward a career. "An undergraduate degree is just
step one of five, maybe, that will take me where I want to be. I've
developed a few ideas about my future. What I do know is that I
want to work in environmental energy – either in business or
development." |
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Hometown:
Charlotte, N.C. Frances Hardy was living in France when she learned that she had been selected as a Carolina Covenant Scholar. The news couldn't have come at a better time. Hardy's father had lost his job and, with two older sisters in college, Hardy wanted to take some time off to figure out how she could finance her college education. So, she went to France for a year through the Rotary Youth Exchange program. "I decided that I would go to college even if I had to take out loans," she said. "I would pay them back somehow." Hardy's mother called her to let her know about the Carolina Covenant. Becoming a Covenant Scholar did not influence the native Canadian's decision to attend Carolina, but it did alleviate her fears about paying for college. "I was so glad to know that I could be a student, not someone who is working fulltime and is a student," Hardy, who lives in Charlotte, said. Carolina Covenant Scholars who participate in work-study typically work 10 to 12 hours per week. For her work-study placement, Hardy serves as an American Reads tutor at Rashkis Elementary School. "I work with five students who are below their grade's reading level," she said. Hardy visits the school two times a week. She said it has been an incredible experience. "The most rewarding experience that I've had is working with a kindergartener who, when he first came to me, could barely read the letters of the alphabet," Hardy said. "Now he's starting to read whole words. He can read short stories to me, and he is even starting to write." Hardy is unsure of what she would like to do after Carolina. She is considering living in Europe, graduate school or some kind of humanitarian aid. "I want my life to somehow give back to society, to help others in need and share the hope and the joy that I have." Hardy has not yet chosen a major at Carolina. She is thinking of something in the humanities or social sciences. She is an active member of the Baptist Student Union. As a member of the group's International Committee, she plans activities and events for foreign exchange students at UNC. "I am
thankful to the University and to the Carolina Covenant for the
many opportunities they have provided," she said. "I knew
that it would work out somehow, but I had no clue that it would
be as wonderful as this." |
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Hometown:
Seaboard, N.C. Rekita Moody, a first-generation college student, was admitted to Carolina in January 2004. Her mother, a single mom with five kids, did not have the money for Carolina. So Moody thought she would end up at a local community college, until one day her dream came true. Growing up in government-subsidized housing, Moody constantly saw examples of how she did not want to be. She said the people in her neighborhood criticized education instead of encouraging it. And, many of the girls from her class were teenaged mothers. "I look around (my neighborhood), and I see dreams deferred," she said. "That is not what I want for my life. I do not want to risk falling victim to other people's diminished expectations of we, which they may base upon the socio-economic environment in which I was raised. The Carolina Covenant opens a door for possibilities that I am poised and determined to take full advantage of." She found out about her selection as a Carolina Covenant Scholar in mid-June. Moody said she and her mother were shocked. "They say hard work pays off," Moody said. "But I didn't believe it. I really didn't until I got that letter in the mail. The Carolina Covenant is a wonderful opportunity. It is reaching out to kids across the nation." Moody works as an office management assistant in the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid. She is considering a public health major. After college, Moody would like to work with underprivileged youth. Moody says that her supportive mother told her "If you go to Carolina, go and make a difference." She is already making a difference through her work with NC Renaissance, a summer enrichment program for underprivileged kids from rural North Carolina. Moody attended the program before her sophomore year in high school. She said that her counselor, Rob Barrett, influenced her decision to apply to Carolina. She hopes to do the same. For now, Moody is concentrating on her studies. "It was a real challenge adjusting to a college environment, and it was a lesson well learned. College has changed me, as I have learned so much," she said. Supporting Moody's journey is her mentor, Terri Houston, who is director of on-campus recruitment and support for the Office of Minority Affairs. Houston and other staff and faculty members serve as mentors to Carolina Covenant Scholars. "Looking
back I see what I've been through and where I've come from, and
then I think of the Carolina Covenant," Moody said. "I
know there is no turning back, and I have to make this a success." |
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Tasrif
Ahmed |
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"I'm originally from Bangladesh, and my family and I moved to Durham, NC about five years ago. The transition was hard, especially since I had to learn English in that short amount of time. Going to college is a tradition in my family, and since Carolina is one of the top in-state colleges, I wanted to come here. My major will be biochemistry, and ultimately I would like to go to medical school. "I'm scheduled for work-study, and I hope to find work doing something that corresponds with my major, like in a chemistry lab. I have two outside scholarships, one from the North Carolina Rotary Club and one from Durham Public Schools, which reduced my work-study requirement at Carolina. "The Carolina Covenant is for students who have the motivation and skills to do well academically, but who don't have the financial resources to come to college. It helps them achieve their goals for college, and hopefully then they can give back to the community." Tasrif
Ahmed |
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"If you want to go to college, don't wait until your senior year in high school to get your grades up. Start with your freshman year to maintain a high GPA. During your junior year, start checking with your high school guidance counselor for available scholarships. The Internet is also a great resource for scholarships. So many of them are listed on CollegeBoard.com, for example. Even if the scholarship is available just during your junior year, pull it offline and fill it out. Go ahead and write the essay. Put it aside, and then in your senior year revisit it and make it better, and then it will take you no time to send it in. "As I learn more about the Carolina Covenant, I find that the it's an excellent incentive for low-income students who might be thinking they can't attend college because they don't have a way to pay for it. If you come to Carolina with outside scholarships, the Carolina Covenant finishes your package with additional grants and work-study. They want to make sure that you graduate debt-free, so they don't put any loans in your financial aid. "I'll interview for work-study jobs in the fall. I worked with children back home, and I heard that UNC has a program that helps children with their reading skills, so I think a job in that area would be great." Crystal
Brown |
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When you're in a financial situation that's beyond your control, you can learn a lot and actually grow up faster. You learn to budget, and you know the value of a dollar. I doubt that any student receiving the Covenant will have a rude awakening to the costs and sacrifices that college requires. All of us have very good grades, and we've worked hard. We're not slackers; we've all excelled in other areas or we wouldn't be here. So, we know how to take a situation that's not perfect, embrace it, and make the best of it. I was set to have loans and to work each year to pay for the next, but now I can concentrate on class, focus on career plans, and apply for study abroad. I'd love to travel. The Carolina Covenant is such a stress reliever. We knew that we'd pay for college somehow, and now this basically rewards us for working so hard. My parents hit the floor when we found out. They were so excited! At first we didn't understand all that the Covenant involves, but quickly realized how great it is. Everyone in my family has been amazed. I'm glad that work-study can be a part of the Covenant because that means I'll actually work for it. By earning a competitive wage, I'll only have to work ten to twelve hours per week. Erin
Callender |
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"Ever since I can remember, I have always wanted to come here. Colleges, particularly UNC, look for well-rounded students, so I prepared myself by not only earning high grades throughout high school but also by getting involved in extracurricular activities and volunteering in the community. I was in student council, played sports, joined a lot of clubs, volunteered for the Red Cross, joined a disaster relief group, and volunteered at a local homeless shelter. "I first heard about the Carolina Covenant when I came here for Project Uplift, and then learned more about it in the financial aid discussions during Hispanic Visitation Day. "The Covenant provides qualified, financially needy students with work-study, grants, and scholarships so that they can graduate debt-free. The UNC Office of Scholarships and Student Aid develops a packet that is customized to your particular needs. With work-study, you can work in the area that you want to major in, and that gives you experience that can help you in the job hunt after graduation." Juan Diego
Enciso |
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"Carolina Covenant takes away the worry about where money to attend college will come from. It will be a big factor in many students' journey of choosing a college. The Covenant eliminates that worry and puts Carolina on a pedestal above other universities. The Carolina Covenant is exactly what my family and I were looking for. It gives me the opportunity to attend college debt-free. I might not have come to Carolina without it." Taylor
Fisher |
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"I am the first in my family to go to college. My aunt always told me, "You can make it." She encouraged me to excel in school and to do something to give back to the community, and her message was a powerful one. That is why I am interested in medicine. I think I'd like to be a cardiologist. After I graduate, I'm thinking of working in North Carolina so I can help the growing immigrant population and those who don't speak English. "Shirley Ort of UNC's Office of Scholarships and Student Aid told me that I had been chosen for the Carolina Covenant. When she showed me my financial aid package, I almost cried to learn that everything had been planned for me, and that I could graduate with no debt. I had no idea that UNC had so many opportunities for students like me. "The Carolina Covenant is a great opportunity for students who don't have access to a lot of financial resources. Students have more of a feeling of security because they can pay for college while they're in college, and not wait until they graduate to pay off their debt." Rita Lozada
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"I was in IB classes in high school, was the senior class vice president, was a member of the National Honor Society, and ran track and played tennis. My goal is to major in biomedical engineering, and I want to be a forensics research doctor. "One day while I was watching TV, Roy Williams' announcement about the Carolina Covenant came on. I went up on the Internet and read some more about it, and found out that students could actually graduate debt-free. Then, when I found out that I was eligible to be a Carolina Covenant student myself, I was really excited. "There was no application process for the Carolina Covenant. For general financial aid, I sent in my FAFSA form and the CSS Profile, and then I received notification that I was a Covenant student. They sent me a work-study application and explained that interviews for work-study would begin in August. I didn't want to wait until then to start interviewing, though, so I went ahead and found a job working in Professor Leslie Parise's research lab." Laquisha
McWilliams |
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'My work-study assignment is in the School of Government's MPA program, so it matches up well with being a Political Science major. "I enjoy working with the other students, and we all get along well. There are graduate students and others like me. It exposes me to other people, and I can see what the graduate students and professors are doing. I never would have found the research assistant position that I'll be in next year without being in work-study first. Work-study gave me new opportunities and new ideas that I probably wouldn't have otherwise." Jennifer
Monroe |
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"We know that too many prospective students – especially first-generation students – may not be pursuing the opportunity because they don't think their families can afford college. This initiative will help reverse that trend." Shirley
Ort |
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"If your goal is college, there is always help out there for you. Stay focused on your grades. When it comes close to the end of your junior year, start looking around for scholarships, and fill out as many scholarship applications as possible. Have a mindset that you WILL go to college. "My mom didn't get to finish college. She's a single parent, and I've seen what she's had to go through. She always encouraged me to keep my head on straight, and I want to make sure I finish school so I can take care of myself in the future. I think I'd like to be a pediatric nurse. "I didn't know anything about the Carolina Covenant until I registered for C-TOPS, then I got a letter in the mail saying I was a Covenant student. I'm scheduled for work-study, but I don't know what I'll be doing yet." Shanna
Patton |
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"Our tutors work at local schools, and their goal is to get children reading on grade level by time they leave that grade. They work with children pre-K through fifth grade, and are usually at the school two to three times a week. Between planning and working with the children, it's about ten hours or so a week. "They like the job because it's a challenging and rewarding one where you have to think, to be prepared. Working with children is reward enough, but even more so when you see their progress and they're enjoying reading. From the beginning, we tell our tutors that they have an important job, and we expect them to take it seriously. Plus, the pay is pretty good. It's the highest level of pay for work-study jobs, and they earn it. "Last year, our tutors came from twenty-three majors, so they represent a nice cross section of university. There are occasions when people like the experience so much that they decide to apply to the School of Education. They like teaching and think it would be a good way to spend their life." Priscilla
Wood |
Ian
Ellis 
Frances
Hardy
Rekita
Moody
