News Release

Editors: Finalists are listed below by counties. An asterisk indicates a double listing.

CHAPEL HILL -- Sixty N.C. high school seniors have been named finalists for 2005 Morehead Scholarships to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The Morehead Central Selection Committee will interview 111 finalists – 60 from North Carolina and 51 from other states and Great Britain – in Chapel Hill March 7 and 8. The John Motley Morehead Foundation trustees will offer scholarships to approximately 40 students. Winners will be announced March 11.

Among the largest and most competitive scholarship programs in the United States, the Morehead pays all expenses for four years of undergraduate study, including the costs of a laptop computer and four summer enrichment experiences. The scholarship is valued at approximately $80,000 for each N.C. student and $140,000 for each out-of-state student.

This year’s selection process began last fall, when more than 1,300 N.C. students were nominated by their high schools or applied for the Morehead. The Morehead Foundation convened a screening committee in October to review the students’ records and select 240 semifinalists from North Carolina. Regional committees interviewed the semifinalists in January and named finalists.

The 20 regional committees – made up of Morehead alumni, area professionals, civic leaders and friends of the university and the foundation – interviewed 12 students each at locations statewide.

"We are continually amazed by the quality of the students we meet at the Morehead regional interviews," said Charles Lovelace, executive director of the Morehead Foundation. "This year’s group was stellar, and the committees selected some truly exceptional finalists."

Instituted as the nation’s first non-athletic merit-based scholarship program, the Morehead has evolved into an experiential learning program with lifelong expectations. The distinguishing feature of the scholarship is the extensive summer enrichment program, which provides global hands-on leadership and problem-solving experiences in four areas: outdoor leadership, public service, enterprise and international research.

The scholars are expected to make significant contributions to the university community in their areas of talent and interest and to continue to contribute to their communities as Morehead alumni.

"The Morehead is much more than a scholarship," Lovelace said. "It’s a life-changing opportunity to study at a world-class university, work with incredible peers and faculty and travel the globe. The Morehead is more of a challenge for the future than a reward for high school achievements."

Criteria for the Morehead are leadership ability, moral force of character, academic excellence and physical vigor. The Morehead program was begun in 1951 by the late John Motley Morehead III, an 1891 UNC graduate who gave the Morehead Planetarium to the university.

A list of 2005 N.C. Morehead finalists, grouped by county, follows:

· Elias Mauricio Clarke Campbell, from Northside High School in Pinetown, son of Enrique and Maria Clark-Benjamin of Pantego.

· Reaha Lizeth Campbell, from T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville, daughter of Louise Merchant of Asheville.

· Garrett Cook Graham, from Carolina Day School in Asheville, son of Angus and Caroline Graham of Brevard.

· Rachael Joyce Debnam, from Freedom High School in Morganton, daughter of Jennifer Evans Debnam of Morganton.

· Tyler S. Barry, from J.M. Robinson High School in Concord, son of Kenneth and Cathi Barry of Concord.

· Graham Alan Boone, from Concord High School in Concord, son of Dan and Teena Boone of Concord.

· Maria del Carmen Lara, from J.M. Robinson High School in Concord, daughter of Pedro Lara and Magdalena Cardenas-Lara of Concord.

· Julie Teresa Mikus, from Newton-Conover High School in Newton, daughter of Kevin and Linda Mikus of Conover.

· Mikhail Radionchenko, from St. Stephens High School in Hickory, son of Alexei and Yulia Radiontchenko of Hickory.

· William Ryan Hobbs, from Jordan Matthews High School in Siler City, son of William and Diana Hobbs of Siler City.

· Tyler Colin Holden, from Shelby High School in Shelby, son of Colin and Marta Holden of Shelby.

· *Erika Rasche Gutierrez, from the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, daughter of Eric and Jayne Gutierrez of Trent Woods.

· *Landon Charles Meekins, from Arendell Parrott Academy in Kinston, son of Charles and Bettina Meekins of New Bern.

· Jennifer Macdonald Healy, from Terry Sanford Senior High School in Fayetteville, daughter of John and Linda Healy of Fayetteville.

· Dominic Michael Lerario, from Terry Sanford Senior High School in Fayetteville, son of Michael and Martha Lerario of Fort Bragg.

· Carina E. Barnett-Loro, from Charles E. Jordan Senior High School in Durham, daughter of Albert Loro and Linda Barnett of Durham.

· Andre Elisabeth Feigler, from Durham School of the Arts in Durham, daughter of Robert and Jeanne Feigler of Durham.

· *Yueqi Lucie Guo, from the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, daughter of Hongtao Guo and Yun Yan of Chapel Hill.

· *Erika Rasche Gutierrez, from the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, daughter of Eric and Jayne Gutierrez of Trent Woods.

· *Ying Liu, from the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, daughter of Tiepu Liu and Zhen Huan of Wilmington.

· *Ryan Reynolds Neely III, from the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, son of Reynolds and Ann Neely of Asheboro.

· Rosanne Victoria Niforos, from R.J. Reynolds Senior High School in Winston-Salem, daughter of Alexander Niforos and Athena Karahalios of Winston-Salem.

· Erica Palmiter, from Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, daughter of Alan Palmiter and Fabiola Bojanini of Winston-Salem.

· Caroline Catherine Schneider, from Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, daughter of Richard Schneider and Anna Rubino-Schneider of Winston-Salem.

· Elizabeth Yingying Song, from R.J. Reynolds Senior High School in Winston-Salem, daughter of Ruiya Song and Yigin He of Clemmons.

· *Richard Edward Francis Valitutto II, from Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville, son of Richard and Rebeka Valitutto of Greensboro.

· Hilary Erin Schronce, from East Gaston High School in Mount Holly, daughter of Christy Schronce of Stanley.

· Elizabeth Anne Adkisson, from High Point Central High School in High Point, daughter of Thomas and Rosemary Adkisson of High Point.

· William Garrison Duckett, from High Point Central High School in High Point, son of Ralph and Mary Duckett of High Point.

· Morgan K. Radford, from Grimsley High School in Greensboro, daughter of Kim Radford and Lily Kelly-Radford of Greensboro.

· Anna Louise Rodenbough, from Grimsley High School in Greensboro, daughter of Stanley and Melanie Rodenbough of Greensboro.

· *Richard Edward Francis Valitutto II, from Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in Kernersville, son of Richard and Rebeka Valitutto of Greensboro.

· Stephen Legrande Vance, from Southeast Guilford High School in Greensboro, son of Jeffrey and Laverne Vance of Greensboro.

· Cara Elizabeth Wittekind, from Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva, daughter of John and Rachel Wittekind of Cullowhee.

· *Landon Charles Meekins, from Arendell Parrott Academy in Kinston, son of Charles and Bettina Meekins of New Bern.

· Kaila Dean Ramsey, from Franklin High School in Franklin, daughter of Joseph and Theresa Ramsey of Franklin.

· George Bennett Hodgin, from Charlotte Country Day in Charlotte, son of Bill and Marsha Hodgin of Charlotte.

· Anna Koester Marshall, from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, daughter of Alfred and Joy Marshall of Charlotte.

· Samson Zebene Mesele, from Charlotte Catholic High School in Charlotte, son of Zebene and Sara Mesele of Charlotte.

· Euphemia Wang Mu, from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, daughter of Ye and Joyce Mu of Charlotte.

· Scott Michael Myers, from North Mecklenburg High School in Huntersville, son of Joseph Myers and Eleanor Salchak of Charlotte.

· Sydney Elizabeth Owens, from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, daughter of Raymond Owens and Linda Barnett-Owens of Charlotte.

· Rachel Kathryn Rose, from East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, daughter of Stuart and Tracie Rose of Matthews.

· Alexander Ray Brinn, from Rocky Mount Senior High School in Rocky Mount, son of Claudius and June Brinn of Rocky Mount.

· Jonathan Edward Kralick, from Rocky Mount Senior High School in Rocky Mount, son of Charles and Sharon Kralick of Rocky Mount.

· Caroline A. Holcomb, from John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington, daughter of Jeff and Judy Holcomb of Wilmington.

· *Ying Liu, from the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, daughter of Tiepu Liu and Zhen Huan of Wilmington.

· *Yueqi Lucie Guo, from the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, daughter of Hongtao Guo and Yun Yan of Chapel Hill.

· Jorge E. Izquierdo, from East Chapel Hill High School in Chapel Hill, son of Jorge Izquierdo and Dina Castro of Chapel Hill.

· Adam Ryan Ballance, from Junius H. Rose High School in Greenville, son of Tim and Paige Ballance of Greenville.

· Jacinta Darnae Jones, from North Pitt High School in Bethel, daughter of Elvis and Darnell Jones of Bethel.

· Aisha Ihab Saad, from Junius H. Rose High School in Greenville, daughter of Ihab Saad and Shereen Elgamal of Greenville.

· Casey Alan Cox, from Eastern Randolph High School in Ramseur, son of Ricky and Robin Cox of Ramseur.

· *Ryan Reynolds Neely III, from the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, son of Reynolds and Ann Neely of Asheboro.

· Lucia Anne Parker, from Lumberton Senior High School in Lumberton, daughter of James and Maria Parker of Lumberton.

· Pamela Della Valle, from Rutherfordton-Spindale High School in Rutherfordton, daughter of Sigfrido and Sonia Della Valle of Forest City.

· Danielle Maria Allen, from Monroe High School in Monroe, daughter of Mia Allen of Monroe.

· Mackenzie Elizabeth Gibbons, from Weddington High School in Matthews, daughter of David and Robin Gibbons of Weddington.

· Kaylan Alyssa Christofferson, from Green Hope High School in Cary, daughter of Peter and Sarah Christofferson of Cary.

· Ryan M. Jamiolkowski, from Cary Academy in Cary, son of Michael and Janet Jamiolkowski of Cary.

· Rachel Elizabeth Northeim, from W.G. Enloe High School in Raleigh, daughter of Eric and Coleen Northeim of Cary.

· Eleanor Rousseau Oxholm, from Needham B. Broughton High School in Raleigh, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Oxholm of Raleigh.

· Daniel Gerard Randolph, from Needham B. Broughton High School in Raleigh, son of Robert and Maryanne Randolph of Raleigh.

· Erin Fisher Sagester, from Fuquay-Varina Senior High School in Fuquay-Varina, daughter of Scott and Amber Sagester of Holly Springs.

· Guangyuan Zhu, from Green Hope High School in Cary, son of Deguang Zhu and Wenfei Song of Cary.

· Ashelyn Nicole James, from Goldsboro High School in Goldsboro, daughter of Elvin and Mary James of Goldsboro.

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Morehead Foundation contacts: Charles Lovelace and Megan Mazzocchi, (919) 962-1201

News Services contact: Deb Saine, (919) 962-8415 or deborah_saine@unc.edu