News Release

UNC distributes more than $27,000
in scholarships for study abroad

CHAPEL HILL — The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recently awarded more than $27,000 in need-based and merit-based study abroad scholarships to 16 undergraduates from North Carolina.

The scholarships, supported by nine endowment funds established by private donors, are supporting participation in UNC-approved study abroad programs during the spring 2006 semester. All nine funds benefit undergraduate students.

The 16 students represent a variety of majors including biology, music and international studies. They will travel to places including Managua, Nicaragua; Sydney, Australia; and Prague, Czech Republic.

The university’s study abroad office in the College of Arts and Sciences offers more than 300 travel programs in more than 70 countries. More than 1,600 Carolina students go abroad each year – the sixth highest number among all research universities nationwide, according to the latest report of the Institute of International Education.

Carolina also has had the highest study abroad participation rate among all public universities, with more than 36 percent of students receiving academic credit for study abroad.

"By creating opportunities for Carolina undergraduates to participate in quality academic programs, the study abroad office is also playing an important role in creating an awareness of global citizenship amongst our students," said Dr. Robert Miles, director of the study abroad office. "For many of them, participation is contingent upon the generosity of our private donors who share this mission. We are extremely grateful to all these donors."

UNC students interested in applying for study abroad or receiving more information about scholarships should contact the study abroad office at 962-7001.

The scholarships, the donors who established them and the recipients for spring 2006 are listed below, with hometowns in bold. Except for the Richards scholarship, at least a portion of all the gifts count toward the university's Carolina First Campaign goal of $2 billion. Carolina First is a comprehensive, multi-year, private fund-raising campaign to support Carolina's vision of becoming the nation's leading public university. (The Richards gift preceded the campaign.)

Leslie Benning of New York, a 1979 Carolina graduate, and her husband, Dr. Rafael Bejarano, established this scholarship in 2003. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation matched their gift. The fund provides at least one scholarship annually for study in Latin America.

The first recipient of the scholarship is Kendal Walters, a sophomore communication studies major from Charlotte, who will study in Buenos Aires through the COPA: Argentine Universities program.

Michael Boyatt, a 1956 Carolina graduate from Beech Mountain, established this fund in 1996 with his son, Matthew, of Durham, who received undergraduate and law degrees from Carolina in 1997 and 2002, respectively. The fund provides merit-based awards for undergraduate international studies and history majors. Recipients for this semester are:

• Kesson Anderson, a junior psychology and international studies major from Chapel Hill, who will study with the COPA: Argentine Universities program in Buenos Aires, Argentina. COPA – Cooperating Programs in the Americas – is a consortium of four universities, including UNC-Chapel Hill, that developed study-abroad programs in Argentina and Chile.
• Laura Beaudry, a junior anthropology and international studies major from Burlington, who will study in Lyon, France, at the Universite Jean Moulin.
• Peter Libero, a junior history major from Raleigh, who will study at King's College in London.
• Alison Rosenberg, a junior history major from Matthews, who will participate in the CET Jewish Studies Program in Prague, Czech Republic. CET, a company based in Washington, D.C., designs and administers study-abroad programs.

UNC alumnus Anthony Harrington, the former U.S. ambassador to Brazil, and his wife, Hope, of Easton, Md., created the fund supporting this award with a gift in 2004. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation matched the gift. The Harringtons established the scholarship to honor former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, who taught at UNC in 1974 and 1975. He received an honorary degree from UNC in 2001. The fund will award scholarships annually for study abroad in Latin America.

The first recipient of the scholarship is Sarah Keilson, a junior studio art major from Cary, now studying in the COPA: Chilean Universities program in Santiago, Chile.

This fund was established in 2004 to honor members of the Jenkins family, longtime residents Dare County and eastern North Carolina. Awards from the fund will support undergraduates from eastern North Carolina.

The first award recipient is Mariah Henderson, a sophomore psychology and Spanish major from Kill Devil Hills, now studying in Sevilla, Spain.

Carolina alumnae Mary Anne Johnson Dickson and Neal Johnson of Charlotte established the fund supporting these awards in 2002 to honor their late father, a banker and community leader in Elkin. The fund offers need-based and merit-based scholarships to undergraduates from Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin counties.

The four recipients for spring 2006 are:

• Jessica Walker, a junior romance languages major from North Wilkesboro, now studying in Monterrey, Mexico.
• Laura Walters, a junior history major from Pilot Mountain, now participating in the UNC Honors Semester in London.
• Michael Lee, a sophomore Asian studies and business administration major from East Bend, studying at Sophia University in Tokyo.
• Sarah Elizabeth Lee, a junior economics and business administration major from East Bend, is studying in Copenhagen, Denmark, as part of the undergraduate business administration program in UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Grey Lineweaver, a 1962 Carolina graduate from Greensboro, established this scholarship in 2005 with matching funds from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The fund will provide at least one scholarship per year for study in Latin America.

The first recipient is Aliesha Maye, a sophomore Spanish and international studies major from Charlotte, now participating in a School for International Training program in Managua, Nicaragua.

Charles A. McLendon Jr. of New York City, a 1981 Carolina graduate, created the fund supporting this scholarship in 2004 to honor his father, of Greensboro, a retired Burlington Industries executive who traveled extensively overseas. The fund will provide at least one scholarship per year.

The first recipient is Lena Hyatt, a sophomore biology major from Asheville, now with the Organization for Tropical Studies program in tropical biology in Costa Rica.

Laura Richards, a 1994 Carolina graduate and resident of London, established a fund in 1999 to provide at least one scholarship annually for an international studies major.

The recipient for spring 2006 is Deidre Pelletier, a junior music and international studies major from New Bern, now studying in Montpellier, France.

Carol Shumate of Chapel Hill established the fund supporting this award in 2001 in honor of her late father, who worked in the foreign operations division of Loffland Brothers Drilling Co. for 24 years. A contract negotiator, he traveled to remote locations around the world.

The fund provides at least one scholarship annually for study abroad or participation in foreign exchange programs. In celebration of Horace Shumate’s career, the fund targets students who wish to pursue new academic or personal interests through international experiences.

The first recipient is James Cangelosi, a sophomore business administration major from Raleigh, now studying at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

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Study abroad contact: Dr. Robert Miles, (919) 962-7002, bob.miles@unc.edu

News Services contact: L.J. Toler, (919) 962-8589