News Release

Editors: Winners are listed below. An asterisk indicates a
double listing. For recipients’ photos, go to http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/mar07/moreheadcainphotos2007.htm

70 outstanding high school seniors
named Morehead-Cain Scholars

CHAPEL HILL – Seventy young leaders from high schools across the United States, Canada and Great Britain – including 37 from North Carolina – have been named Morehead-Cain Scholars at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Among the largest and most competitive scholarship programs in the United States, the Morehead-Cain – formerly the Morehead Scholarship –  pays all expenses for four years of undergraduate study, including the cost of a laptop computer and four summer enrichment experiences.

The value of the scholarship is about $80,000 for each in-state student and $140,000 for each out-of-state student.

The Morehead Scholarship and Morehead Foundation were renamed in February after the foundation received a $100 million gift from the Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation of Houston.

This year’s winners, announced today (March 9) by the Morehead-Cain Foundation trustees, were selected through a nomination and interview process that began last fall. Some 1,655 high school seniors nationwide and in Great Britain were nominated by their high schools or applied for the Morehead-Cain.

From those nominees, the foundation and regional committees chose 111 finalists: 64 in-state, 44 out-of-state and three from Great Britain. The process concluded with interviews of the finalists in Chapel Hill Monday and Tuesday (March 5-6).

In addition, three Canadian Morehead-Cain Scholars were selected in February in a separate nationwide selection process in Canada.

“It has been an exciting and historic week for us,” said Charles E. Lovelace Jr., executive director of the foundation. “We are very pleased to select our first class of Morehead-Cain Scholars from among such a talented and dynamic group.”

Selection criteria are leadership, academic achievement, moral force of character and physical vigor. Morehead-Cain recipients are chosen by merit and accomplishments, not financial need. Winners have until April 16 to accept the scholarship.

Instituted as the first non-athletic merit scholarship program in the country, the Morehead-Cain has evolved into an experiential learning program with lifelong expectations, Lovelace said. The distinguishing feature of the scholarship is its summer enrichment programs, which provide global hands-on leadership and problem-solving experiences in four areas: outdoor leadership, public service, enterprise and international research.

The scholars are expected to contribute to the university community in their areas of talent and interest and to continue to do so in their communities as Morehead-Cain alumni, Lovelace said.

Currently, 169 Morehead Scholars study on campus, making outstanding contributions in many areas of university life. Among them are the student body president and student body president-elect, president of the student union, secretary of Phi Beta Kappa, and the membership and outreach coordinators for the Campus Y social justice organization.

In the past five years, six Morehead Scholars have won Rhodes Scholarships to England’s Oxford University, one of the world’s most competitive and prestigious awards for graduate study. Since the Rhodes program began in 1902, 41 UNC students have received the honor. Of 26 Rhodes recipients from UNC since the first Morehead Scholars graduated from Carolina in 1957, 23 have been Morehead Scholars.

Morehead Scholars account for 19 of the university’s 26 Luce Scholars and 16 of Carolina’s 27 Truman Scholars. Twenty Morehead Scholars have won Fulbright Fellowships. Such awards are among the nation’s most generous and distinguished for graduate study.

The 2,600 Morehead alumni live and work in 48 of the 50 United States and in 24 other countries. Among the alumni are:

• Pulitzer Prize-winning author Taylor Branch;
• U.S. Congressmen Jim Cooper, Mike McIntyre and David Price;
• Sallie Krawcheck, head of Global Wealth Management for Citigroup and No. 6 on the September 2006 Forbes list of the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women”;
• Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International;
• Caleb and Louise King, medical missionaries in Rwanda;
• Ken Thompson, chief executive officer of Wachovia Corp.; and
• Karen Stevenson, a Los Angeles attorney and the first black American woman to win a Rhodes Scholarship.

 For more information, visit http://www.moreheadcain.org or call the foundation at (919) 962-1201. The 2007 Morehead-Cain recipients are listed below, alphabetically by N.C. county, state and country. Winners listed in more than one place are noted with an asterisk.

North Carolina

Alamance

• Bradley Anson Waters from Walter Williams High School in Burlington, son of Rex and Cindy Waters of Burlington.

Buncombe

• Wesley Lawrence Crouse from Enka High School in Candler, son of Daryl and Debbie Crouse of Candler.

Burke

• Alexander Douglas Selig from Freedom High School in Morganton, son of Vincent and Denice Selig of Morganton.

Cabarrus

• *Michael Altaf Mian from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, son of Khalid and Patricia Mian of Concord.

Chatham

• *Keith Michael Grose from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, son of John and Velma Grose of Chapel Hill.
• *Natalie Shelayne Sutton from Durham Academy in Durham, daughter of Frank and Shelayne Sutton of Chapel Hill.

Cherokee

• Robert Joseph Ackerman from Andrews High School, son of David and Alison Ackerman of Andrews.

Craven

• *Kerry Anne Williams from Kent School in Kent, Conn., daughter of John and Judith Williams of New Bern.

Cumberland

• Lisa Elizabeth Jeffries from Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville, daughter of Anthony Jeffries and Felicia Scarboro of Fayetteville.

Durham

• *Keith Michael Grose from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, son of John and Velma Grose of Chapel Hill.
• *Michael Altaf Mian from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, son of Khalid and Patricia Mian of Concord.
• *Natalie Shelayne Sutton from Durham Academy in Durham, daughter of Frank and Shelayne Sutton of Chapel Hill.

Forsyth

• Lynda Cathryn Blancato from R.J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, daughter of William and Eileen Blancato of Winston-Salem.
• Hannah Blair Hellebush from Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, daughter of Peter and D.D. Hellebush of Winston-Salem.
• Ann Mills Lassiter from R.J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, daughter of Bob and Jane Lassiter of Winston-Salem.

Guilford

• Laura Elizabeth Brentnell from Lucy C. Ragsdale High School in Jamestown, daughter of Jim Brentnell and Mary Page of Greensboro.

Iredell

• Robert Casper Wiggins from Lake Norman High School in Mooresville, son of Casper and Connie Wiggins of Mooresville.

Jackson

• Sarah Alena Shapiro from Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva, daughter of David and Kay Shapiro of Cullowhee.

Johnston

• Sarah Anne Core from South Johnston High School in Four Oaks, daughter of Ken and Carol Core of Four Oaks.

Lee

• Ricardo Alcides Hurtado from Lee County High School in Sanford, son of Alexander and Flor Hurtado of Sanford.

Mecklenburg

• Amy Caroline Abramowitz from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, daughter of Robert Abramowitz and Vicki Derderian of Charlotte.
• Carey Alice Carpenter from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, daughter of Jody and Beth Carpenter of Charlotte.
• Evan Chen Lien from North Mecklenburg High School in Huntersville, son of Bon-Hsiang and Chuan-Chuan Lien of Huntersville.
• Justin Charles Loiseau from Charlotte Country Day School, son of Gerard and Jennifer Loiseau of Charlotte.
• Olivia Paige Myrick from Charlotte Catholic High School, daughter of Thomas and Patricia Myrick of Charlotte.
• Steven Paul Shorkey from Myers Park High School in Charlotte, son of Steven and Meredith Shorkey of Charlotte.
• Maria Christine Solitario from Providence Day School in Charlotte, daughter of Paul and Laura Solitario of Charlotte.

Moore

• Franklin Stampley Walden from Union Pines High School in Cameron, son of Franklin and Laura Walden of Vass.

New Hanover

• Julia Blair Powell from New Hanover High School in Wilmington, daughter of Doug and Nan Powell of Wilmington.

Orange

• Eva Jacqueline Archer from Chapel Hill High School, daughter of Trevor and Janet Archer of Chapel Hill.

Pender

• Luke Wesley Woodcock from Topsail High School in Hampstead, son of Dennis Woodcock and Andee Hilburn Woodcock of Hampstead.

Pitt

• *Kevin Michael Whitfield from South Central High School in Winterville, son of Suzanne Whitfield of Winterville and Kent Whitfield of St. Matthews, S.C.

Randolph

• John Avery Scotton from Eastern Randolph High School in Ramseur, son of the late John Scotton and Eva Lamb of Liberty.

Rockingham

• Hogan Eastwood Medlin from John Motley Morehead High School in Eden, son of Tom Medlin and Ellen Hogan of Eden.

Surry

• *Christopher Lee Carter from East Wilkes High School in Ronda, son of Reggie and Debbie Carter of Elkin.

Wake

• William McElwee Clayton from Needham B. Broughton High School in Raleigh, son of Jack and Mary Clayton of Raleigh.
• Elizabeth Landon McCain from Needham B. Broughton High School in Raleigh, daughter of Paul and Beth McCain of Raleigh.
• Daniela de Lima Nogueira from Wakefield High School in Raleigh, daughter of Geraldo and Monica Nogueira of Raleigh.
• Gregory Forest Randolph from Needham B. Broughton High School in Raleigh, son of Robert and Maryanne Randolph of Raleigh.

Wayne

• Nida Waheed from Charles B. Aycock High School in Pikeville, daughter of Waheed Akhtar and Shabana Waheed of Goldsboro.

Wilkes

• *Christopher Lee Carter from East Wilkes High School in Ronda, son of Reggie and Debbie Carter of Elkin.

OUT-OF-STATE

California

• Spencer Norman Scheidt from Marin Academy in San Rafael, son of Kurt and Terry Scheidt of San Rafael.
• Bryanna Nicole Schwartz from Westview High School in San Diego, daughter of Richard and Diane Schwartz of San Diego.

Connecticut

• *Jenner Stoker Gibson from the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, son of Jamin and Janice Gibson of Gardners, Pa.
• *Kaitlyn Jamie Mauritz from the Groton School in Groton, Mass., daughter of Peter Mauritz of Milford and Jamie James of Andover, Mass.
• *Kerry Anne Williams from Kent School in Kent, daughter of John and Judith Williams of New Bern, N.C.

District of Columbia

• *Balaji Chandrasekhar from St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., son of Krishnan and Geetha Chandrasekhar of Bethesda, Md.

Florida

• Edmund Theodore Baxa III from Winter Park High School, son of Edmund and Susan Baxa of Winter Park.

Georgia

• David Strauss Baron from Woodward Academy in College Park, son of Roy and Karen Baron of Atlanta.
• William McDaniel Bondurant from the Westminster Schools in Atlanta, son of Stuart and Lisa Bondurant of Atlanta.
• Emma Henriette Din from Henry W. Grady High School in Atlanta, daughter of Edouard and Rebecca Din of Atlanta.
• Anna Virginia Krueger from Darlington School in Rome, daughter of Kirk and Anne Krueger of Trion.

Illinois

• Arjeme Denise Cavens from the Latin School of Chicago, daughter of Robert and Paula Cavens of Chicago.

Iowa

• Erin Elizabeth Becker from George Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, daughter of Mike and Jenny Becker of Cedar Rapids.

Maryland

• Thomas Joseph Bolek from Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School in Rockville, son of Joseph and Maribeth Bolek of North Potomac.
• *Drew Loren St. Lawrence from Saint James School in St. James, son of Yvette Cormier of Plainfield, N.J.
• *Balaji Chandrasekhar from St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., son of Krishnan and Geetha Chandrasekhar of Bethesda.

Massachusetts

• Katherine Marie Erickson from Middlesex School in Concord, daughter of Tom and Tamara Erickson of Carlisle.
• *Kaitlyn Jamie Mauritz from the Groton School in Groton, daughter of Peter Mauritz of Milford, Conn., and Jamie James of Andover.
• Micha Sam Brickman Raredon from Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, son of Thomas Raredon and Harriet Brickman of Northampton.

Michigan

• *Anasa Samantha Hicks from Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School in Bloomfield Hills, daughter of Roderick Hicks of Dallas, Texas, and Brenda Hicks of Bloomfield Hills.

Mississippi

• Catherine Cole Thomas from St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Ridgeland, daughter of Jim and Martha Thomas of Jackson.

New Hampshire

• *Evan Kershaw Rose from Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, son of Peter Rose and Alicia Kershaw of New York, N.Y.

New Jersey

• Thomas Michael Golden from the Peddie School in Hightstown, son of John and Margaret Golden of Freehold.
• *Drew Loren St. Lawrence from Saint James School in St. James, Md., son of Yvette Cormier of Plainfield.

New York

• Joshua Michael Ford from Palmyra-Macedon High School in Palmyra, son of Mike and Tina Ford of Palmyra.
• *Evan Kershaw Rose from Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, N.H., son of Peter Rose and Alicia Kershaw of New York.

Pennsylvania

• *Jenner Stoker Gibson from the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., son of Jamin and Janice Gibson of Gardners.

Ohio

• Christopher Paul Donald Magoon from North Canton Hoover High School in North Canton, son of Elbert and Martha Magoon of North Canton.

South Carolina

• Elizabeth Cusick Hazeltine from Bishop England High School in Charleston, daughter of David Hazeltine and Catherine Cusick of Charleston.
• Travis Johnson McElveen from Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville, son of Darryl and Mead McElveen of Greenville.
• Marshall Barnard Wade from Spartanburg High School, son of Greggory and Mary Helen Wade of Spartanburg.
• *Kevin Michael Whitfield from South Central High School in Winterville, N.C., son of Kent Whitfield of St. Matthews and Suzanne Whitfield of Winterville, N.C.

Texas

• *Anasa Samantha Hicks from Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., daughter of Roderick Hicks of Dallas and Brenda Hicks of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
• Elizabeth Nicole Monier from Keystone School in San Antonio, daughter of Joseph and Linda Monier of San Antonio.
• Katherine Marie Novinski from the Hockaday School in Dallas, daughter of Gregory and Brenda Novinski of Irving.

Canada

• Laurence Deschamps-Laporte from Cégep Régional de Lanaudière à l’Assomption in Repentigny, Québec, daughter of Benoit Laporte and Anne Deschamps of Repentigny, Québec.
• Michael James Johnston from Swan Valley Regional Secondary School in Swan River, Manitoba, son of Dave and Marilyn Johnston of Swan River, Manitoba.
• Marco Sabatino Romeo from Upper Canada College in Toronto, Ontario, son of Carmelo Romeo and Mary Ann Sabatino of Toronto.

United Kingdom

• Mark Muriithi Laichena from Christ’s Hospital in London, son of Elias Laichena of Meru, Kenya, and Sally Anniss of London.
• Alexander Christopher Laurence Lee from Wellington College in Crowthorne, Berkshire, son of Christopher and Jo Lee of Ringwood, Hampshire.
• Alastair James Monty from Marlborough College in Marlborough, Wiltshire, son of Guy Monty of Polzeath, Cornwall, and Carolyn Monty of London.

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For information about the Cain Foundation gift, visit http://www.morehead-cain.org/servlets/RouterServlet?handler=News&start=0&act=publicview&id=326

Morehead-Cain Foundation contacts: Charles E. Lovelace or Megan Mezzocchi, (919) 962-1201. This weekend, Lovelace can be reached at (919) 260-0071; Mazzocchi, at (919) 929-1161.
News Services contact: L.J. Toler, (919) 962-8589; cell (919) 219-6374