FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHAPEL HILL, NC – The University of North Carolina System has named five students as 2019 Marian Drane Graham Scholars. The scholars will participate in an eight-week immersive and experiential summer program, designed to help the students develop leadership skills and gain a better understanding of key issues facing public higher education.
As a part of the program, the scholars will be placed in a state government agency, where they will gain valuable working experience in the fields of public service and higher education.
“We are excited to welcome our new scholars and eager to provide them with learning opportunities. These students are future leaders in education, and this program will give them a first-hand look at what it takes to keep our state’s higher education System running,” Kim Van Noort, senior vice president for academic affairs.
Scholars will work alongside UNC System leaders over the summer, tour individual campuses and visit with key NC policy leaders and elected officials in North Carolina and Washington, DC. Additionally, each scholar will work with UNC System staff to develop and present a capstone project outlining the role of higher education in North Carolina and its impact on the UNC System.
“Our scholars represent some of the brightest talent in the UNC System, and they will bring energy and insight to the System Office,” said Kim Mitchell, director of student development and the program’s coordinator.
This year’s scholars are:
- Matthew Angerson, of UNC-Chapel Hill, who will be placed at the NC Community College System Office;
- Nya Anthony, of UNC-Chapel Hill, who will be placed at the NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs;
- Jennifer Gamez, of UNC Wilmington, who will be placed at the Department of Public Instruction;
- Lorcan Neill, of NC State University, who will be placed at the NC Business Committee for Education through the NC Governor’s Office; and
- Ruohong (Katherine) Wang, of UNC Pembroke, who will be placed at Go Global NC.
Open to rising juniors and seniors, the program began in 2013 and is named for Marian Drane Graham, the wife of Frank Porter Graham, the first president of the consolidated UNC System. The program’s namesake reflects its emphasis on pairing scholars who are passionate about education policy and public service with agencies in North Carolina.