Rose basketball highlights
Blount bags Morehead-Cain Scholarship
THURS. | 03-03-22 | FEATURES
With graduation coming up in May, the time has come for many college decisions. Rose has proudly announced one of their students, senior Eleanor Blount, as a Morehead-Cain scholar.
The Morehead-Cain scholarship is given to roughly 70 students around the world, funding a full ride to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), covering tuition, housing and books. What makes this scholarship unique is its multitude of opportunities, setting its scholars up for success. The summer enrichment programs offer experiences to explore creativity by funding research projects and offering internships.
Blount submitted her application for the Morehead at the beginning of October. Having a school nomination under the scholarship committee at Rose kick-started her path into the semi-finalist checkpoint.
“In November, I had to do recorded interviews where I answered questions in under two minutes,” Blount said. “After the selection committee reviewed the interviews, certain students were notified in January that they had made it to finals.”
Once finals had begun, Blount found that it was a tenser competition than she had expected, leading her to internal struggles of possible self-doubt and stress. With a supportive community at Rose, and the welcoming environment that the Morehead program
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possesses, Blount was constantly reassured by hearing other applicants' and board members' advice and stories.
“I tried to never get my hopes up with scholarships because it can depend on luck and who is in your graduating year; I tried to stay optimistic and to not set my standards to the point where I would have been super disappointed,” Blount said. “I have, however, felt an overwhelming sense of community from the staff of the program to the finalists participating in the program.”
Academic criteria and extracurriculars are deemed important when being considered for receiving the Morehead. Blount believes that because the applicants share very similar academic ideals, the major difference comes down to your character and how it stands out in your community, as well as in contrast to other applicants.
“The people in the program have already started nonprofits and are all overachievers which makes an even playing field,” Blount said “The special criteria in these scholarships are that they are looking for good and genuine people, so it's a huge compliment that they saw that in me.”
Blount has fulfilled the tasks of being Rose's student body president this school year, a member of multiple honors societies, a team captain for both her swim and lacrosse team, and an overall leader in her community.
“I think that it is hard to compare all of the extracurriculars that I am involved in because they are all so different, but I have always loved the sports teams that I have been on, and growing relationships with my teammates and coaches,” Blount said.
As college approaches in the next school year, Blount becomes more and more excited to attend UNC after falling in love with the campus when she visited last year. With the Morehead scholarship and welcoming atmosphere the campus has, she is more than ready to dive into different classes and appealing clubs at UNC and explore greater opportunities.
“I knew that I was going to apply for the [NC State] Park Scholarship and the Morehead, but as time went on, I fell in love with UNC and its campus,” Blount said.
Blount holds Rose and its staff in a very special place in her heart that will continue to inspire her next year at UNC, and she hopes that the underclassmen and new students next year will enjoy their time attending Rose.
“I have loved my time at Rose, but I am really excited to be surrounded by people with interests similar to mine,” Blount said. “I have grown up in Greenville my whole life and this new opportunity of change is very exciting, as well as opportunities the Morehead is going to offer for me.”
