“I am still kind of in shock that I got it, I feel like it's never gonna click to you how big this is until you're an adult and have to make money for yourself, " Dameron said. “I basically just got $80,000 for free, for being a good person and wanting to go to this school… I cannot believe that I have this opportunity.”

     Dameron found out she was accepted into the ECU Honors College program, in addition to being considered for the Brinkley-Lane Scholarship. It was then that she realized that her dream of receiving a scholarship could come true.

     “I just started crying, I was really emotional," Dameron said. “My dad cried, we were really happy.”

     After many long hours, interviews and a full day on ECU’s campus, the day finally came for Dameron to find out if she received this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As soon as she opened the letter that informed her that she had just been named a Brinkley-Lane scholar, Dameron immediately said yes.

     “I went ahead and accepted,” Dameron said. “I found a roommate, and I'm good to go.

     Dameron believes that not being ashamed of who you are in any situation is the key to success.

     “I think that people who hide behind their ACT score, SAT score, volunteer hours and transcripts are not gonna make it as far as the people who are completely and utterly themselves and unashamed of that,” Dameron said. 

     The phrase “never look back” may often be seen as cliché, but for Maya Swaggerty, receiving the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Morehead-Cain Scholarship was the true meaning of never looking back. 

     “The moment I found out about the scholarship, I thought it would be a perfect fit for me,” Swaggerty said. “I knew that it was a shot in the dark, because nobody has got it at Rose within the past four years… but it was definitely something that I was aiming for.”

     As Swaggerty went through Rose, she focused on working hard in and out of school while maintaining a virtuous character, which is what the Morehead-Cain scholarship is all about.

     “The four pillars of the Morehead-Cain are scholarship, physical vigor, moral force of character and leadership,” Swaggerty said. “I felt like those embodied all the things that I'm passionate about and [what] I put my effort into [in] high school, and so that was what initially drew me to the scholarship.”

     Like Dameron, when Swaggerty found out that she was a recipient of this scholarship, she could not believe it. The goal that was seemingly unattainable suddenly became reality.

     “The second I found out, I started screaming, I ran to my parents, my parents were crying, I was crying,” Swaggerty said. “It was unreal.”

     Through all of the ups and downs, Swaggerty feels that staying true to yourself is what makes a difference.

     “Be yourself,” Swaggerty said. “Every single person said that to me when I would ask them for advice, and I was like, ‘Be yourself, what?,’ but it really is true.”

     Gabriella Castillo never imagined staying in Greenville. Growing up, she believed that she would leave North Carolina for higher education; however, when she became a recipient of the Brinkley-Lane scholarship, all of that changed. 

     “I still can't wrap my mind around it, but I loved the program so much,” Castillo said. “Every single person that I met were so [supportive] and different.”

     In addition to being a recipient of the Brinkley-Lane scholarship, Castillo was a finalist for the North Carolina State University Park Scholarship. In the midst of lengthy application processes and determination, she never had any worry in applying to a number of schools. 

     “I don't have any hesitations about applying for anything,” Castillo said. “You should always go out and try new things, and you're not losing anything for applying.”

     Though she was not a recipient of the Park scholarship, Castillo learned the importance of not blaming herself. She believes that learning to accept the outcomes of others' decisions is vital to growing as a person.

     “Not getting the Park just taught me I can't be mad about their decision, and there's nothing I could do to change what I did,” Castillo said. “So you just gotta be accepting of yourself and stay true to what you know you're best at.”

     Though there were many paths she could have taken, Castillo is fully committed to ECU. She is immensely grateful for all of the opportunities that have been given to her and all the help she has had along the way. Though the journey may not have been perfect, Castillo would not change a thing. 

     “I never would [have] imagined myself going to ECU,” Castillo said. “ I told my friends, ‘I think I'm gonna take the Brinkley,’ I'm seriously considering it cause I love the people there so much.”

     Along with Dameron, Swaggerty and Castillo, there was one final senior who not only received one scholarship, but three. This individual is Dillon Patel.  

     From the very beginning of his high school career, Patel had a goal of receiving a major scholarship.

     “To be honest, who doesn't like college free, but there's other benefits,” Patel said. “[Colleges] are able to give you better opportunities because they already trust your character, and the scholarship kind of speaks to that.”

     Patel was offered the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Levine scholarship, the Wake Forest Wake Signature scholarship and ECU’s Brinkley-Lane Scholarship. Though any of these opportunities would have made life dreams come to fruition, he plans to accept the Brinkley-Lane Scholarship.

     “The Brinkley-Lane, compared to those other scholarships, is a lot more close-knit of a community,” Patel said. “You stay in Greenville, and there's all these connections that I had, and I get to build upon those.”

     The journey was never simple for Patel as he continuously strives to be the best person he can possibly be. He believes that putting yourself out there is pivotal to achieving your goals.

     “The best thing I can say is you just put yourself out there,” Patel said. “If you get it, you get it, and you always have that option, if you don't get it, it's not the end of the world.”

     As these four seniors embark on their future, they are still challenged every day. Though this path to greatness may be a long one, these Rose students have conquered each hardship with grace and compassion.