YOUR JOURNEY S TA RT S
HERE.
C O N TA C T I N F O R M AT I O N Please contact the Scholar Advising Team if you have questions or concerns (or if you just need a little friendly advice!).
Julie DeVoe
+1 919-442-1637
Lorelle Babwah Brennen
+1 919-442-1644
Montez Thomas
+1 919-442-1646
Lindsay Oliver
+1 919-962-1201
julie@moreheadcain.org
lorelle@moreheadcain.org
montez@moreheadcain.org
lindsay@moreheadcain.org
TA B L E
of C O N T E N T S
1
B E N EF I T S of the M OR E H E AD - CAI N S CH OL AR S H I P
3
G A P Y EA R O P TI ON
5
SU M M E R E N R I CH M E N T PROGR AM —OU TD OOR L E AD E R S H I P
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SP EC I A L N OT ES for I N TE R N ATI ON AL S CH OL AR S
1
B E N E F I T S of the M O R E H E A D - C A I N SCHOLARSHIP The Morehead-Cain provides a full scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that includes: An academic stipend that covers normal costs of attendance, including the applicable tuition, student fees, housing, meals, books, supplies, and miscellaneous expenses. The amount is reviewed annually and may be increased periodically as the University’s cost-of-attendance estimates increase. The stipend is paid at the beginning of each semester. A four-year Summer Enrichment Program, beginning the summer before the scholar’s first year at Carolina. The average funding per summer is currently $5,000, subject to annual review. The option to apply for Discovery Fund grants to be used to explore new ideas, develop practical skills, and connect with the Morehead-Cain Alumni network. For entering first-years, a one-time grant of approximately $1,000 for a laptop computer.
Including the average cost for the summer program and other direct grants, the annual value of the Morehead-Cain Scholarship is approximately $30,000 for North Carolina residents and approximately $55,000 for out-of-state residents. The $25,000 difference in value is the tuition differential that would be payable by a non-resident student who is not the recipient of a full merit scholarship such as the Morehead-Cain. A law passed in 2005 grants that tuition benefit to full merit scholarship recipients.
AT H LE T E S PLE A S E B E A DV I S E D : The NCAA limits the amount of financial aid received by any student recruited to participate in any intercollegiate sport (varsity or junior varsity) at Division I schools. If you have been officially recruited by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for athletics—or if you otherwise plan to participate in an intercollegiate sport—and you accept the Morehead-Cain Scholarship, your academic stipend may need to be reduced if the total of all of your sources of aid exceed NCAA limitations. If this applies to you or if you have any questions regarding your status, please contact the Morehead-Cain Foundation.
R E V I SE D JAN UAR Y 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
2
UNC TUITION AND EXPENSES MOREHEAD-CAIN STIPEND
and the
UNC CO S T OF AT T E N DA N C E
O UT-O F -STATE STUDEN TS
IN -STATE STUDENTS
TUITION
$32,602
$7,019
FEES
$1,986
$1,986
BOOKS AND SUPPLIES
$1,604
$1,604
ROOM AND BOARD
$11,556
$11,556
MISCELLANEOUS
$2,330
$2,330
HEALTH INSURANCE
$2,540
$2,540
TOTA L CO S T O F AT T E N DA N C E
$52 , 618
$27, 03 5
FALL SEMESTER STIPEND
$11,762.50
$11,762.50
SPRING SEMESTER STIPEND
$11,762.50
$11,762.50
$23,525
$23,525
MORE HE AD - CAI N SC H O L A RSH I P
TOTA L
VALUE OF IN-STATE TUITION BENEFIT FOR FULL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS 1
$25,583
SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM, AVERAGE VALUE PER YEAR
$5,000
$5,000
TOTA L A N N UA L VA LU E O F T H E MOREHEAD - CAIN SCHOLARSHIP
$5 4 ,10 8
$2 8 , 52 5
Per N.C. General Statute § 116–143.6, full merit scholarship recipients in the Class of 2010 and thereafter are considered in-state residents for tuition purposes. 1
Morehead-Cain recipients are also provided with a one-time grant toward the purchase of a University-approved laptop, currently valued at approximately $1,000. The Morehead-Cain does not include funding for travel to and from a scholar’s home at the beginning and end of each semester or during semester breaks. The above figures are for the 2017–2018 academic year. The scholarship and stipend amounts are reviewed annually and adjusted at the sole discretion of the Morehead-Cain Foundation Trustees.
3
GAP YEAR OPTION The Morehead-Cain Foundation recognizes that learning is not necessarily a linear process. Though it has been the traditional approach in the United States for secondary school graduates to go directly to college, this may not be the best path for everyone. Many students, especially those who have worked extremely hard, find themselves facing four years of college with neither a clear sense of direction nor concrete goals. Rather than trying to find their internal motivation in the first year or so of college, Morehead-Cain recipients are encouraged to consider stepping away from academia for a year to explore the world and, in the process, themselves.
This so-called gap year is a well-established tradition in the United Kingdom. Every year, thousands of British students entering university take a year off to work, travel, and perform community service. Based on this history and on the reflections of scholars who have taken gap years, the Foundation believes such an experience can add considerable value to the college experience. In the seven Morehead-Cain classes entering from 2011 through 2017, ten scholars have opted to take gap years (see list on next page).
Students and their parents often worry that a year out of school will make them lose their “academic drive.” Our experience tells us that, for many, the opposite is true. Gap students come to school with a greater appreciation for the value of an education and a greater sense of how to make the most of that opportunity. The year away allows them to discover what it is that makes them want to learn and excel, leaving them excited and energized about learning and achieving.
“After going out and getting a taste of the world beyond college, I will be able to step onto campus centered and focused on the job at hand.” —Rob Gourley ’18, in his final gap year report
A key to gap year success is for students to take on challenging, meaningful activities. Experiences that involve culture and language immersion, service, and employment challenge students to step outside their comfort zones. This is where valuable learning takes place. Most students plan two or three different experiences over the course of the year, often including a period of employment to help fund travel and other expenses. It is common for even a well-planned itinerary to change and evolve over the course of the year.
4
!
THE FOUNDATION’S DEADLINE FOR DECIDING TO TAKE A GAP YEAR IS JUNE 1, 2018.
The cost of a gap year depends entirely on the experiences the scholar undertakes. In the past two years, scholars have spent as little as $10,000 and as much as $20,000 for the full year. Again, many students work for part of the year to help fund their experiences. The Morehead-Cain Foundation does not provide funding for gap year experiences. [Note: Scholars may defer their summer outdoor leadership course to another time during their gap year.] While the gap year experience will not appeal to everyone, we encourage those who are intrigued by the possibility to discuss it with the staff soon after accepting the Morehead-Cain. Any scholar who decides to pursue it will submit a proposal detailing his or her plans. Much of the value of the gap experience is in the planning process, so, while the staff and alumni resources of the Foundation will certainly be available to scholars, it is assumed that most of the planning will be done by the scholars themselves.
“Gap students come to school with a greater appreciation for the value of an education.”
GAP YEAR SCHOLARS 2011–2018
2011–2012
2015–2016
Cecilia Polanco ’16
Will Benson ’20 Isabelle Smith ’20
2012–2013 Laura Limarzi ’17
2016–2017 Mia Colloredo-Mansfeld ’21
2013–2014 Kristen Gardner ’18
2017–2018
American Gap Association: www.americangap.org
Rob Gourley ’18
Claire Hyde ’22
Fitzsimmons, William. “Should I Take Time Off?” Harvard College Admissions & Financial Aid. Harvard College, 2017. Web.
2014–2015 Scott Diekema ’19 Joe Nail ’19
Hoder, Randye. “Why Your High School Senior Should Take a Gap Year.” Time. Time, 14 May 2014. Web. Lieber, Ron. “How Taking a Gap Year Can Shape Your Life.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 Oct. 2016. Web. Loftus, Margaret. “How a Gap Year Can Make Students Successful.” U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News & World Report, 23 Sept. 2014. Web.
R E V I SE D JAN UAR Y 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
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SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM:
OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP The Morehead-Cain Foundation is pleased to offer you the opportunity to participate in an outdoor leadership course in the summer of 2018. This experience is the first of four optional summer opportunities offered as part of your Morehead-Cain Scholarship. We believe these courses to be helpful in developing leadership skills, increasing self-awareness, and easing the transition to college life, and we strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. The Outdoor Leadership (OL) summer has become a sort of rite of passage—an experience that you will share and reflect upon with your fellow scholars for years to come. It is the springboard for your future summer enrichment experiences, and a time to pause and reflect before embarking upon the many Carolina and Morehead-Cain experiences to come.
NEW THIS YEAR: Traditionally, scholars have attended their Outdoor Leadership courses either solo or in pairs, joining participants from across the country and the world. This year, we are offering the opportunity for a group of scholars to complete a custom NOLS course together—in a team composed entirely of rising first-year Morehead-Cain Scholars. The course will be similar to other NOLS courses, but the dynamic of working with a cohort of your peers will provide an added opportunity to hone your collaboration skills. The group course is offered from July 8 to August 1 and will be indicated on the Outdoor Leadership Course Request Form.
We have reserved outdoor leadership courses with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and Outward Bound (OB). The courses are all at least twenty-one days long, with the earliest course beginning June 7. You’ll find in this packet a listing of the courses available to you with a brief description of each one. We will also be sending you more information about the courses by email, but in the meantime, please visit www.nols.edu and www.outwardbound.org to learn more.
Once you have taken some time to research your options and choose your preferences, there are just a few simple steps to complete: 1.
Complete in full the Outdoor Leadership Course Request Form and the Summer Enrichment Program waiver and return them to the Foundation with your signed Acceptance of the Morehead-Cain Scholarship form.
2.
The Scholar Advising team will send you confirmation of your course placement and instructions for accessing the MC Network (our Morehead-Cain Scholar and Alumni online social network). There you will find additional tips for OL and much more.
3.
Your outdoor leadership organization (Outward Bound or NOLS) will send you additional paperwork to complete and full instructions for enrolling in your designated course. Please complete the forms and follow the instructions as soon as possible.
While we will make every effort to place you in a course of your choice, the number of spaces available in any particular course is limited, and we fill the courses on a first-come, first-served basis.
Finally, the planning phase of your first Summer Enrichment Program experience officially marks your transition to being a Morehead-Cain Scholar—and working with the Scholar Advising team! Julie DeVoe, Lorelle Babwah Brennen, Montez Thomas, and Lindsay Oliver are here to answer your questions about choosing, preparing for, and embarking on your outdoor leadership course. We will be hosting a series of webcasts—and even a live web chat—to answer your questions about your transition to Carolina and your preparations for Outdoor Leadership. And as always, we are available to help by email or phone throughout this process.
This is just the beginning. There is much more information to come about all of the logistics, but for now, enjoy reading about the courses and imagining the wonders and challenges of your first Summer Enrichment Program experience.
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SPECIAL NOTES for
I N T E R N AT I O N A L S C H O L A R S The Morehead-Cain Foundation has a wonderful group of international scholars and alumni that we hope you will join! As you begin looking through your Outdoor Leadership (OL) course choices and planning for your summer, we’d like to help you consider your options and best prepare for your time at UNC.
In short, you need to plan for four things this summer:
1. 2. 3. 4.
Applying for a visa, Going on your OL course, Getting to Chapel Hill, and Attending UNC’s required First-Year Student Orientation
Your new student visa will allow you to enter the United States up to thirty days prior to the beginning of classes. If you plan creatively within that window of July 22–August 21, you can accomplish all of these things without paying for another trip back to your home country. CHO O SING YOUR O L CO URSE You may choose any course on the Outdoor Leadership Course Request Form. However, please be aware that the Morehead-Cain Foundation will cover travel costs in one of two ways: OPTION
1
If you choose an OL course that starts before July 22, you will likely need a separate tourist visa (in addition to your student visa, which you will use to come to Chapel Hill for the fall semester) to travel to your OL course. The Morehead-Cain Foundation will pay for a round-trip ticket from your home to your OL course and back to your home. A tourist visa will require that you return home again before flying back to Chapel Hill (on your student visa) for the start of the fall semester. The costs of your travel to Chapel Hill would be your personal responsibility.
OPTION
2
If you choose a course that starts after July 22 (within the 30-day grace period), you will come to the U.S. on your student visa and the Morehead-Cain Foundation will pay for a one-way ticket from your home to your OL course and a one-way ticket from your OL course directly to Chapel Hill. These courses are listed with a red dot on the OL Course Request list, and are reserved for international scholars who wish to pursue this option.
It is important to note that the Morehead-Cain Scholarship does not include travel between your home and UNC at the beginning and end of each semester. UNC FIR ST-YEA R O RI E N TAT I O N You will receive more information from the New Student and Carolina Parent Programs office about registering for your required First-Year Orientation. While you may attend any session, there are typically one or two sessions at the end of the summer that will fit into the 30-day grace period allowed by your student visa. There is a fee for First-Year Orientation, but the Scholar Advising team can help you defer that payment until you arrive on campus, if you notify us in advance. STUDE NT V ISA AN D F I N AN CI AL CE RT I F I CATE The Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS) will send you more information about your student visa and will work with you as you transition to campus and throughout your time at UNC–Chapel Hill. Please visit http://isss.unc.edu/newstudent/ for the steps you should take to complete your Financial Certificate and other important documents concerning your visa and arrival into the country. We will provide additional information to you by email regarding the financial certificate. The Scholar Advising team will be in touch with you to confirm the type of visa you plan to pursue. Please keep in mind that the type of visa you choose (J-1 or F-1) will impact your ability to work in the United States, both during your Summer Enrichment Program experiences and in post-graduate endeavors. For that reason, we strongly encourage you to research your options thoroughly. The Morehead-Cain Foundation recommends the J-1 visa because it is the easier and more cost-efficient option for pursuing U.S.–based internships during the Summer Enrichment Program. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Our contact information is listed at the front of this booklet.
THE MOREHEAD-CAIN FOUNDATION POST OFFICE BOX 690 CHAPEL HILL , NC 27514-0690
919-962-1201 • MOREHEADCAIN.ORG