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They’d just finished touring a dementia care facility and meeting its leaders when they stepped into the day activity space, where older adults spend time while their family caregivers get a few hours to work, rest, or handle their own lives. The team scattered to meet people, but Rayana Ba ’29 lingered for a second, working up the nerve to talk to someone. She sat beside a woman who was quietly c

Amy Stursberg of New York, New York, and Chris Schroeder of Washington, D.C., have joined the Morehead-Cain Foundation Board of Trustees, effective July 1.Stursberg is CEO of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation and the Stephen A. Schwarzman Education Foundation. As CEO, she nurtured the Schwarzman Scholars program from an idea into one of the most prestigious postgraduate fellowships in the world

Morehead-Cain Alumni landed new jobs, received accolades, stepped into new seasons of life, and more. Here’s who made a move this summer.Richard Vinroot ’63 received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in June, one of the highest civilian honors granted by the Office of the Governor of North Carolina. It recognizes individuals with a proven record of extraordinary service to the state and their commun

In August 2025, twelve exceptional student leaders from around the world arrived at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC–Chapel Hill) as the inaugural cohort of Morehead-Cain Global Fellows. They came from Brazil, India, Nigeria, and Turkey, nominated by faculty at their home institutions for their demonstrated leadership impact and commitment to their communities.As they prepared

Civic Collaboration is one of the cornerstones of the Morehead-Cain Summer Enrichment Program, pairing teams of scholars with communities to solve real challenges and propose practical solutions. This summer, one team spent eight weeks in Centennial, Colorado, working with city staff to evaluate and expand the city’s sustainability efforts. Hosted by Melanie Ward, the city’s development foresight

Morehead-Cain has submitted a panel proposal for SXSW EDU 2027 titled “Degrees Don’t Transform Lives; Experiences Do.”The session, featuring Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford, Allyson Horst ’27, Tai Huynh ’20, and Transylvania University President Brien Lewis ’90, explores how mentorship, real-world problem-solving, and hands-on experience help develop students in ways coursework alone cannot

In a recent Smartbrief article, Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford makes the case that leadership development is philanthropy’s most powerful investment, especially as AI and automation reshape the future of work.Bradford argues that leadership functions as civic infrastructure, built through real-world experience rather than credentials alone. He writes that as technology transforms industrie

She had every reason to stay home. But when a team of Morehead-Cain Scholars sat down with her to ask why she’d gotten involved in her community’s response effort anyway, she didn’t hesitate.She couldn’t bear to see her neighbors isolated—unable to get food, unsure how to reach the people around them—she told them, as if there were no other option.That conversation was one of thirty-five the schol

Kemp Gouldin ’02 is the founder of Because Baseball, a nonprofit that uses baseball as a bridge for cross-cultural exchange and community-building in Egypt and beyond.On this episode, guest host Olu Kopano ’26 speaks with Kemp about the origins of Because Baseball, its impact in Egyptian schools, orphanages, and community programs, and how Morehead-Cain Scholars and Alumni have supported the organ

Morehead-Cain Alumni landed new jobs, received accolades, stepped into new seasons of life, and more. Here’s who made a move this spring.Richard Vinroot ’63 received the YMCA of Greater Charlotte’s John R. Mott Award and the Rotary Club of Charlotte’s Excellence in Leadership Award, recognizing his lifetime of civic leadership in Charlotte.Bill Bamberger ’79 had his exhibition Boys Will Be Men on

This story was originally published via the UNC Department of Applied Physical Sciences on May 4, 2026. Written by Dave DeFusco.Morehead-Cain Global Fellow Fadilullahi Ayodeji Adeniyi ’26 and doctoral student Vadim Shipitsyn in the Department of Applied Physical Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found a simpler, cleaner way to prepare one of the most important parts

Andrew Powell ’79 has co-authored After Our Parents Won the War, a memoir that will be available for purchase on Amazon this June (ISBN 979-8-9956058-0-5).The book revisits the world of a boarding school in 1965, where Andrew and co-author John Miller arrived as boys at the tail end of the British Empire. Trading the grey icons of the postwar generation for new heroes—the Beatles, Muhammad Ali, an

This spring, the inaugural class of Morehead-Cain Global Fellows will conclude their year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This miniseries of the Catalyze podcast highlights members of the first class, featuring global fellows from Nigeria, Turkey, and India.In this episode, Ali Slack ’28 of the Scholar Media Team speaks with Morehead-Cain Global Fellow Güneş Tuğcu ’26 about her

This spring, the inaugural class of Morehead-Cain Global Fellows will conclude their year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This miniseries of the Catalyze podcast highlights members of the first class, featuring global fellows from Nigeria, Turkey, and India.In this episode, Aadya Gattu ’28 of the Scholar Media Team speaks with Disha Parasu ’26 about her journey to Carolina, her

Morehead-Cain Alumni helped lead the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s first “AI for Public Good” conference on April 13, bringing together leaders from government, industry, and academia to explore how artificial intelligence can advance societal well-being.  Nearly 600 people attended the daylong event at the William and Ida Friday Center, where speakers focused on both the promise o

Three Morehead-Cain Scholars have received 2026 Chancellor’s Awards, the University’s highest student honors for excellence in academics, extracurricular activities, and leadership.Genevieve Holliday ’26 has been recognized for academic excellence, while Rotimi Kukoyi ’26 and Christina Huang ’26 have earned accolades for their campus activities and leadership.2026 Student Academic AwardsThe Venabl

It’s been nearly three years since the Morehead-Cain Foundation launched the Sophomore Selection process. The program was established to identify second-year students at Carolina who demonstrate exceptional scholarship, leadership, and character.  This year marks a historic milestone: the first class of Sophomore Selection scholars will graduate this May from the University of North Carolina at Ch

Originally published via UNC Research by Alyssa LaFaro (April 20, 2026) In 2022, Aayas Joshi ’26 found himself standing atop a snowy ridge above 18,000 feet with frozen snot on his face. After purchasing his first mirrorless camera, taking one of the most dangerous flights in the world, and hiking for twelve days across some of the most treacherous landscapes on the planet, he had finally arrived

Shiva Rajbhandari ’27 of Boise, Idaho, has been named a Truman Scholar in recognition of his exceptional leadership and dedication to a career in public service. The public policy and sociology double major received the honor alongside Faith Austin (UNC–Chapel Hill ’27), marking the first time since 2004 that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has had two Truman Scholars in the same y

Willow Taylor Chiang Yang ’25 of Burlingame, California, has received the Barry Scholarship to pursue a master’s in political research at the University of Oxford. She will begin her graduate studies this fall.Willow earned a bachelor’s with distinction in American political economy and a bachelor’s in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the third Barry Scholars