Recently, the family of UNC alumnus William R. Soles gave $600,000 to the Carolina Scholars Program to create the W. Rodger Soles Carolina Scholars Fund for incoming UNC freshmen.
Soles retired from Jefferson-Pilot, where he served as the company's chairman and chief executive officer. His son William Soles and daughter M. Janette Soles made the contribution to honor their father.
The Soles family requested that the scholarship give preference to students from Whiteville High School, where Soles graduated as a valedictorian at age 14.
"It speaks highly of alums and friends that they are willing to support scholarship," said Caroline Squires, director of stewardship for UNC.
She also said these types of large family donations do not happen very often.
Four scholarships will be given out annually, and they will first be awarded to qualified students from Whiteville. If there are no qualified students, the University will broaden its search throughout the rest of Columbus County and then to other students in eastern North Carolina.
The Carolina Scholars Awards, the program though which Soles' fund was established, was created in 1995. Its stated purpose is to identify academically talented freshmen, enrich their academic experiences and encourage their contributions to the intellectual life of the University.
The Soles Carolina Scholars Fund scholarships are comprehensive, providing at least $5,000 a year to in-state students and $10,000 a year to out-of-state students. This money covers tuition, fees, books and partial room and board.
On Sept. 13, the University held a luncheon to honor William Soles and to commemorate the fund. Justin Smith was at this luncheon as a student representative for Whiteville High School.
