Major Carson goal to gear up

A scholarship envisioned by Eve Carson while running for student body president has been established, and though details have yet to be hammered out, funds likely will come from the Eve Carson Memorial Fund.

The Junior Year Scholarship, which was part of Carson’s platform, will be a merit-based scholarship given to one rising junior, probably starting with this year’s freshman class.

“I think it’s the most important thing that was on Eve’s platform,” said junior Andy Woods, who helped Carson lay the foundations for the scholarship. “She was a true intellectual part of its creation.”

Woods hopes the scholarship will cover tuition and fees for both junior and senior years. The scholarship also would pay for a “summer experience” similar to the ones offered by the Morehead-Cain Scholarship.

Students applying for the scholarship must meet a minimum grade point average and cannot be recipients of the Morehead-Cain or Robertson scholarships.

But most of all, student must have shown newfound leadership and commitment to the community.

“It allows us opportunities to give recognition to students who have developed their portfolios on campus,” Chancellor James Moeser said.

Although the program has lofty goals, Woods said, the amount the scholarship ultimately ends up paying depends on how much money is raised for it.

That issue could be resolved with the money raised by the memorial fund. An announcement about the fund is expected at the Board of Trustees meeting today or Thursday.

At an open house session Tuesday, Moeser said it is likely that money from the fund will go to the scholarship. He added that Carson’s parents have agreed to that notion.

Depending on the amount of money raised, the program could expand to include more than one recipient and cover more costs.

“The plan is to start small and work big,” Woods said. “As the endowment grows, there will be more money, and we will be able to decide whether it would extend (the program).”

The scholarship is a change from UNC’s collection of merit-based scholarships in that it is going to be given by students to students.

“It’s a student-run, student-led initiative. That’s the key that makes it so unique,” Woods said, adding that the scholarship is the first based on merit for juniors at UNC.

To manage the program, Woods said a Cabinet position will be created, and Student Body President-elect J.J. Raynor is on board with that plan.

Although not all details are finalized, Woods said four students and three faculty most likely will make up a selection committee, with one of the students acting as chairman.

If things go according to plan, the first recipient of the scholarship will be from this year’s freshman class.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.