For immediate use
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Campus Y selects 2016-2017 Global Gap Year Fellows
(Chapel Hill, N.C. – May 5, 2016) – The Campus Y at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has selected its 2016-2017 cohort of Global Gap Year Fellowship recipients. The fellowship provides financial support for six incoming first-year students who are admitted for fall 2016 under early action and choose to defer enrollment for one year to gain informal, global education that combines service and international travel.
Launched in 2011, the Gobal Gap Year Fellowship was made possible by an anonymous gift of $1.5 million to the Campus Y and supports students who would not otherwise be able to fund their service work. The Campus Y works with UNC-Chapel Hill’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Center for Global Initiatives to select a diverse group of students who will spend a minimum of six months enhancing their leadership skills, developing respect for a diversity of cultures and gaining an understanding of what it means to be a global citizen.
Awarded on a competitive basis, the fellowship provides up to $7,500 for each recipient to use toward travel, living expenses and other associated costs. Recipients are listed below, alphabetically by North Carolina county.
Mecklenburg County
Klaus Mayr of Charlotte will graduate from Myers Park High School where he has been editor-in-chief of the Myers Park Hoofprint and co-president of the MUSTANG project, a group that works to bring awareness to the community about sustainability and healthy living. Mayr also founded and managed Eastcrest Community Garden, a self-sustaining garden that provides a food source to low income families in Charlotte.
Mitchell County
MaryBeth Thomas of Bakersville will graduate from Mitchell High School where she has lettered in volleyball, basketball and softball. She has also been a member of the Dramatic Arts Club and the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, where she discusses problems facing students in the justice system. During high school, Thomas participated in Project PROMISE, a
semester-long internship program that aims to increase healthcare availability in rural areas. She also attended Governor’s School NC East as a Visual Arts student during her junior year.
Orange County
Sophie Nachman of Chapel Hill will graduate from Woods Charter School where she co-edits the annual literary magazine and participates in weekly writing workshops. A violinist, she has held leadership roles in the Greensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra and participates in a music team providing musical accompaniment for Sunday services at a local church. Nachman has planned community concerts to raise money for a variety of support funds and advocacy groups. She enjoys writing and experiencing nature in her spare time.
Thilini Weerakkody of Carrboro will graduate from Chapel Hill High School where she has been an active member of her school’s Model United Nations, president of the Stop Hunger Now club and a team member of the Science Olympiad. Weerakkody was born in Sri Lanka and lived in Sweden for seven years. She is passionate about advocating for others and helping them to find their place in the world.
Pender County
Lauren Jurgensen of Rocky Point will graduate from Heide Trask Senior High School where she has been actively involved in her school’s band program; served as the committee chairperson with the Youth Activation Council, which works with special needs students in North Carolina; and been a member of the National Honors Society. Jurgensen loves to debate with her peers and values active involvement in politics.
Wake County
Anna Bennett of Raleigh will graduate from Garner Magnet High School where she has served as the theater choreographer and dance director for her school’s theater department. Bennett has also worked with the Appalachian Service Project to help repair homes, and she has served as the treasurer for NC State Grange, a leadership and community service program. In her spare time, she loves to dance and is passionate about serving others.
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About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, is a global higher education leader known for innovative teaching, research and public service. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Carolina regularly ranks as the best value for academic quality in U.S. public higher education. Now in its third century, the University offers 77 bachelor’s, 113 master’s, 68 doctorate and seven professional degree programs through 14 schools and the College of Arts and Sciences. Every day, faculty – including two Nobel laureates – staff and students shape their teaching, research and public service to meet North Carolina’s most pressing needs in every region and all 100 counties. Carolina’s more than 308,000 alumni live in all 50 states and 150 countries. More than 167,000 live in North Carolina.
Campus Y contact: Tom Sowders, (919) 962-2333, tsowders@email.unc.edu
Communications and Public Affairs contact: MC VanGraafeiland, (919) 962-7090, mc.vangraafeiland@unc.edu