Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton has made it a priority to meet with Golden LEAF Scholars at their college or university to help connect them with the mission of and opportunities provided by Golden LEAF, the leadership of the institution they are attending, alumni, and their fellow scholars.
This spring, the Golden LEAF Board and staff attended events honoring scholars at East Carolina University, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina Wesleyan University.
Although each college visit is unique, Golden LEAF Scholars are all given the opportunity to learn more about the Golden LEAF Foundation, the Golden LEAF Scholarship Program, and other opportunities available only to Golden LEAF Scholars.
“At each visit, we hear compelling stories of what the Golden LEAF Scholarship has meant to the recipients,” said Hamilton. “Each student we hear from has mentioned the scholarship as being a critical factor for them to attend a four-year college or university. Many are first-generation students. The goal is to have our scholars come back to live and work in rural North Carolina communities. We know that with each Golden LEAF Scholarship, we have a success story to tell.”
ECU was the first institution to host an event dedicated to celebrating Golden LEAF Scholars. On April 2nd, East Carolina University held its 10th anniversary of celebrating Golden LEAF Scholars.
The Golden LEAF Scholars reception was hosted by Chancellor Philip Rogers and members of the ECU leadership. Golden LEAF Board and staff attended the event with approximately 40 of the 70 East Carolina University Golden LEAF Scholars. ECU also has the most Golden LEAF Scholar alumni, 288.
Brent Humann, a freshman from Richmond County, spoke at the ECU reception. He is majoring in Political Science and Economics.
“After graduation, I plan to earn a Master of Economics degree,” said Humann. “I will plan to work for rural communities by supporting legislation. I then plan to attend law school and practice law in my home county.”
This summer he will participate in the Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative in his home county at the Richmond County District Courts.
The Rural Internship Initiative provides eligible Golden LEAF Scholars with professional work experience related to their career field in a rural North Carolina community. Golden LEAF provides funding to pay intern participants for up to 400 hours of work.
ECU senior Sarah Nasser of Robeson County attended the reception and is majoring in Speech and Hearing Sciences. She is planning to become a licensed speech-language pathologist after attending graduate school and completing a clinical fellowship year. Nasser also participated in the Rural Internship Initiative.
“My favorite part of the Rural Internship Initiative was observing the patients’ progress,” said Nasser. “Over the course of a few months, I was able to see patients strengthen their articulation skills and begin to feel more confident in their speech. This reaffirmed how rewarding this field is.”
Several Golden LEAF Scholar Alumni, who are living and working in rural North Carolina, attended the 10th Anniversary celebration.
Dr. Tristan Hunter, class of 2018, studied Middle Grades Education at ECU. He continued his education earning a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration, while working as a teacher, instructional coach and director of curriculum.
“I work with rural communities by supporting school leaders as they analyze and interpret all forms of student data to drive instructional improvements,” said Dr. Hunter. “Many rural schools struggle with access to high-quality data analysis, and my role ensures that teachers and administrators have actionable insights to improve student outcomes. I appreciate the Golden LEAF Foundation for the continuous commitment to not only developing the talent found in rural areas, but also ensuring that talent comes back to the community and continues the initial investment.”
To learn more about the Golden LEAF Scholarship Program, visit Scholars.GoldenLEAF.org.