Mount Kelly sixth former, Sophie, has been awarded a four-year, fully funded Morehead-Cain Scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. One of only three successful UK applicants, this prestigious award is designed to support undergraduates to make a significant difference to the world.
A Morehead-Cain Scholarship is among the most coveted undergraduate educational opportunities worldwide. Around 2,000 nominees apply every year, with several rounds of interviews and activities to determine final selection, and only 3% of candidates are granted a place. Awarded to exceptional students only, it is reputedly harder to secure a Morehead-Cain Scholarship than a place at Oxford or Cambridge University, considered two of the best universities in the world.
Sophie, from Oakhampton, Devon, has been a pupil at Mount Kelly, Tavistock, Devon since September 2022 and is studying for A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics. She is currently Head Girl, enjoys hockey, track and cross-country and plays guitar in her spare time.
“Mount Kelly’s Head Master, Guy Ayling, put me forward for the scholarship last year,” said Sophie. “It was a long and thorough application process. I had to write essays, travel to London, and answer questions via a series of online automated emails. I then attended an online selection weekend, a week-long online process of group interviews, talks and activities. But I am very excited to have succeeded and been given this once in a lifetime opportunity – four years fully funded, plus a funded gap year opportunity.”
“Sophie’s Morehead-Cain Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship for pupils who are graduating this summer and we are thrilled for her,” said Guy Ayling. “She will have the opportunity to explore so much more than tuition; it is an opportunity that will set her huge potential free. We are absolutely delighted for Sophie; she is overjoyed and I know she will make everyone proud.”
Sophie is travelling to the University of North Carolina in March for a discovery weekend, to meet current scholars and discover more about the programme and university life.
Sophie is following in the footsteps of professional basketball player Michael Jordan; Alan Murray, Editor of Fortune Magazine; Keith Bradsher, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times’ Shanghai Bureau Chief; Ann Livermore, former Director of Hewlett Packard; Ned Sharpless, Director of the National Cancer Institute; Galahad Clark, Founder of Vivobarefoot and Tim Sullivan, Chair of ancestry.com.
