Hi friends!
Spring has sprung in beautiful Chapel Hill, and the scholarship continues to blossom like the azaleas near the Old Well. I am extremely excited to announce that Elizabeth Davis will be taking over as the next Executive Director of the scholarship! Elizabeth has the perfect combination of passion, focus and experience (as our previous Director of Scholars Programs) to propel the scholarship forward over the next year.
Before Elizabeth officially takes over, though, we still have a few upcoming events that the current Executive Committee has been working toward for the past few months. First, The Carolina Way Day of Service will bring students together on the quad to listen to music and celebrate all of the service done by UNC groups in the month of March. And on April 28, we will hold our second annual Eve Carson Scholarship Golf Tournament. For more information on becoming involved in any of these events, email evecarsonscholarship@gmail.com.
As excited as we are about spring events, the coming of March is always a time of reflection for the scholarship. I can’t believe it’s been five years since the death of Eve Carson shook this Southern Part of Heaven. I cannot speak for those who knew her, and my thoughts and prayers are with them today and always. However, being from Chapel Hill and being involved with Eve’s scholarship, I have watched the University and the town heal and grow in the face of tragedy, and feel it is my duty—nay, my pleasure—to share what I’ve learned in the past five years.
First and foremost, I’ve learned about passion. When asked, “Why do you do what you do?” Eve responded “I want any excuse to work with my classmates and help them do what they want to do… because that’s what I want to do.” She was passionate about providing opportunities for other students to get involved, give back, and share their passion. The ideals of the scholarship which now bears her name were born from this passion, this love for people, this never ending desire to see each UNC student pursue their own unique Carolina Way, all bound by a simple creed: “excellence with a heart.” This ability to see every one’s potential to change the world has changed my world, giving me a new perspective on the capabilities of myself and those around me.
Lofty ideals aside, I’ve learned that Eve was human. She was a terrifying driver, an overachiever, and an occasional “borrower” of her roommates’ ice cream. She took every opportunity to dance, even in unconventional places like the Student Government suite. She embraced these qualities in herself and in everyone else, and encouraged others to do the same. So though you may not have known her, remember her by exploring your passions, embracing your humanness, and following your own Carolina Way. Be your best self today, for Eve. For all of us.
Every Moment Counts,
Kacie Neville
