N.C. A&T Announces 2020 Cheatham-White Scholars Cohort

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (May 6, 2020) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has announced its newest cohort of Cheatham-White Scholarship recipients, who are among the highest-achieving students expected to enroll this fall as members of the class of 2024.

The 20 academically talented incoming freshmen boast an average cumulative GPA of 4.41, a score of 1,371 on the SAT and a 31 on the ACT. On average, these scholars rank in the top 5 to 10 percent of their graduating high school classes. Fifteen hail from North Carolina, with the others coming from Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan and Mississippi. They will represent six of the university’s academic colleges: the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics, College of Engineering, College of Health and Human Sciences, and College of Science and Technology.

“Cheatham-White Scholars are some of the nation’s best and brightest students,” said Margaret I. Kanipes, Ph.D., North Carolina A&T Honors Program director. “We are honored that they have chosen to pursue their education at our storied university and continue the tradition of excellence that is at the heart of what Aggies do.”

“We are excited to have this third outstanding group of Cheatham-White Scholars join our Aggie family,” said Beryl McEwen, Ph.D., North Carolina A&T provost and executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “We are confident each student will utilize the resources and opportunities available to them through our university to meet and exceed the expectations that they and all who support them have for their personal and professional success.”

The Cheatham-White Scholarship, established in 2018, is named for Henry P. Cheatham and George H. White, two African Americans who represented North Carolina in the United States Congress around the turn of the 20th century. From difficult beginnings – Cheatham was born enslaved, and White, the son of a mother whom historians say was also likely enslaved – each worked hard to earn a university education before launching careers in teaching, law and ultimately public service.

The scholarship is a fully funded four-year award that covers the costs of tuition, student fees, housing, meals, textbooks, a laptop computer, supplies, travel and personal expenses. It also provides four summers of fully funded enrichment and networking opportunities that may include international travel and study. It is a truly complete award designed to recognize academic achievement and potential at the highest levels.

This year’s scholars are listed below in alphabetical order:

• Jasmine Amaniampong, daughter of Melody Ofori, is from Concord, North Carolina. She will graduate from Cox Mill High School and plans to major in social work with a minor in political science. Her ultimate career goal is to obtain her Juris Doctor to become a public interest lawyer.
• Alaina Brock, daughter of Clayton and Dorothea Brock, is from Raleigh, North Carolina. She will graduate from Enloe Magnet High School and plans to major in food and nutritional science with a minor in dance. Her ultimate career goal is to work for a major corporation to help direct new product development to improve the flavor, global distribution, nutritional value and much more of food products.
• Maisie Brown, daughter of Bobby Brown and Melanie Paige, is from Jackson, Mississippi. She will graduate from Murrah High School and plans to major in history (secondary education). Her ultimate career goal is to return to the deep south in hopes of becoming a high school humanities teacher to develop and mold the minds of young people.
• Teco Bynum, the son of Tico and Angela Bynum, is from Charlotte, North Carolina. He will graduate from Sugar Creek Charter School and plans to major in computer engineering with a minor in African American and African history. His ultimate professional goal is to establish a computer engineering career endowed with excellence and mentorship to then share his experiences with others so they may surpass his goals and achievements.
• Chrystal Davis, daughter of Christopher and Faith Davis, is from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She will graduate from Atkins High School and plans to major in biology with a minor in Spanish. Her ultimate career goal is to go to medical school and pursue a career in oncology.
• Taylor Davis, daughter of Neal and Tonia Davis, is from Alpharetta, Georgia. She will graduate from Denmark High School and plans to major in mathematics. Her ultimate career goal is to work for the Food and Drug Administration to address discrepancies in representation in clinical trials.
• Kaila Dawkins, daughter of Delroy and Ingrid Dawkins, is from Charlotte, North Carolina. She will graduate from Providence Day School and plans to major in industrial and systems engineering. Her ultimate career goal is to pursue a career in the technology or athletic apparel industries.
• Chloe Emehel, daughter of Terry Emehel and Jenise Wooten, is from Charlotte, North Carolina. She will graduate from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and plans to major in biology with a minor in psychology. Her ultimate professional goal is to have a career she genuinely enjoys that also allows her to see her impact on the lives of others.
• George Franks, son of George Dewey and Rhea Franks, is from Durham, North Carolina. He will graduate from Durham School of the Arts and plans to major in psychology. His ultimate career goal is to become a clinical psychologist, specializing in helping teens and young adults.
• Christian Garcia, son of Raul and Zoila Garcia, is from Burlington, North Carolina. He will graduate from Alamance-Burlington Early College and plans to major in mechanical engineering with a minor in aerospace studies. His ultimate career goal is to work as an aerospace engineer for SpaceX or Boeing and assist with making an impact on the aerospace industry.
• Ellington King, son of Charles and Angela King, is from Detroit. He will graduate from Renaissance High School and plans to major in finance with a minor in political science. His ultimate career goal is to attend law school and obtain an MBA.
• Sharla Kirkpatrick, daughter of Shedrick and Tommyette Kirkpatrick, is from Charlotte, North Carolina. She will graduate from Concord High School and plans to major in sociology. Her ultimate career goal is to attend graduate school and then go on to medical school to eventually become a physician.
• Jalen Matthews, son of Ariscia Matthews, is from Kernersville, North Carolina. He will graduate from Atkins High School and plans to major in bioengineering. His ultimate professional goal is to obtain a career in the biotechnology industry to solve some of the world’s greatest problems.
• Diara Meadows, daughter of Deago and Karen Meadows, is from Charlotte, North Carolina. She will graduate from Cato Middle College High School and plans to major in accounting with a minor in pre-law. Her ultimate career goal is to work with the federal government as a forensic accountant to help investigate and find those who have tried to undermine the law.
• Maya Odom, daughter of Martin and Nicole Odom, is from Crofton, Maryland. She will graduate from Arundel High School and plans to major in computer engineering. Her ultimate career goal is to become an engineer who works to create and innovate technology to help the most impoverished parts of the world.
• Daequan Peele, son of Decarlo and Chinwe Peele, is from Charlotte, North Carolina. He will graduate from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and plans to major in computer science with a minor in engineering. His ultimate career goal is to use his knowledge to improve his community via software design while pursuing various passion projects, such as his developing podcast.
• Laila Rahman-Latta, daughter of Reginald Latta and Ruquiyah Rahman, is from Chicago. She will graduate from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School and plans to major in graphic communication systems with a minor in Spanish. Her ultimate career goal is to become an animation director for Pixar or Laika.
• Kailyn Sellers, daughter of Eugene Sellers and Kathy Miller, is from Charlotte, North Carolina. She will graduate from Olympic High School and plans to major in biology with a minor in Spanish. Her ultimate career goal is to become a pediatrician and open her own practice to specialize in pulmonary ailments.
• Royce Watson, son of Roy and Andrea Watson, is from Apex, North Carolina. He will graduate from Apex Friendship High School and plans to major in architectural engineering. His ultimate career goal is to work as an architectural engineer and then obtain an MBA.
• Alicia Yodlowsky, daughter of William and Atiya Bigby-Yodlowsky, is from Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. Upon graduation, she plans to major in agricultural and environmental systems. Her ultimate career goal is to conduct research in the fields of plant science and environmental science.