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Year in Review

2021–2022

From a new scholar class beginning its journey at Carolina to alumni connecting worldwide, Morehead-Cains joined together to create a memorable year.

Facts and Stats

A Look Back

Charting Paths

Identifying. Accelerating. Connecting.

A Message from the President

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Facts and Stats

563
alumni attended an in-person or virtual event
75 new scholars
Class of 2026 >

1,851 alumni made a gift to the Program between FY 2021 and 2022—an overall alumni giving participation rate of 55%

Give Today >
Williams-Daughtry
3
Rhodes Scholars
305
scholars in the Program
28 Phi Beta Kappa Inductees
Learn more >

Morehead-Cain Community Commitments

Morehead-Cain identifies, accelerates, and connects the most promising young leaders from all backgrounds. This year, we articulated a set of commitments that will drive our continued growth as a community of exemplary leaders with a broad range of backgrounds, interests and perspectives. We seek to continuously improve in:

A Look Back

2021–2022 was an extraordinary year of transition post-pandemic. Scholars fully returned to campus, in-person alumni events resumed, and we (twice) rushed Franklin Street!

July 15
Alumni Meet-Up in Nashville, Tennessee
Hosted by Carolyn Griffin Hall ’85 and Sagar Shukla ’15.
July 21
Alumni Meet-Up in Denver, Colorado
2021.07.15 Alumni Meet-Up_Nashville, TN
2021.07.21 Alumni Meet-Up_Denver, CO
August 18
Fall Check Day
2021.08.18 Fall Check Day
September 8
All-Scholar Kickoff
September 13
Class of 1998 Zoom Reunion
September 17
1950s and 1960s Q&A with Chris
In this Q&A conversation held exclusively for Morehead-Cain Alumni who graduated in the 1950s and 1960s, Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford discussed his new role at the Foundation and answered questions from event attendees. The discussion was moderated by Tim Burnett ’62.
September 23
Alumni Speaker Series: Jerry Blackwell ’84
Jerry W. Blackwell ’84 is the founding partner, CEO, and chairman of Blackwell Burke P.A. He serves as national and trial counsel for several major corporations, having represented them in federal and state courts in 47 states and internationally. On December 7, 2022, he was appointed as district court judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.
September 23
Climate Affinity Group Meeting
The Morehead-Cain Climate Group (MCG) is a forum for alumni and scholars committed to addressing climate change in their professional and personal lives. The MCG offers networking opportunities, career and internship ideas, calls for collective action, features about scholars and alumni engaged in climate work, live events, and other information about climate-related topics customized to the Morehead-Cain community, such as original writings by scholars and alumni.
September 24
1970s Q&A with Chris
In this Q&A conversation held exclusively for Morehead-Cain Alumni who graduated in the 1970s, Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford discussed his new role at the Foundation and answered questions from event attendees. The discussion was moderated by Joan Templeton Perry ’79.
September 27
Black Alumni and Scholar Affinity Group Meeting
October 1
1980s Q&A with Chris
In this Q&A conversation held exclusively for Morehead-Cain Alumni who graduated in the 1980s, Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford discussed his new role at the Foundation and answered questions from event attendees. The discussion was moderated by Pablo Caceres ’89.
October 8
1990s Q&A with Chris
In this Q&A conversation held exclusively for Morehead-Cain Alumni who graduated in the 1990s, Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford discussed his new role at the Foundation and answered questions from event attendees. The discussion was moderated by Shana Fulton ’98.
October 8
Class of 2020 Senior Dinner
Tai Huynh ’20 delivered the keynote speech for the gathering of Morehead-Cain Alumni.
October 15
2000s Q&A with Chris
In this Q&A conversation held exclusively for Morehead-Cain Alumni who graduated in the 2000s, Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford discussed his new role at the Foundation and answered questions from event attendees. The discussion was moderated by Amit Gupta ’08.
October 22
2010s, 2020 and 2021 Q&A with Chris
In this Q&A conversation held exclusively for Morehead-Cain Alumni who graduated in the 2010s, 2020, and 2021, Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford discussed his new role at the Foundation and answered questions from event attendees. The discussion was moderated by Ray Sawyer ’13.
October 28
Fall Banquet
Praveena Somasundaram ’22, editor-in-chief of the Daily Tar Heel, delivers the keynote speech at the 2021 Morehead-Cain Fall Banquet.
November 15
Mini Forum Welcome & Alumni Testimonials
The 2021 Morehead-Cain Alumni (Mini) Forum kicked off on November 15, 2021, with a look back over the 75-year history of the Morehead-Cain Foundation. Vice President Megan Mazzocchi drew upon archival materials and her long tenure at the Foundation to share the major historical highlights of the Program. Guest speakers: Tim Burnett ’62, Rachel Mazyck Pfeifer ’02, and Naimul Huq ’08.
November 16
Mini Forum Panel Discussion
Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford, along with three alumni who have spent their careers in higher education, dove into the challenges and opportunities facing universities after the pandemic. Guest speakers: Robyn Hadley ’85, Rafael Martin ’91, and Patrick Methvin ’01.
November 17
Mini Forum SEVEN Talk with Amir Barzin ’06
Amir Barzin ’06 spoke about the role of primary care in the time of a pandemic and the support structures needed to stay sane during that time.
November 18
Mini Forum Cooking Demo and Wine Tasting
Hosted by Kevin Callaghan ’89.
November 19
Day of Giving
November 19
Mini Forum Q&A on the Morehead-Cain Program
For the final Morehead-Cain Alumni (Mini) Forum event, the Foundation hosted a Q&A session with members of the staff, trustees, and Morehead-Cain Scholarship Fund Board. Guest speakers: David Wright ’80, Jennifer Halsey Evans ’94, Brian Strong ’00, and Madhu Vulimiri ’14.
December 1
Last Day of Classes (LDOC) Holiday Party
December 31
In Memoriam: Mary Cain
Morehead-Cain remembers Mary H. Cain (1925–2021), philanthropist and Foundation benefactor. Read more >
2021.12.01 LDOC Holiday Party
January 10
Spring Check Day
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February 2
The Road Back to Chapel Hill: Rebuilding from the Middle
During this talk, Patrice McGloin ’23 shared what it means to create social change while also trying to restore your community. She also spoke about what it looks like to learn the humbling lesson that your initial goals for an organization have shifted as a result of forces you can’t control, and how to roll with the punches.
February 9
The Road Back to Chapel Hill: Championing the Journey
In the summer of 2019, a group of UNC students formed the Asian American Center Campaign Team with the mission of realizing an Asian American Center on campus. Just nine months later, the AAC was approved by the Board of Trustees—the quickest approval of an official center in UNC history. Ray Palma ’23, Selina Shi ’23, and Brandon Torng ’24 spoke about the journey to the center’s opening and its impact since.
February 9
Failure Forum
Alumni speakers Tom Morris ’74, Brad Ives ’86, and Amir Barzin ’06, and student speakers Sonam Shah ’22 and Takhona Hlatshwako ’22.
February 12–13
Final Selection Experience
Jim Tanner ’90, president of Tandem Sports + Entertainment, delivered the keynote address for the 2022 Morehead-Cain Final Selection Experience.
February 16
The Road Back to Chapel Hill: Courage Over Comfort
Guest speakers: Charlotte Dorn ’22, Frances Reed ’22, and Joe Benson ’23.
February 23
The Road Back to Chapel Hill: Weeping No More: Black Women’s Battles for Civil War Pensions in the Post-Emancipation South
Guest speaker: Dr. Brandi C. Brimmer, Morehead-Cain Alumni Associate Professor in African, African American, and Diaspora Studies.
March 2
The Road Back to Chapel Hill: Teaching Big Questions: IDEAs in Action Curriculum
At this Zoom event, UNC professors from the sciences and the humanities shared about a new course, “Humans and the Cosmos,” that they team-taught last semester. The course was a pilot for part of the new College curriculum, which will bring classes like this to all UNC first-year students starting fall 2022. Guest speakers: Dr. Molly Worthen, Dr. Joaquin Drut, Dr. Gabriel Trop, and Pratyush Seshadri ’25.
March 5–8
Discovery Weekend
The first-ever Discovery Weekend was held in Chapel Hill for recipients. The keynote address for the Discovery Weekend banquet was delivered by Madhu Vulimiri ’14, deputy director for the Division of Child and Family Well-Being at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper ’79 gave introductory remarks, as well as Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford and Morehead-Cain Board of Trustees Chair David Wright ’80.
March 9
The Road Back to Chapel Hill: University Governance 101
One of the overarching themes of scholar and alumni questions lately has been governance at Carolina. So we invited Mark Merritt ’79, former vice chancellor and general counsel at UNC–Chapel Hill, to provide a brief introduction to the University’s governance structure. Joining Mark for the Q&A portion of the event was Barbara Rosser Hyde ’83, former member of the UNC Board of Trustees, and Ray Palma ’23, president of the UNC Association of Student Governments and the student member of the UNC Board of Governors.
March 23
Alumni Speaker Series: Thomas Sayre ’73
At this event, sculptor and painter Thomas Sayre ’73 shared with scholars the methods he used to create the artwork displayed in the Scholar Lounge and the inspiration behind them.
March 25
Distinguished Scholarships for Young Alumni: A Virtual Info Session
This Zoom event was led by Chrisy Hayden, program assistant for the Office of Distinguished Scholarships (ODS).
April 21
Class of 2022 Senior Dinner
April 26
Morehead-Cain Introduces the Class of 2026
The 75 new Morehead-Cain Scholars join a community of more than 3,300 Morehead-Alumni across the world. Read more >
April 27
Last Day of Classes (LDOC) Ice Cream Social
2022.04.27 Class of 2022 Senior Dinner
Class of 2025_banner image v2
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May 9
Family Open House (Commencement)
May 9–13
Civic Collaboration Training with Entrepreneurs by Design
May 19
New York City Alumni Regional Event
Hosted by Sallie Krawcheck ’87.
2022.05.09 Family Open House
2022.05.09-13 Civic Collaboration Training with Entrepreneurs by Design, First-Year Retreat
2022.05.19 Regional gathering (Sallie Krawcheck ’87, New York City)
June 12
Young Alumni Info Session with LK Pryzant ’14
June 16
Charlotte Alumni Regional Event
Hosted by Frank Dowd ’78
June 22
Atlanta Alumni Regional Event
Hosted by Keith Cowan ’78 and Mike Egan ’78
2022.06.12 Young Alumni Info Session_Young Alumni Info Session
2022.06.16 Regional gathering _Charlotte, NC
2022-Atlanta-Regional-Event
“It goes without saying that the Morehead-Cain Scholarship offers world-class opportunities that are nearly impossible to find anywhere else. But beyond the scholarship, the network, and the summer experiences, what truly makes this Program special is the people.”
  • Laurelle Maubert
  • Class of 2025

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