ESD Student Receives Highly Competitive Morehead-Cain Scholarship
May 5, 2025
Among ESD’s athletics, arts, and academics, there are many student accomplishments as well, and we are excited to congratulate Lauren Shushi ‘25 for receiving the Morehead-Cain Scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill! The Morehead-Cain Scholarship is a merit-based, full-ride scholarship that requires prospective students to submit an application, letter of recommendation, and several video interviews.
Out of thousands of applicants worldwide, only 90 students were chosen this year, and Lauren is one of just 45 students selected from outside North Carolina. The Morehead-Cain covers tuition, housing, and books, but more importantly, it provides four fully-funded summer enrichment experiences, including outdoor leadership, civic engagement, global exploration, and professional development.
“It felt like such a long shot in the beginning,” Lauren shared. “The process was intense—there was a written application, recommendation letters, a video interview with a fast turnaround… I had to take it step by step, or I would’ve fallen apart.”
Despite the stress, she describes the experience as “long but rewarding” and shared that having support from her family and community made all the difference. Ms. Bonnie McCown, Associate Director of College Guidance, helped Lauren with the application process in brainstorm sessions and by monitoring deadlines and essential updates.
Ms. McCown attributes Lauren’s success to being authentic and grounded in her experiences. “She didn’t need much help from me—she had great examples that really showed her personality and leadership. During her internship, she ate lunch with the president of the company after starting a casual conversation in the conference room, and I think it just shows that as a leader, she’s not afraid to take bold, appropriate risks.”
When Lauren saw the email that said, “Congratulations,” she jumped out of her chair, screaming with excitement. She described the moment as emotional, but even more so because she could share it with both of her parents. Now that the news has sunk in, Lauren says she feels a deep sense of gratitude. “This scholarship means I get to pay it forward. Both of my parents are immigrants and worked hard to give me these opportunities, and this is a way to honor their sacrifices.”
Lauren’s advice to future applicants? “Be yourself. Let what you love come through. That’s what people connect with. There’s always going to be some part of the process that’s out of your control, but if you follow what you love, the leadership and opportunities will come.”
We are incredibly proud of Lauren and can’t wait to see how she shines at UNC and beyond.
For more information about the Morehead-Cain Scholarship, see UNC's official scholarship press release below:
