Te Vazquez, a senior at Southern Alamance High School, was nominated for the prestigious award by her school, Southern Alamance High School.聽After submitting an official application, Te Vazquez was selected as a semifinalist and endured two additional rounds of interviewing before being selected as a finalist.

The Morehead-Cain Scholarship was established in 1945 and is modeled after the Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University.聽 Recipients receive full funding to cover the total cost of attendance for four years.聽Additionally, each summer of their collegiate careers recipients participate in a summer enrichment program designed to help scholars travel the world and learn how they can make global change.

In the summer before the first year, scholars participate in an Outdoor Leadership Experience聽designed to challenge students to step outside out of their comfort zones and push themselves mentally, physically, and emotionally.聽 In the summer of 2018, Te Vazquez will spend three weeks canoeing and backpacking in Minnesota鈥檚 Lake Superior and North Woods.

In subsequent summers, Te Vazquez will participate in programs aimed at public service, inquiry and exploration, and private enterprise.聽 Other benefits of the scholarship include monies to fund educational opportunities, alumni speaker series, and access to a network of more than 3,000 Morehead-Cain alumni.

鈥淓lon Academy continuously pushed me out of my comfort zone, taught me to be a leader, and prepared me for the challenges I would face,鈥� said Te Vazquez.聽 鈥淭hey are always there to support me by helping me prepare for interviews as well as just being there for moral support. I am so thankful to the Elon Academy because I know I could not have gotten the Morehead-Cain without them. The program shaped who I am today and I鈥檓 so proud to call myself an Elon Academy Scholar.鈥�

In addition to her acceptance into UNC-Chapel Hill, Te Vazquez has also been accepted to East Carolina University, UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Greensboro, Appalachian State University, N.C.聽State University聽and Wake Forest University.聽She has earned admission into several university honors programs and was awarded the Goodnight STEM Scholarship at N.C. State University.

If you are motivated and passionate leader in good standing at Elon, please visit for more program information.  Check the “Employment Opportunities” tab for the New Mentor Application, which is due by Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m.  You can email your application to Jenni Johnson or submit it to her in Mooney 302C.

Please contact Jenni Johnson, Elon Academy Assistant Director, with questions and your completed application at jjohnson84@elon.edu.  We look forward to hearing from you!