Charlotteans earn Morehead-Cain sophomore scholarship 

KENNY OGBATA

Charlotte Latin School graduate Kenny Ogbata is one of two Black UNC Chapel Hill sophomores to earn Morehead-Cain scholarships.

As rollbacks on affirmative action and diversity in higher education continues, Black students from Charlotte are achieving at one of North Carolina’s top schools. 

UNC Chapel Hill sophomores Kenny Ogbata and Kevin Noble Jr. were selected as Morehead-Cain Scholars last month. They are a part of a class of 20 students selected for the scholarship, which is widely regarded as the first merit-based scholarship program established in the United States. It covers four years of undergraduate tuition, books, room, board, and semester stipends. 

“This scholarship is the achievement I am most proud of. To me, this scholarship represents the hours of studying, collaborating, working and brainstorming I have put in up to this point,” Ogbata said. “My parents have always valued education and instilled in me the courage and discipline to pursue my passions. I believe the Morehead-Cain scholarship is not just an individual milestone, but a reflection of the support from my family, mentors, and educators.” 

Ogbata, a graduate of Charlotte Latin School, and Noble, a graduate of Mallard Creek High School, demonstrated leadership on campus that earned recognition from their peers and campus staff who nominated them for the competitive bursary. 

Ogbata is set to lean into the experience while studying lymphatic vessel regulation in intestinal inflammation under Dr. Kathleen Caron and volunteering at UNC Hospitals. The teachers who mentored and guided him through school in Charlotte say the honor is no surprise for a student of his caliber. 

“Kenny is an extraordinary young man who left a lasting mark on our campus with his intellectual curiosity, integrity and warmth,” said Chuck Baldecchi, head of school at Charlotte Latin. “The Morehead-Cain Scholarship recognizes leaders who elevate the communities around them, and anyone who spent time with Kenny at Charlotte Latin knows how well he fits that definition. We saw him come of age in a Latin environment designed to challenge, encourage, and prepare students for moments just like this — but ultimately, his success is a testament to his relentless drive.”

Ogbata is community service director for the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students and a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Honor Society. Noble works as a Teach For America Ignite Fellow, tutoring third grade students in phonics and reading comprehension.

On campus, he is a founding member of Carolina College Immersion Initiative, which focuses on developing student-centered tours and highlighting resources for first-generation and low-income students.

“I want to thank the Morehead-Cain Foundation's selection committee for their time and consideration, and for recognizing my commitment to public service, educational equity, and contributing to the well-being of communities both within and beyond Carolina. I am beyond excited to be a part of such an amazing community…” Noble wrote in a recent post on LinkedIn. 

“As I look ahead to the rest of the academic year, I am excited to continue growing as a student, leader, and advocate for educational equity and public service. I am incredibly grateful to the mentors, colleagues, and communities that have supported me along the way, and I look forward to building on these experiences, embracing new opportunities, and continuing to learn how I can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others,” he later added.

Noble and Ogbata’s class of Morehead-Cain Sophomore Scholars includes three Black men. No Black women were awarded a scholarship.  

UNC’s enrollment of Black students has fallen since the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that determined race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and UNC violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, ending nearly 50 years of legal precedent that allowed colleges and universities to consider race as a factor in admissions.

Data from UNC shows Black student enrollment accounts for nearly 8% of the student body – a 23% decline. 

However, the school and past Morehead-Cain Scholars have laid the groundwork to recognize the experience and tenacity of Black students. In 2024, the Morehead-Cain Foundation celebrated 50 years of Black alumni, gathering nearly 100 Black alumni, current scholars and guests for a reunion weekend at UNC Chapel Hill. 

Members of the school community spoke to the testament of Harvey Kennedy, who became the program’s first Black graduate in 1974, and Karen Stevenson became the first Black woman to receive the scholarship in 1975. UNC honored both Kennedy and Stevenson with campus portraits last year.

“Black Morehead-Cains are part of the collective, and the full story of the foundation is incomplete until our story is told, too,” Ray Sawyer, director of community health partnerships at Well in Chapel Hill and a 2013 Morehead-Cain Scholar graduate said in an interview with the foundation. “In the time since Harvey’s graduation, Black scholars and alumni have made irreplaceable contributions to Morehead-Cain, UNC–Chapel Hill, our state, and the world.”

Stevenson, who went on to become the first woman from UNC and the first Black woman in the country to receive the Rhodes Scholarship, said the Morehead-Cain Scholarship taught her not to be defined by race or gender. 

“One the great blessings of having been awarded the Morehead-Cain Scholarship was that I felt a great deal of freedom to pursue the things that engaged me intellectually and to not fit in any particular box,” she said. “No one else can tell you what your path should be.”

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