Introducing the sophomores in the Morehead-Cain Class of 2027

The Morehead-Cain Foundation has announced fifteen students enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will join the Morehead-Cain Class of 2027 through its Sophomore Selection process.

Morehead-Cain launched Sophomore Selection in fall 2023 to identify sophomores at UNC-Chapel Hill who have demonstrated exceptional scholarship, leadership, and character, and invite them to join the Morehead-Cain Program.

The process of selecting the class involves an extensive application review and participation in a Final Selection Experience assessed by members of the Morehead-Cain Central Selection Committee.

Sophomores are nominated by Morehead-Cain's network of campus partners, including professors, department heads, and teaching assistants, as well as staff of scholarship, service, extracurricular, and cultural programs. Community Colleges partner with the Offices of Undergraduate Admissions and Scholarships and Student Aid to assist transfer students who are eligible.

The scholars join a community of thinkers, leaders, creators, and adventurers at Carolina who are empowered to set their potential free. Scholars gain access to a network of peers and mentors, summer enrichment programming, advising, Lovelace Fund for Discovery, funded study abroad, and a living stipend.

Sophomore Selection provides a natural entry point into the Program for exceptional students who have made a positive impact in their first year on campus, according to Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford.

"UNC-Chapel Hill is a training ground for emerging leaders ready to address society's most complex challenges," Bradford said. "Sophomore Selection enables us to unlock and accelerate the potential of more outstanding students through Morehead-Cain's leadership development model and suite of transformative experiences."

Since its founding in 1945, the Morehead-Cain Program has been a model for countless merit scholarships throughout the United States. These include the University of Virginia's Jefferson Scholars Program, Duke University's Benjamin N. Duke Scholars Program, and Emory University's Woodruff Scholars Program.

High-resolution images of the Morehead-Cain Scholars can be downloaded here. A biography of each scholar is below.

Morehead-Cain Scholars

Suhan Asaigoli (Suhan) is studying neuroscience on the pre-med track at Carolina. Suhan is a researcher in the UNC Department of Radiology and the Joint Biomedical Engineering Department, where he develops computational innovations for translational medicine. He serves as an ambassador for the Office of Undergraduate Research and an undergraduate learning assistant in the Department of Chemistry. Suhan is also a vocalist and instrumentalist in the club UNC Bharat Sangeet, and he's a member of UNC Phi Delta Epsilon. Suhan was recognized as a Daily Points of Light Awards honoree for his work as the CEO of AIMCORP, a nonprofit dedicated to catalyzing meaningful change through social impact innovation. Suhan loves working on art projects, singing, learning new instruments, cooking, and playing sports. A graduate of William G. Enloe High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, Suhan is the son of Ranjani and Umesh Asaigoli of Morrisville, North Carolina.

Julia Michelle Ballou (Julia)is studying political science and public policy with a minor in English at Carolina. Julia serves as the lead legal blog editor for the Undergraduate Law Association at Carolina, contributing to contemporary legal discourse and educating students on complex legal issues. As secretary of the Peace, War, and Defense Student Association, she organizes meetings for over 200 students and connects them with international relations opportunities. Julia fosters discourse on global and domestic political issues through her involvement in the University's Global Studies Student Association, the UNC Institute of Politics, and the nonprofit Free the Facts. Julia is passionate about bridging gaps in healthcare and reducing the stigma surrounding menstruation through her work with Sensible. The startup produces a novel diagnostic menstrual pad that detects cervical cancer. Beyond her academic and extracurricular pursuits, Julia enjoys hiking, exploring scenic trails, reading mystery novels, and going for bike rides. A graduate of Atholton High School in Columbia, Maryland, Julia is the daughter of Christine and James Ballou.

Azavia Shannon Barsky-Elnour (Azavia)is studying history and religious studies with a concentration in ancient Abrahamic religions at Carolina. Azavia is an assistant editor of Traces: the UNC Journal of Historyand a member of the UNC History Department's Undergraduate Studies Committee. Azavia spent the summer of 2024 interning at the Boston College Innocence Program, addressing systemic inequalities that can result in wrongful convictions. She is continuing that work by creating an interactive digital timeline illustrating unjust imprisonment in the United States, from slavery to the present. Matt Andrews, a teaching professor and departmental advisor in the history department, is supervising the project. Azavia also works at a law firm in Durham, North Carolina, assisting with cases involving the death penalty and civil rights. She is passionate about equity in education and ameliorating the racial achievement gap. She authored an op-ed in the Boston Globeand was recognized by the Princeton Prize in Race Relations for her work proposing research-backed solutions to address the achievement gap. In her free time, she enjoys baking fruit tarts and tiered birthday and wedding cakes, playing with her baby cousins, and reading fiction. Azavia graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. She is the daughter of Amy Barsky of Newton, Massachusetts, and Mahgoub Elnour of Khartoum, Sudan.

Melanie Cabrero (Melanie)is studying political science and psychology at Carolina. Melanie serves as an outreach coordinator for Historically Black at UNC (HBUNC) Media Group, and she's establishing the Afro-Latine Student Association at the University to promote cultural awareness and build a greater community for Afro-Latine students on campus. A Latinx Research Initiative scholar, she researches Mexican cuisine and women's activism. Melanie has also transitioned from a participant to a counselor in the SPARK program, where she mentors first-year students. While passionate about advocacy and community building, Melanie also considers movies her love language and can often be found sharing her favorite films with friends. A graduate of James Madison High School in Brooklyn, New York, Melanie is the daughter of Joselin and Angel Cabrero of Queens, New York.

Sofia Eva Chan (Sofia)is double majoring in global studies and public policy with a minor in economics at Carolina. Sofia is a member of the women's club soccer team and works at the Financial Well-Being Center as a peer financial coach. In this role, she educates students on a range of financial literacy topics, from investing to student loan repayment, and creates personal finance workshops and presentations for student groups throughout campus. Sofia also seeks to pursue her passion for international relations as a Carolina Diplomacy Fellow under UNC Global Affairs's Diplomacy Initiative and volunteers through Linking Immigrants to New Communities, giving virtual English lessons to immigrants around the world. She hopes to pursue a governmental career in diplomacy and the foreign service. Outside her academic and extracurricular endeavors, she enjoys playing the violin for the Chapel Hill Philharmonia and running on the Bolin Creek Trail. A graduate of West Morris Central High School in Chester, New Jersey, Sofia is the daughter of Maria Castro-Alvarez and Gabriel Chan of Long Valley, New Jersey.

Jose Cuc-Reyes (Jose)is studying human and organizational leadership development and public policy at Carolina. As a student ambassador at the Carolina Latinx Center, he launched a program to help first- and second-year students engage in research opportunities. Jose also serves as the director of academic affairs for the student organization Mi Pueblo at UNC, where he helps students in his community access academic and professional development opportunities. Jose is passionate about research access, education policy, and student development, investigating the intersection and student outcomes of these fields. A graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina, Jose is the son of Claudia Reyes Rojas and Santos Clemente Cuc-Pelechu of Elizabethtown, North Carolina.

Paloma Carmen Fernández Castillo (Paloma) is majoring in political science, with minors in French and data science at Carolina. She serves as the under secretary-general of historical crisis committees for the Model United Nations at Chapel Hill conference and is an active member of the North Carolina Fellows Program. Paloma is a resident advisor for Carolina Housing, committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming space for all, as well as an undergraduate learning assistant for her favorite class at Carolina, Data in Politics. Paloma is passionate about understanding the complex world of political science through data analysis and wishes to pursue a career in immigration law in the future. In her free time, Paloma enjoys reading mystery novels and crafting of all types, such as crochet, embroidery, and sewing. A graduate of the John F. Kennedy American School of Querétaro in Querétaro, Mexico, Paloma is the daughter of Maria de los Ángeles Castillo and Gabriel Fernández of Mexico City, Mexico.

Sidney Asbury Griffin (Sidney)is studying sports administration and public policy at Carolina. An involved member of the University's unique and historic athletics community, she is a recruiting operations intern for UNC Football and is on the annual UNC Sport and Entertainment Summit planning committee. Sidney also works as a consultant for the Carolina Sports Consulting Group. Outside of school, she is a political organizer for Students for Voting Justice, where she raises awareness about voting for young Black voters in swing states. Sidney plans to pursue a career in sports law. She enjoys kayaking, playing card games, and making iced matcha lattes in her free time. A graduate of South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sidney is the daughter of Amanda and Steve Griffin.

Wade Michael Guerra (Wade)is studying business administration and peace, war, and defense with a minor in naval science at Carolina. He is involved in the college program Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps to prepare him to be commissioned into the U.S. Navy upon graduation. He is a co-founder and the brotherhood chair of the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi and is also a member of Future Business Leaders of America and the UNC Marketing Club. Wade works as a student marketing ambassador for the energy drink Celsius. He volunteers regularly with the Special Olympics, the Ability Experience, and Habitat for Humanity as the community service director for UNC NROTC. Wade is interested in the intersection of business operations within the context of the military and national defense systems. A graduate of Sayreville War Memorial High School in Parlin, New Jersey, Wade is the son of Cynthia Warner and Matthew Guerra of Sayreville, New Jersey.

Ngan Huu Kim Le (Ngan)is studying economics and chemistry at Carolina. She conducts epidemiological climate research with the Lund Group, focusing on the impacts of climate change on public health. As a Southern Futures Fellow and executive director of Asian Youth Act, she spearheaded Bánh Mì and Beyond, a multimedia food narratives project highlighting Vietnamese-American experiences in North Carolina. Beyond her extensive research pursuits, she holds leadership positions for the Minority Health Conference, Tar Heel Voices, and Compostmates. Within her local community, Ngan champions multi-sector innovation in health equity, sustainable entrepreneurship, and intersectional activism. Most notably, she proudly serves as a Samsung Solve for Tomorrow global ambassador, through which she spoke at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and represents over 250,000 students, globally, in social entrepreneurship. A graduate of East Chapel Hill High School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Ngan is the daughter of Chi Truong and Hoa Le.

Raife Addison Levy (Raife)is on the pre-med track at Carolina, studying biology and English with a minor in Chinese language. He is a member and incoming chair of the Weeks of Welcome Board, where he designs and executes event programming aimed at easing the transitions of new students into college. Additionally, he works as general staff for UNC Undergraduate Student Government, volunteers at UNC Hospitals Children's Specialty Clinic, serves as a shift leader at Carolina Cupboard, and tutors grade-schoolers in reading. Raife is passionate about finding ways to better the lives of those around him, both presently and as a future physician. In his free time, he loves to read, write fiction stories, and spend time with his dogs. A graduate of Ransom Everglades School in Miami, Florida, Raife is the son of Brooke and Mark Levy.

Amogh Raghavendra Rao (Amogh) is studying biostatistics and neuroscience at Carolina. In addition to leading the University's chapter of the American Mock World Health Organization, he volunteers with Circle K and APPLES. Amogh is deeply committed to using data-driven insights to tackle interdisciplinary global issues. In 2023, he collaborated with NASA's Surface Water and Ocean Topography team to understand the accuracy of their satellite measurements, which led to him winning Sustainable Carolina's Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Research. For his work with UNC's Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Ecology Lab and the Duke Global Health Institute, Amogh earned a Summer Research Award from the Accelerated Research Program to pursue his own project next summer. Outside his academic pursuits, he enjoys playing the piano, cooking, and traveling. A graduate of Green Hope High School in Cary, North Carolina, Amogh is the son of Suman and Raghavendra Rao of Apex, North Carolina.

Jacob Robert Rosenberg (Jacob)is an Honors Carolina student studying mechanical engineering and minoring in applied physical science and business. On campus, Jacob is a dedicated varsity member of the UNC fencing team. He is also a part of the Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy and a member of the UNC Spikeball Club. Last summer, Jacob interned in procurement at Inspired Growing, a vertical farming company, to teach STEM concepts and inspire healthy eating through experiential learning. In his free time, Jacob frequently tackles hands-on engineering projects and explores rapid prototyping techniques at BeAM. Jacob aspires to use his passion for design to help build impactful products to solve the world's biggest problems. A graduate of High Tech High School in Secaucus, New Jersey, Jacob is the son of Laura Popp-Rosenberg and David Rosenberg of Jersey City, New Jersey.

Leah Tillie Schultz (Leah) is studying neuroscience on a pre-medical track at Carolina. She serves as presentation coordinator for Carolina Harm Reduction, aiming to raise awareness about opioid overdose prevention. Additionally, Leah is a research assistant at the McElligott Lab, further researching the neuroscientific effects of opioid abuse and withdrawal. Passionate about teaching, Leah is a peer mentor for a research writing for health and medicine class. She is also an active member of the Phi Delta Epsilon pre-medical fraternity, where she fundraises for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. A graduate of Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois, Leah is the daughter of Tammy and Bret Schultz.

Ella S. Smith (Ella)is studying business, marketing, and management in the Kenan-Flagler Business School. At Carolina, she is a member of the women's soccer team, serves on the ACC Student-Athlete Advisory Group, mentors through Carolina NAVIGATE, and supports children with cancer with Team IMPACT. Ella is a part of the University's Institute of Innovation, a collaboration between the Kenan-Flagler Business School and the UNC School of Law, to develop Lessons For. The non-profit promotes reading and mitigating the negative impacts of screen time on children. Ella is also dedicated to CFK Africa, supporting the international leadership team focused on economic empowerment for the informal settlement in Kibera, Kenya, and partnering with the club Kibera Soccer Women to connect women in sports internationally. A graduate of Charlotte Latin School in Charlotte, North Carolina, Ella is the daughter of Ryan and Nancy Smith.