Katie Brandao
Senior Katie Brandao has been named a Morehead-Cain Scholar at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Katie is one of a select number of high school seniors to receive the prestigious and competitive scholarship. One of the largest scholarship programs in the U.S., the Morehead-Cain was the first merit scholarship to be awarded from the nation’s first public university. GPS was named a nominating school by the Morehead-Cain program in 2001-02.
The four-year scholarship pays all expenses for the undergraduate years, including the cost of a laptop and four summer enrichment experiences.
Selection criteria are leadership, academic achievement, moral force of character, and physical vigor. Morehead-Cain recipients are chosen by merit and accomplishments, not financial need, and include U.S. and international scholars. They are selected from a nomination and interview process that began last fall.
The Summer Enrichment programs provides the scholars with global hands-on leadership and problem-solving experiences in four areas: outdoor leadership, public service, private enterprise and international research. The program’s new Discovery Fund offers resources for similar experiences during the academic year.
Katie was chosen at last summer’s Volunteer Girls State as one of two of Tennessee’s Senators to attend Girls Nation. At GPS, she is a National Merit Commended Student and co-editor-in-chief of the yearbook and holds membership in the National Honor Society, the rowing team, and the Key Club. She has been active in the YMCA’s Youth Trust as a family and retreat leader and serves on the Mayor’s Youth Council. Katie is a volunteer with the Step Ahead Foundation as a community educator and is an acolyte, lay reader, and member of the handbell choir at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.