NC Senior Becomes Finalist for Full UNC Scholarship

A North Carolina high school senior who balanced leading her volleyball team to a state championship with running a local business just became a finalist for one of the nation's most prestigious scholarships.

Phoenix Myers, a senior at Pine Lake Prep, will compete for the Morehead-Cain Scholarship at UNC Chapel Hill this month. The scholarship awards just 75 students each year with full tuition plus funding for summer enrichment programs and international experiences before freshman year.

The selection committee looks for four qualities: leadership, character, scholarship, and physical vigor. Myers checks every box with a 4.7 GPA and four years as a varsity volleyball player.

As team captain last fall, she led the Pride to the 3A state championship. Her peers and teachers also elected her Homecoming Queen that same season.

Her leadership extends far beyond the gym. Myers has held every officer position in the National Charity League's Lake Norman Chapter since seventh grade, including president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. The commitment earned her the Presidential Service Award three consecutive years.

While most high schoolers are focused on homework and sports, Myers found time to become a business owner. She co-owns Ultimate Swag, a local screen printing and embroidery shop, with her parents. She designs and produces custom gear for her sports teams and the National Charity League.

Myers has already earned a Business Certificate through dual enrollment with Mitchell Community College. UNC Chapel Hill accepted her months ago and granted her direct admission to Kenan-Flagler Business School, one of the top undergraduate business programs in the country.

Why This Inspires

In an era when young people often feel pressured to choose between academics, athletics, or entrepreneurship, Myers proves you can excel at all three. Her story shows that leadership isn't about titles or trophies but about showing up consistently for your team, your community, and your goals. She didn't wait until college to start making an impact or building real-world skills.

About 150 finalists will interview at UNC this month for those 75 scholarship spots. If Myers wins, she'll join a network of scholars that includes governors, CEOs, Rhodes Scholars, and Olympic athletes. But she's already demonstrated the qualities that make Morehead-Cain recipients special: the drive to lead, the character to serve, and the grit to build something meaningful.

No matter the outcome, this student athlete and entrepreneur is headed to a bright future.