Morehead-Cain Mentoring Program pair Kate Stotesbery ’17 and Cate Miller ’25 in Washington, D.C.
Written by Cate Miller ’25 of the Morehead-Cain Scholar Media Team
The Morehead-Cain Mentoring Program forges connections across generations. For me, I discovered the joy of true kinship in the Washington, D.C. area.
A place of effervescent personalities, and constantly revolving ideas, there is always someone new to meet or a new location to see. As I have paved my own path in the city, the relationships Morehead-Cain has given me are irreplaceable.
My mentor is Kate Stotesbery ’17, the deputy chief of staff and communications director for the U.S. House of Representatives. We have shared ambitions, such as working in the think tank landscape at the intersection of communications, media, and politics.
I’ve begun bouncing off ambitious career ideas with friends and family, but it’s been great having a mentor who is a Morehead-Cain and UNC–Chapel Hill alumna, and who has experience living in a big city post-graduation. She has so much wisdom to share.
Our first conversation was exciting and natural. We basked in our overlapping interests, and there was a strong desire on both sides to pour into each other. We expressed a genuine curiosity in pursuing what fulfills us as individuals.
When questions pop up about my future or current policy areas of interest, Kate and I have space to explore them. Each month, we meet up to talk through each one. I usually leave with more questions than I arrived with, typically ones directed at where I see myself after completing my time at Carolina.
We also spend a lot of time laughing and exchanging stories from studying abroad, our travels, and summer adventures. We talk about how all of these weave into the fabric of our identities. Our conversations affirm for me that every person has a unique perspective to offer.
Kate gives me a valuable outlook on the near future, reassuring me that everything will fall into place. I would encourage all my fellow scholars to join the mentoring program. Our alumni have so many valuable experiences to share, and participating in the program has strengthened my affinity for the wider Morehead-Cain community.
Morehead-Cain staff thoughtfully matches every mentoring pair through shared interests. I get a sense of peace knowing that no matter how niche my aspirational career trajectory may be, there are alumni out there who can assure you that it is possible. For me, that’s Kate.
The most important lesson I’ve taken away from my mentor is that my goals are feasible and that I should be excited about what the future holds.
As I have explored D.C., I’ve reached out to fellow mentoring pairs in the area, learning about their experiences throughout mentorship. I hope you’ll follow along as I share about the two I spoke with. First up, David von Storch ’80 and Hunter Vaughan ’24.
About the Morehead-Cain Scholar Media Team
The Morehead-Cain Scholar Media Team is an extracurricular program and internship run by the Foundation’s marketing and communications team. Scholars of all class years collaborate to produce multimedia content for social media (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X), the Catalyze podcast, email newsletters, and the website (www.moreheadcain.org). The team’s audience comprises more than 3,400 scholars and alumni.
The Scholar Media Team is led by Sarah O’Carroll, the content manager for Morehead-Cain. Participation is a semester-long commitment.
