The inaugural class of global fellows, scholars, and staff explored Silicon Valley and the surrounding areas from October 2 to 6.
The first class of Morehead-Cain Global Fellows and their scholar hosts met with alumni leading across a range of industries and causes in October. The purpose of the four-day trip was to provide global fellows the opportunity to explore U.S.-based careers in technology and venture capital in Silicon Valley.
Highlights included a visit to Google headquarters with Jamie Rosenberg ’92; a behind-the-scenes look at Dusty Robotics with Ted Ridgway ’87; a conversation with Steve Toben ’78 at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; and sessions at Beta University with Fei Ma ’18 and at Parley with Philip Smart ’20. The twelve global fellows also explored Stanford University with Nick Scott-Hearn ’20 and Joe Nail ’18; Baker Beach with Ginger Jackson-Gleich ’07; and Oracle Park, organized by Bobby Evans ’91.
Morehead-Cain Global Fellow Fadilullahi Adeniyi ’26 said the trip reaffirmed the importance of letting empathy drive innovation.
“This trip expanded not only my understanding of technology, but my imagination of what’s possible when curiosity meets courage,” Fadilullahi shared on LinkedIn. “Deep gratitude to the Morehead-Cain Foundation, our inspiring alumni hosts, and every organization that opened its doors (and minds) to us.”
The visit also included the San Francisco Regional Event on October 3 at the home of Allison Aldrich ’91 and Steven Aldrich ’91, where global fellows were welcomed into the Morehead-Cain community on the West Coast.
Launched in 2024, the Morehead-Cain Global Fellows program aims to bring together extraordinary leaders from across the globe to study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, providing them with a transformational year to push boundaries, hone leadership skills, and join a legacy of changemakers shaping the future.
The inaugural global fellows, who began the one-year fellowship in August, represent Azerbaijan, Brazil, India, Nigeria, and Turkey. Their academic interests range from sustainable energy and quantum computing to neuroethics, international diplomacy, and the arts.
More about Morehead-Cain Global Fellows
The Morehead-Cain Global Fellows program is a highly selective, fully funded one-year fellowship for exceptional student leaders from around the world to study at UNC–Chapel Hill. All candidates are nominated by a faculty or staff member from their home institution and have excelled in four semesters of honors-level coursework at their home university while leaving a track record of positive leadership impact at that university. After their year at Carolina and Morehead-Cain, Global Fellows will return to their home university to complete their studies and positively shape their home campus.
