Morehead-Cain’s newest sophomore scholars in the class of 2029 (photos by Ira Wilder ’24)
The Morehead-Cain Foundation has announced that eighteen students enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will join the Morehead-Cain Class of 2029 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.
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 service, extracurricular, cultural, and scholarship programs. Transfer students are eligible through partnerships with the North Carolina Community College System and the UNC Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
The scholars join a leadership journey that extends from their sophomore year through graduation and beyond. Scholars gain access to a network of peers and mentors, summer enrichment programming, advising, the Lovelace Fund for Discovery, funded study abroad, and a living stipend.
Sophomore Selection provides an ideal entry point into the Morehead-Cain Program for students who have demonstrated significant leadership potential during their first year at Carolina, Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford said.
“Some of the most remarkable leaders on this campus reveal themselves only after they arrive,” Bradford said. “Sophomore Selection allows us to find them and invite them into a community that will challenge them to aim higher. I can’t wait to see what these students do next.”
High-resolution images of the Morehead-Cain Scholars can be downloaded here. A biography of each scholar is below.
Morehead-Cain Sophomore Selection ’29
Morehead-Cain Scholars are listed alphabetically by North Carolina county, state, and country. Students noted with an asterisk (*) are listed in more than one location due to either their hometown or school location.
North Carolina | Out of State | International
North Carolina
Guilford County
Simon Clarida
Simon Joseph Clarida (Simon) studies political science and sociology at Carolina. On campus, Simon serves on the Student Advisory Committee to the Chancellor and he is a Spiers Fellow in the Civil Discourse Community. He conducts independent research with the UNC Center for Civil Rights, examining how school funding disparities affect students in North Carolina. He was appointed to the Orange County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council and works with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety to reduce juvenile crime. A graduate of the STEM Early College at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Simon is the son of Tamara Simon Clarida and Brian Joseph Clarida of Greensboro, North Carolina.
Chris Hall
Christopher Keegan Hall (Chris) studies biology and biochemistry with a minor in Japanese at Carolina. He researches protein stability using AI-designed proteins in the Pielak Lab and mentors students through UNC’s Office for Undergraduate Research. Chris serves as a biology peer instructor at the University and instructs CPR and nutrition courses with ECHO (Equitable Community Health Outcomes) throughout the Triangle. On weekends, he works as an EMT and teaches swim lessons through Dive-In @ UNC. A graduate of Cornerstone Charter Academy, he is the son of Shannon and Derek Hall of Greensboro, North Carolina.
Mecklenburg County
Kevin Noble
Kevin Joseph Noble Jr. (Kevin) studies public policy as well as management and society with a minor in philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) at Carolina. He is a Teach For America Ignite Fellow, tutoring elementary school students in phonics and reading comprehension. He is a founding member of the Carolina College Immersion Initiative, serving as director of student experience and college tours, developing student-centered tours and highlighting resources for first-generation and low-income students. He also conducts jury selection research with Jury-X. A graduate of Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, he is the son of Ashley Noble of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Kevin Noble Sr. of Columbia, South Carolina.
Kenny Ogbata
*Izuchukwu Ogbata (Kenny) studies biology and neuroscience at Carolina. He conducts research at the UNC School of Medicine under Dr. Kathleen Caron, studying lymphatic vessel regulation in intestinal inflammation. A Buckley Public Service Scholar, he serves as community service director for the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students, volunteers at UNC Hospitals, and tutors biology students. He is also a member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Honor Society and participates in UNC Club Taekwondo and intramural sports. A graduate of Charlotte Latin School in Charlotte, North Carolina, he is the son of Oby and Izu Ogbata of Waxhaw, North Carolina.
Nash County
Sarah Habib
Sarah Habib (Sarah) studies biology with minors in Spanish for the medical professions and in civic life and leadership at Carolina. Sarah is an undergraduate research assistant in the Giudice Lab at the UNC School of Medicine. She serves as an undergraduate learning assistant in the Department of Chemistry and volunteers at UNC Hospitals. This past summer, she joined fellow UNC Heart Club members at the North Carolina State Capitol to advocate for cardiac emergency response plans in the state’s public schools. Sarah is a certified EMT, a freelance artist, and an international virtual tutor. She enjoys painting, playing guitar, singing, and writing poems. A graduate of Rocky Mount Academy, Sarah is the daughter of Freshta and Habibullah Habib of Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
Hadley Pridgen
Hadley Jayse Pridgen (Hadley) studies political science and history at Carolina. He is historian of the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies, director of external affairs for the Carolina International Relations Association, and chair of the Standing Committee on Rules and the Judiciary in the Undergraduate Senate. Hadley is also a Freedom Forum student ambassador, informing first-year students about their First Amendment rights. He conducts agricultural research and has written policy proposals on nematode research. Hadley plans to attend law school and advocate for rural communities through policy. A graduate of Southern Nash High School in Bailey, North Carolina, he is the son of Amanda and Jason Pridgen of Nashville, North Carolina.
Orange County
Oliver Narbut
Oliver Vincent Narbut (Oliver) studies business administration with minors in biology and sustainability studies at Carolina. A student-athlete on the varsity men’s tennis team, he also mentors through the Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy. On campus, Oliver sits on the UNC Student-Athlete Advisory Council and is an ambassador for EcoAthletes, a nonprofit focused on advocating for climate action. Outside the classroom, he is active in the Lutheran Campus Ministry through Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. A graduate of East Chapel Hill High School, Oliver is the son of Andrea and Vincent Narbut of Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Union County
Kenny Ogbata
*Izuchukwu Ogbata (Kenny) studies biology and neuroscience at Carolina. He conducts research at the UNC School of Medicine under Dr. Kathleen Caron, studying lymphatic vessel regulation in intestinal inflammation. A Buckley Public Service Scholar, he serves as community service director for the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students, volunteers at UNC Hospitals, and tutors biology students. He is also a member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Honor Society and participates in UNC Club Taekwondo and intramural sports. A graduate of Charlotte Latin School in Charlotte, North Carolina, he is the son of Oby and Izu Ogbata of Waxhaw, North Carolina.
Wake County
Niha Koppolu
Niharika Koppolu (Niha) studies biostatistics and mathematics with a minor in comparative literature at Carolina. Niha serves as a vice president of Reproductive Access at UNC-Y, where she directs outreach to destigmatize reproductive health and expand access to contraceptives. She volunteers with UNC’s Student Health Action Coalition and researches the public health effects of incarceration at the UNC School of Medicine. Outside Carolina, she works with local organizations to advance reentry support and carceral equity for justice-impacted individuals. A graduate of William G. Enloe High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, she is the daughter of Rajani Vudumula and Hara Krishna Reddy Koppolu of Cary, North Carolina.
Wilson County
Christina Pappas
Christina Alausi Pappas (Christina) studies political science and anthropology with a minor in public policy at Carolina. She serves as vice chair of the Committee on Student Affairs in the Undergraduate Senate and coordinates campus events as a UNC Weeks of Welcome board member. Christina also volunteers with NC LegalHand to expand access to legal information. As a Let Us Lead fellowship coordinator and UNC Young Democrats cabinet member, she empowers her peers to be civically engaged. Christina enjoys trivia, crafting, and playing classical guitar. A graduate of Wilson Early College Academy, she is the daughter of Dr. Amparito Fiallo and Christopher Pappas of Wilson, North Carolina.
Out of State
California
Vedant Mehta
Vedant Mehta (Vedant) studies business administration and data science with a minor in neuroscience at Carolina. He is the co-founder of Product Lab, a student product management bootcamp, and was a business development intern at PORCH Communities, building partnerships with college campus pantries. He is also a member of the UNC women’s basketball practice team. In his free time, he loves to thrift, sketch, and volunteer at senior homes through the nonprofit GlamourGals. A graduate of Foothill High School, he is the son of Pallavi Jain (originally of Lucknow, India) and Gaurav Mehta (originally of Udaipur, India) of Pleasanton, California.
Colorado
Amy Gao
Amy Sui Gao (Amy) studies business administration with a minor in education at Carolina. Amy co-founded the Bukedea Learning Lab, a game-based learning center serving five elementary schools in Bukedea, Uganda. She serves on the board of trustees of Realon Academy and chairs the supervisory committee of Carolina Students’ Financial, a chartering student credit union. A UN High-Level Political Forum delegate and co-director of UNC’s UN Millennium Fellowship cohort, she plans to blueprint her own school after graduation. Amy is an outdoors lifer, beginner climber, and portrait photographer. A graduate of Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colorado, Amy is the daughter of Xiaomei Sui and Hua Gao of Denver, Colorado.
Idaho
Zayah Cortright
Zayah Wilder Cortright (Zayah) studies computer science and mathematics at Carolina. He is president of Climate 2.0 at Carolina, an organization he co-founded to bring students together with faculty, industry leaders, and government to leverage capital markets. Zayah also conducts research at the University and the U.S. National Laboratory of the Rockies, developing computer intelligence for sustainable technologies, and he mentors young researchers at Boise State University. In his free time, he loves exploring new places to climb, mountain bike, and surf. A graduate of Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center, he is the son of Aimee Beaudet and Gerald Cortright of Boise, Idaho.
Maryland
Elinor Storey
*Elinor Whitton Storey (Elinor) studies physics, with a concentration in astronomy, and civic thought at Carolina. She is a midshipman in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC), and a Spiers Fellow in the Civil Discourse community. She is co-founder and co-director of the Thérèsian Troupe, an all-girls Shakespeare company in her hometown. Before starting college, Elinor spent a year WWOOFing (volunteering on organic farms) in France and Canada. Her hobbies include theology, long-distance running, martial arts, and singing medieval choral music. The guiding star of her life is her Catholic faith. A graduate of St. Jerome Institute in Washington, D.C., she is the daughter of Benjamin and Jenna Storey of Hyattsville, Maryland.
Alyssa Wiener
Alyssa Derin Wiener (Alyssa) studies political science and public policy at Carolina. She works with Democracy Matters to build bipartisan coalitions and promote voter education throughout UNC. In partnership with Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America, she connects virtual tutors in Chapel Hill with refugee students in Chicago. This past summer, she developed media strategy for pro-immigration candidates at Crossroads Campaigns in Washington, D.C. She is Tri Delta’s community engagement and belonging representative and plays UNC club lacrosse. A graduate of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Bethesda, Maryland, she is the daughter of Melike Oncu and Ross Wiener of Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Minnesota
Vandana Ramanathan
Vandana Ramanathan (Vandana) studies public policy and public health at Carolina. She co-founded a national nonprofit advancing women’s and mental health equity and has facilitated more than eighteen policy and research initiatives. She is an undergraduate research assistant with the Digital Literacy and Communications Lab, where she analyzes rhetorical biases in generative AI algorithms, and researches data-driven health reforms through the Gillings Precision Health and AI Research Lab. Vandana is also a leadership coordinator for UNC Student Life and Leadership and an attorney with Carolina Mock Trial, and hopes to practice bioethics law. She enjoys painting and running in her free time. A graduate of Eden Prairie High School, she is the daughter of Rekha Ramanathan and Ram Subramanian of Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Washington, D.C.
Elinor Storey
*Elinor Whitton Storey (Elinor) studies physics, with a concentration in astronomy, and civic thought at Carolina. She is a midshipman in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC), and a Spiers Fellow in the Civil Discourse community. She is co-founder and co-director of the Thérèsian Troupe, an all-girls Shakespeare company in her hometown. Before starting college, Elinor spent a year WWOOFing (volunteering on organic farms) in France and Canada. Her hobbies include theology, long-distance running, martial arts, and singing medieval choral music. The guiding star of her life is her Catholic faith. A graduate of St. Jerome Institute in Washington, D.C., she is the daughter of Benjamin and Jenna Storey of Hyattsville, Maryland.
Wisconsin
Joe Rzentkowski
Joseph Lee Rzentkowski (Joe) studies political science and economics at Carolina. On campus, he serves on the Residence Hall Association Executive Board and the 2026 Regional Leadership Conference Planning Committee, where he builds community across campus and connects Carolina students with peers from the South Atlantic region. Off campus, he empowers young leaders as vice president of the Wisconsin Leadership Seminars Alumni Board. Joe has a passion for composing music and runs, swims, and bikes regularly. A graduate of Madison Country Day School in Waunakee, Wisconsin, he is the son of Danika and Lee Rzentkowski of Madison, Wisconsin.
International
India
Hasvi Muriki
Hasvi Pulakita Muriki (Hasvi) studies economics and data science with a minor in entrepreneurship at Carolina. She developed GutEase, a wearable therapeutic device, and founded Samunnati, an NGO expanding educational access for orphaned and tribal children in India. She is also a resident advisor with Carolina Housing. A three-time TEDx speaker and world-record mountaineer, she is a long-distance runner, cyclist, and member of UNC’s competitive badminton team. A graduate of Excellencia Junior College in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, she is the daughter of Madhavi Sri Muriki and Venkat Muriki of Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Peru
Jamila Navarro Rodas
Jamila Navarro Rodas (Jamila) studies business administration and political science with a minor in heritage and global engagement at Carolina. She founded Business Girls, a nonprofit operating in more than twenty Latin American and Caribbean countries that has reached ten thousand young people in Indigenous and vulnerable communities. With a Global Changemakers grant, she led “Gotas de Vida,” bringing heavy-metal-free water to more than one thousand people in Cerro de Pasco, Peru. Jamila is a four-time Peruvian national champion in artistic swimming, the international lead on the CEI Board at Kenan-Flagler, a resident advisor, singer, and a Carolina Diplomacy Fellow. A graduate of Casuarinas International College, she is the daughter of Glorinda Rodas and John Navarro of Lima, Peru.