The Strength of Our Ties
Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford and Chief Program Officer Rachel Pfeifer ’02
reflect on a year marked by collaboration, compassion, and courage.
Facts and Stats
A Year Shaped by Purpose
Building Intentional Community
We celebrated milestones that brought our community closer together—from honoring the 45th anniversary of the first women scholars and 50 years of Black Morehead-Cain excellence to reconnecting across continents through Alumni Journeys in London and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Each gathering reflected the strength of our shared history and the enduring ties that connect us.
Identifying Promise Together
For eighty years, the Morehead-Cain Program has identified young leaders through a thoughtful, relationship-driven nomination process. In 2024–2025, we expanded that network by welcoming 33 new nominating schools and 10 new affiliate partners, including Wellington School, Prep for Prep, and North Carolina Future Farmers of America. This growth extends our reach to students whose leadership, character, and curiosity align with the Morehead-Cain values. By prioritizing meaningful engagement over volume, Morehead-Cain continues to broaden access while preserving a selection experience defined by care, discernment, and shared purpose.
Fostering Discourse
Now in its third year, Food for Thought continues to create space for open dialogue and exchange on pressing topics of our time including ensuring free and fair democratic elections, reimagining women’s sports, and navigating moments of instability and crisis as a college student. Morehead-Cain Scholars are leading that charge-facilitating conversations that bridge perspectives and encourage critical reflection. Expert speakers—among them alumnae Cindy Moss ’81, Robyn Hadley ’85, and Kristina Chapple ’22—joined scholars to share insight and invite challenge.
Meeting the Moment
After Hurricane Helene struck the Southeast, Morehead-Cain extended its application deadline to accommodate students facing school closures and outages. Led by Julia Bassett ’25, scholars mobilized to assist affected peers, alumni, and communities. The Foundation also provided grants to Impact Educators in hard-hit areas, honoring their vital role in sustaining learning and community resilience.
In Honor and Recognition
Remembering Brook Cheuvront ’26
Brook Cheuvront ’26 embodied the spirit of adventure, curiosity, and compassion that define a Morehead-Cain. A lover of nature and learning, she brought light to every space she entered—whether leading peers in the outdoors, exploring new corners of the world, or offering kindness without hesitation. Her friends and classmates remember her laughter, her courage, and her limitless curiosity.
On February 21, 2025, the Carolina community gathered to honor Brook’s academic and personal legacy. She was posthumously recognized with her Honors Carolina certificate, presented by Professor James Leloudis; her Morehead-Cain certificate, presented by Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford; and the conferral of her undergraduate degree, presented by Chancellor Lee Roberts.
The Morehead-Cain community continues to honor her life and memory, holding her family and loved ones in our hearts.
Celebrating Megan Mazzocchi
For four decades, Megan Mazzocchi helped shape the Morehead-Cain experience for generations of scholars and alumni. Through steady leadership, a deep commitment to excellence, and genuine care for people, she became an anchor of the Foundation and a trusted guide to many.
Megan established enduring traditions, including the Morehead-Cain Alumni Forum SEVEN Talks, and guided the community thoughtfully through moments of change, including the COVID-19 era. The traditions she built and the relationships she fostered continue to strengthen our community.
We celebrate Megan’s extraordinary service, her clarity and generosity of spirit, and the countless lives she touched. Her influence lives on in the scholars and alumni she supported and in the Foundation she helped steward with such care.
A Look Back
This year, we witnessed the strength of the Morehead-Cain community-from celebrating milestone anniversaries and expanding opportunities for scholars to deepening alumni connections across continents. Together, we rediscovered what makes the Morehead-Cain extraordinary: a shared commitment to leadership, service, and one another.