This past year, the Park Scholarships community celebrated as two Park Scholars were named Churchill Scholars and a Park alumna was named a Knight-Hennessy Scholar. The Krispy Kreme Challenge brought its cumulative donation to the North Carolina Children’s Hospital to $1.91 million after transitioning to a fully virtual race format. The Class of 2021 honored artist and activist Bree Newsome Bass with the 23rd William C. Friday Award in recognition of her commitment to anti-racism and community empowerment. The Class of 2022 hosted professor Thomas Hager for the Gerald H. Elkan Distinguished Lecture in Science and Society which focused on communicating about science in a post-truth world. The Classes of 2023 and 2024 engaged in virtual Learning Labs which focused on affordable housing and health care access, respectively
Meanwhile, the program reconnected with more than 530 alumni through Zoom reunions and hosted the third annual sPark symposium — all part of the celebration of 25 years of the Park Scholarships program. With help from the 428 alumni, faculty, and friends on the Selection Committee, the program identified the Park Scholarships Class of 2025 who eagerly arrived on campus last month. More than 2,200 candidates submitted applications last year, a testament to the growing interest in and national recognition of the Park Scholarships program. Learn more in the report.