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Blue Sky Scholars Program Impact Report 2023

Blue Sky Scholars Program

In October 2018, Carolina launched the Blue Sky Scholars Program, a bold new initiative to address the financial challenges facing middle-income students, who make up the majority of North Carolinians receiving need-based aid at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Carolina Blue Skies Ahead

The Blue Sky Scholars Program was established with a gift from former UNC System President Erskine Bowles ’67, who recalled meeting with hardworking, middle-income parents who felt that college was out of reach for their children because of cost. Moreover, Carolina was losing admitted students from these families to schools that offered more generous financial support.

With an initial group of 20 recipients, the program has since expanded through gifts from hundreds of donors, giving Carolina students scholarship support, work-study employment opportunities, an enrichment award to support internship or study abroad opportunities, and access to academic, personal and career support.

Blue Sky Scholars receive a total of $42,500 over four years, including: 

  • an annual award of $7,500 
  • $2,500 per year in work-study employment 
  • a one-time award of $2,500 to support internships, study abroad, or other opportunities.

Blue Sky Scholars Quick Facts*

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48 Blue Sky Scholars

have received aid since 2019

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250 total donors

to the Blue Sky Scholars Program

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$23.82 million 

raised for Blue Sky Scholars

*Numbers accurate as of June 30, 2023

Blue Sky Scholars Across North Carolina

The cities on the map below represent the hometowns of our Blue Sky Scholars and alumni across North Carolina:

Map of North Carolina with place markers indicating the home town of Blue Sky Scholars across the state
  • Apex
  • Belmont
  • Burlington
  • Cary
  • Charlotte
  • Crumpler
  • Dunn
  • Durham
  • Eden
  • Elizabethtown
  • Elm City
  • Gastonia
  • Greensboro
  • High Point
  • Holly Springs
  • Hope Mills
  • Kannapolis
  • Kill Devil Hills
  • Landis
  • Mebane
  • Mooresville
  • Morganton
  • Morrisville
  • Murphy
  • Stokesdale
  • Thomasville
  • Trenton
  • Wake Forest
  • Waxhaw
  • Weaverville
  • Wendell
  • West Jefferson
  • Wilmington
  • Winston-Salem
  • Winterville
  • Youngsville

Blue Sky in Action

Lamin Saidy
Read Lamin’s Student Story
Heather Norland
Read Heather’s Student Story
Delancy Alred
Read Delancy’s Alumni Story

Thank You

Since its launch, the Blue Sky Scholarship Program has helped make Carolina more affordable for students from middle-income backgrounds and has become a key pillar in Carolina’s commitment to bring excellence and access together. We are grateful for the generosity of the many donors whose gifts are making the dream of a Carolina degree become a reality for talented students throughout North Carolina.

Give to the Blue Sky Scholarship Program