up in smoke last winter when a kitchen
fortunes took a turn for the better this summer.
Blackwell, who is from Ash, N.C., in
Brunswick County, enrolled at UNCP this fall as
a Maynor Scholar. The scholarship is renewable
for four years and pays tuition, fees, room,
board and books. It was established by the late
Esther G. Maynor, a Pembroke native.
The university's third Maynor Scholar said he
has prepared for college by working part time
and visiting the school's web site. Blackwell
said was very excited when he got the news of
the scholarship award.
"I got the letter from the mailbox on my way
to work," he said. "I was so excited, I didn't
know whether to go to work or call all my
friends. I called my dad and went to work."
The Esther G. Maynor Honors College
manages the scholarship program. Dr. Steve
Bourquin, a professor in the Department of
Mathematics and Computer Science, is interim
dean of the college.
"It is evident that Brandon is a very
determined young man who has distinguished
himself as an outstanding student and leader,"
Dr. Bourquin said. "The Esther G. Maynor
Scholarship is designed to help outstanding
100 percent first-time passing rate on the
By passing the exam, the 19 graduates of the
four-year prelicensure Bachelor of Science
in Nursing (BSN) program will receive their
license and be able to practice as registered
nurses.
UNCP's first-time pass rates have increased
every year since its first graduating class in
2007. Last year, 95 percent of its nursing
graduates passed the exam, which is supervised
by the National Council of State Boards of
Nursing.
Dr. Barbara Synowiez, who has chaired the
four-year prelicensure BSN program since it was
founded, was especially pleased.
"This achievement speaks volumes for the
quality of the UNCP nursing program. I think
we have done a number of things right over the
years," Dr. Synowiez said.
"Our results not only show the rigor of our
program in preparing our graduates to take the
NCLEX-RN, but it also shows that our program
a high level of
financial need,"
he said.
Blackwell will
be the first person
in his family to
attend college. He
said he owes his
determination to
attend college to
his mother.
"She was the driving force," he said. "She
didn't want me to throw my life away. My mom
pushed me all throughout school to do the best
I could."
And then comes the hard part: "Her number
one concern, as she lay on her death bed, was
whether or not I would be able to go to college
and be successful in life."
Blackwell was a good student in high school
with a 4.36 grade point average. He was a
junior marshal and a member of the National
Honor Society and Health Occupations Students
of America. He was active outside of school,
participating in special events ranging from
American Red Cross blood drives to the NAACP
Health Fair.
He said UNCP is a good fit for him in several
ways. "It's close to home, but far enough away
to be independent."
foundation for
clinical nursing
practice of our
graduates," she
said.
UNCP's scores
were the highest
among the UNC-
system universities
during the second
quarter report
period. The North
Carolina Board of
Nursing's current first-time pass rate standard
is 83 percent, and UNC system bar is a little
higher at 85 percent.
Dr. Kenneth Kitts, provost and vice
chancellor for Academic Affairs was also
pleased with the results. "These scores reflect
the quality of our nursing program," he said. "I
am very proud of the faculty, staff and students
for the hard work and dedication that made this
happen."
The future looks bright for UNCP nursing.