UNC Pembroke freshman Kaleigh Mashione discovered her love for teaching very early. Like most aspiring educators, Mashione was influenced by her teachers. One, in particular––Amy Cook, her fourth-grade teacher––had a lasting impact on her life.

“Ms. Cook built a personal relationship with me,” Mashione said. “She encouraged me to get involved in the classroom and always had interesting, hands-on lessons. I would often recreate the lessons while playing at home with my sister. I loved seeing how passionate she was, and I want to be that same way with my students,” Mashione said.

At UNCP, Mashione was named the 2023 Maynor Honors Scholar following a highly competitive application process. The Maynor Scholarship is one of the most prestigious four-year scholarships offered at UNCP. It covers tuition, fees, books, room and board and is named for the late Esther G. Maynor, a Pembroke native and one of the university’s generous supporters.

“I am very grateful to be selected, and I’m so thankful to the generous donors,” she said. “This scholarship will help me when I become a teacher because I can use the funds that I would be using to repay student loans to better my classroom. I would love to be able to incorporate flexible seating and a care closet where students can come if they need food or feminine hygiene products.”

An elementary education major, Mashione is excited about her next four years at UNCP, where she will pursue her dream of touching students’ lives much like her teachers impacted her. She excelled academically at Sandhoke Early College as a Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, National Honor Society and National Beta Club member.

A native of Raeford, she considered other larger universities but was drawn to the elementary education program at UNCP after meeting the faculty during a campus visit last fall.

“Dr. LaMorris Smith sat with me for an hour and talked with me about the education program and explained how he would be here for me every step of the way,” she said. “The faculty knew me by name before I took my first class. For him to take that time out with me––that stood out.”

“I love it so far,” she said. “I like the small class sizes and enjoy that personal connection. When I reach out to my professors, they are always willing to help. I like that connection I feel already.”