The Kessler Scholars Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), launched in 2023 as part of a program expansion to 10 new partner institutions, is unique within the Kessler Scholars Collaborative in its focus on connecting and supporting first-generation, limited-income college students from rural communities in North Carolina. Haley Chavis takes pride in being from the rural town of Lumberton, North Carolina, and in being part of the inaugural cohort of Kessler Scholars at UNC. Now, she will be the program’s first graduate.  

After just two years at UNC, Haley is set to graduate early, thanks to college credits she earned at a local community college while she was still in high school. Although her time at UNC was accelerated, she thanks the Kessler Scholars Program for providing the support she needed to reach this graduation milestone and for offering her a warm and affirming community.

“I have felt very cared for and taken care of in this program, and I am very appreciative of it,” Haley said.

“I have felt very cared for and taken care of in this program, and I am very appreciative of it.”

– Haley Chavis

Haley’s first experience with the Kessler Scholars community was in a summer bridge program that connected students with campus resources and provided guidance on making the most of their academic journey. This intensive summer program included academic courses, introductions to faculty, and activities specifically designed to connect students in the entering cohort of Kessler Scholars with one another. Haley quickly stepped outside her comfort zone as she navigated an outdoor ropes course and went canoeing in a lake near campus with fellow Kessler Scholars.

Kessler Scholars from UNC during their Summer Bridge Program.

“The summer bridge program at UNC was very immersive, and it was very nice to live with the other Kessler Scholars,” Haley said. “We really got to know each other.”

From that strong launch to her college journey, Haley embraced her academic endeavors, focused on graduating early and pursuing a graduate degree in nursing. At UNC, she majored in Human Development and Family Science with a concentration in children and family health. She also completed an internship with the UNC Faculty Physicians Center at Eastowne, where she worked with their care management team in internal medicine. This internship enabled Haley to connect with doctors and nurses daily, providing valuable insight into the role of a certified nursing assistant in a hospital.

The Kessler Scholars Program at UNC successfully sought out additional grant funding from the Jessie Ball Dupont Foundation to enhance career readiness and exploration activities for Kessler Scholars – an effort to assure students who follow Haley’s trailblazing path will likewise have broad opportunities to engage in professional exploration. 

As graduation approaches and she prepares to pursue graduate studies in nursing at Duke University, Haley said the fact that she will be the first in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree is just settling in. She hopes her journey will inspire not only her immediate family but also other students from her hometown and fellow Kessler Scholars at UNC who are still working toward completing their degrees. 

“I feel like it’s good to be able to flip the script,” Haley said. “I know I’m not the only one. I’m just going to be one of many.”