UMO Student Receives Prestigious Scholarship
UMO Student Receives Prestigious Scholarship
MOUNT OLIVE- Evan Davenport, a senior at the University of Mount Olive (UMO), has been awarded the 2014 North Carolina Recreational Therapy Association (NCRTA) scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to four recreational therapy students in North Carolina to recognize their outstanding achievements in recreational studies.
The NCRTA scholarship will allow Davenport, a Mackeys, NC resident, to participate in the 2014 NCRTA Conference in Raleigh and cover all of his expenses. He will have the opportunity to work with the conference planning committee, act as a moderator for specific sessions, and be recognized as a scholarship recipient at the conference.
“I applied for this scholarship after my advisor encouraged me to take a leap of faith. I didn’t believe I stood a chance to be awarded the scholarship because I was competing against intimidating students from University of North Carolina Wilmington, Western Carolina, and East Carolina University, to name a few,” revealed Davenport.
Receiving such the scholarship has been dream come true for Davenport. He attributes his success to the RLS Department at UMO.
“The Department encouraged me to become a student member of the NCRTA,” he said. “Without that membership this award would not have been possible. I am very appreciative of the Department and my advisor.”
Davenport is majoring in recreational therapy. Alongside his studies, Davenport has worked with developmental disability patients at Edgewood Community Developmental School in Goldsboro. Davenport also works as a student Ambassador and Resident Assistant (RA) on campus.
“UMO has helped me grow personally, and the opportunity to work at the Edgewood Community Developmental School opened my eyes to the rewarding path of helping those with developmental disabilities,” noted Davenport. “Additionally, Dr. and Mrs. Kerstetter have been a big influence in my life as I have worked with them as UMO Ambassador. The Kerstetters always make me feel at home and provide limitless opportunities at UMO.”
The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The University, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Research Triangle Park, Washington, Jacksonville, and in Smithfield at Johnston Community College. For more information, visit old.umo.edu.