Each year, very few high school students receive a Goodnight Scholarship … 50, to be exact.
The coveted de-facto full-ride to N.C. State University only goes to those who stand out from the crowd, and recent Southwestern Community College graduate Emma Rowe certainly falls in that category.
She’s the only Smoky Mountain High School student this year to earn an associate degree from Southwestern prior to receiving her high school diploma – and she excelled along the way. She graduated Magna Cum Laude (3.7-3.89 Grade Point Average) as a member of the National Technical Honor Society and also completed four Honors Program projects while working toward her Associate in Science degree from SCC.
Being named a Goodnight Scholar is a crowning achievement, and also relieves a tremendous financial burden.
“I was stressed about paying for college, so I did whatever I could to avoid getting into student debt,” said Rowe, who plans to major in Human Biology with a pre-medical pathway at N.C. State. “I applied for every scholarship I could find. When I found out I received the Goodnight Scholarship, I was so grateful. It’s a weight off my shoulders.”
Rowe also avoided student debt while taking SCC’s Career & College Promise (CCP) classes, which are tuition-free for high school students in Jackson, Macon, Swain Counties and the Qualla Boundary.
Unlike early college students, who start taking college classes as high school freshmen, CCP classes are only available to high school juniors and seniors. That led Rowe to take an unorthodox approach to her high school diploma.
“It took a lot of planning, but it’s been my goal forever,” said Rowe, who’s older brother (Ben) and sister (Alyssa) also completed SCC degrees while earning homeschool high school diplomas. “I wanted to do what my brother and sister had done, and I was very involved in planning all my classes so that I could get all my high school credits done by the end of my sophomore year.”
There were sacrifices: Rowe missed a lot of high school football games and didn’t get to make as many social connections as other high school students do. However, she did manage to stay involved with Smoky’s HOSA club.
Her accomplishments caught the attention of Dr. Barbara Putman, SCC’s Executive Dean of Instructional Services.
“Emma is an exceptional student who has been a leader in classes and the community,” Dr. Putman said. “She maintains a positive attitude and enthusiasm for learning that enriches class discussions and group projects. Emma is focused on academics and her long-term goals but also demonstrates that she cares about people and the success of the team. She is going to be very successful at N.C. State and with all her future pursuits.”
The Goodnight Scholarship is awarded annually to 50 incoming, in-state students studying in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) disciplines or affiliated education majors at N.C. State.
“I greatly appreciate SCC and and all it has provided to help me accomplish my educational goals, and I am deeply grateful to Laura Allen, my career coach at Southwestern,” Rowe said.
Emma Rowe is the daughter of Kelly and Christy Rowe of Tuckasegee and the granddaughter of Wiley and Judy Henson of Cullowhee.
For more information about Southwestern, explore our website, call 828.339.4000 or stop by your nearest SCC location.
For more information about Goodnight Scholarships, which are combined needs- and merit-based awards, visit goodnight.ncsu.edu.
