CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School graduate Jake Sheridan has been named to the prestigious Robertson Scholars Leadership Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. As a Robertson Scholar, he has won a four-year scholarship that gives him unique access to the academic and extracurricular offerings at both Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill.
His academic achievements, extracurricular activities, remarkable character and service-oriented personality recommend him as the type of scholar the Robertson program seeks. He was elected to the school’s Honor Council during his freshman year, and has served on the council each year since then. He is a successful participant on the Debate and Speech Team, and plays basketball.
He is known for selecting the most challenging courses offered at the high school, and took seven Advanced Placement classes his senior year. He has participated in Mecklenburg County Teen Court, a program of the Assistance League of Charlotte, which provides a second chance for juvenile offenders with no prior convictions when they admit guilt to a misdemeanor offense, agree to be tried by a jury of their peers, and take responsibility for their actions. Teen volunteers such as Sheridan are trained in the legal process as jurors, clerks of court, bailiffs and attorneys.
The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program was created in 2000 by the Robertson family, inspired by their sons, one of whom graduated from Duke in 1998, and the other from UNC in 2001. The Robertsons believed that each institution offered a distinct undergraduate experience, and that the combination of the two would provide a depth and breadth of resources that no other university could match.
The program provides students from each university with full four-year scholarships, access to the academic and extracurricular offerings at both universities, three summers of experiences in the U.S. and abroad, and opportunities for professional development and interaction. Approximately 36 Robertson scholarships are awarded each year to 18 incoming UNC freshmen and 18 incoming Duke freshmen.
— Carolyn Kramer Tillman
CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Catholic High School senior Alexander Tarbet has been offered an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy with the Class of 2021. Former South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney, representing the 5th Congressional District of South Carolina, presented Alex with a nomination letter last fall.
At Charlotte Catholic, Alex has been an outstanding student who holds leadership positions, participates in athletics, and works a part-time job as well. He serves as vice president of the Student Council and as the morning announcer at school each day. He is a member of the school’s swim team and cross country team, and he played intramural basketball for many years. To his teachers, he is a student who knows politics better than many adults, and who is just as likely to be found at a Young Republicans meeting as he is at a Young Democrats or Young Libertarians gathering. He truly enjoys hearing everyone’s perspective before formulating his own views.
“Alex is an honorable young man and a gifted leader,” said Maryangela Morgan, a guidance counselor at the school. “He is a team player and sees himself as contributing to the greater good, which will translate so well into military service.”
— Carolyn Kramer Tillman