CFCC graduate receives full scholarship to Amherst College

Self-taught business analyst Philip White decided to return to school to pursue a formal education. He found a passion for politics and economics and knew that a college degree would improve his career options. The Whiteville native decided to begin his education journey at CFCC.

WHY CFCC?

Proximity, flexibility, and affordability are among the reasons White chose CFCC. CFCC’s campus location is convenient to his home. Since he works full-time, the flexibility of online courses worked with his schedule.

Affordability was a significant factor in choosing CFCC. Attending CFCC for the first two years made financial sense. Saving money upfront would help reduce the overall cost of college and lower student loan debts.

REPRESENTING ON CAMPUS

Even though most of White’s classes were online, he stayed active on campus. White was a student ambassador and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) member.

His student ambassador duties included giving campus tours. White enjoyed interacting with potential students and showing off the campus. He also liked to talk up one of his favorite stops – the Learning Lab.

“On tours, I always praised the free access to CFCC’s resources,” shared White. “Particularly the Learning Lab. I believe it is a sign of maturity to seek assistance. I want to reduce the stigma associated with tutoring or asking for help.”

REPRESENTING OFF CAMPUS

White was also active with CFCC’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) chapter, an international honor society recognizing community college students’ academic achievements. After being inducted into PTK, White became an officer of CFCC’s chapter.

He also served as president of the PTK Carolinas Region and as a liaison to the region for CFCC’s chapter. White traveled around the country, representing PTK chapters from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Bermuda.

White’s participation in the honor society gave him access to further scholarship opportunities. As a result, he was chosen as a recipient of a $1,500 scholarship for the 2023 Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholars program. The selection process for this prestigious award was based on his scores from the All-USA Academic Team competition, which received over 2,400 applications this year.

MOVING FORWARD

White initially had plans to stay close to home while earning his bachelor’s degree. However, he decided to consider options outside of his zip code. He applied to Columbia University and Amherst College – two well-respected colleges.

When he received his acceptance letter from Amherst College, he knew he had to jump at the opportunity. With a full scholarship ahead of him, White knew he could afford to make this move.

“We are very proud of Philip. He is an extraordinary student with much extracurricular experience and activities to add to his resume,” explained CFCC English Instructor and Honors Program Faculty Advisor John Metzger. “Students aiming for high-tier schools should take note. If Philip can do it, then they can too.”

WORDS OF WISDOM

White is excited about the next phase in his education and believes that others can experience success through CFCC. He encourages and inspires adult learners to consider the available possibilities by sharing his journey on his social media account.

“The opportunities I have now are because I attended Cape Fear Community College,” White commented. “My service with Phi Theta Kappa offered me many opportunities to develop my leadership skills further and opened doors for networking outside the college.”

If you want to learn more about planning your next career move, visit CFCC’s Career Development webpage .