Binyam ’26 earns prestigious Morehead-Cain Scholarship

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has selected Binyam Dunne '26 to be a Morehead-Cain Scholar. The highly selective scholarship includes the full cost of attending UNC-Chapel Hill for four years of study as well as numerous enrichment opportunities.
Binyam Dunne '26 has earned the Morehead-Cain Scholarship at the University of North Carolina, perhaps the most difficult scholarship to earn, along with the Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia, among the many heralded merit scholarships at universities around the country.

He is one of 69 scholars representing thirty-three North Carolina counties, 15 states and the District of Columbia, and seven countries. Their academic interests span the sciences, health professions, public policy, business, and the humanities, from biomedical engineering and environmental science to philosophy, languages, and music. In addition to a fully funded undergraduate scholarship to one of the nation’s foremost public research universities, Binyam and scholars gain access to a network of peers and mentors, challenging internships and summer experiences, and an opportunity to travel the world.

As a 2025 Lois McMullan Scholar at USN, Binyam is among a small group of seniors who have led the school community during their final year. He serves as Student Council Secretary, Community Action Day Committee Co-Chair, Secretary General of Tennessee Model United Nations, as a Floor Leader for Youth in Government, and as a Tennessee delegate to the U.S. Senate Youth Program. He is a Peer Educator and Assistant, and he captains the state runner-up Mock Trial team and track & field team. Earlier this year, he spoke on the Senate floor of the Tennessee General Assembly about his experience with the Tennessee Center for Civic Engagement. He will also serve on the Tennessee delegation to the Conference on National Affairs this summer before beginning his time as a Morehead-Cain Scholar. Through the Morehead-Cain Program, he will take an international gap year before he returns to study global studies and peace, war, and defense at Carolina.

The process of selecting the new class of Morehead-Cain Scholars occurs over the course of six months and includes application review, virtual and in-person interviews, and other activities. The selection process relies on the expertise of foundation staff and hundreds of alumni interviewers and volunteer evaluators. Candidates enter the process via nomination from a partnering school or program (all eligible in-state students may apply through self-nomination). The UNC Office of Undergraduate Admissions also refers strong Early Action applicants to the process.

“We welcome the newest Morehead-Cain Scholars at a moment when principled leadership has never mattered more,” said Chris Bradford, president of the Morehead-Cain Foundation. “These scholars were chosen not only for their intellect and capacity for leadership, but for the strength of their character. By joining the Morehead-Cain Program, we challenge them to pursue lives defined by moral ambition, not just achievement.”  

Since its founding in 1945, the Morehead-Cain Program has been a model for countless merit scholarships throughout the United States and the world. These include the University of Virginia’s Jefferson Scholars Program, Duke University’s Benjamin N. Duke Scholars Program, and Emory University’s Woodruff Scholars Program.

Back

School News

List of 3 news stories.

Archive

Athletics News

List of 3 news stories.

  • HS athletics recaps for September 11-17

    Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.
    Read More

  • MS athletics recaps for September 11-17

    Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.
    Read More

  • MTB Race #2 Report - Rockabilly Ridge Trails, Oakfield, TN

    Steve Smail
    The MTB team returned to the the twisty trails of tranquil Oakfield, TN on Sept 13th to take part in the second race of the season, as part of the 5-race series hosted by the NICA/TICL League.
    Read More

Contact

Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212

Phone:  615-321-8000
Fax:       615-321-0889 
Email:    info@usn.org

River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218

Resources

USN Mission: 
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.