Second time’s a charm for two: Robertson takes UNC freshmen

Jordan Imbrey came to the Robertson Scholars Program later than most.

After being rejected as a high school applicant, he didn’t even apply as a freshman until a week before it was due because he didn’t know it was an option.

“Once I applied, I thought it was a long shot, but maybe in my wildest dreams,” he said.

Those dreams were fulfilled Tuesday afternoon when he received a congratulatory call — one that a freshman couldn’t have received two years ago.

The program, which provides UNC and Duke University students with full merit scholarships and the chance to study at both campuses, invited freshmen to apply for the first time last year. It also funds up to three summers of travel.

Previously, only high school seniors could apply.

Because of the change, freshmen Imbrey and Stefanie Schwemlein from UNC and Alex Bloedel and Kaitlin Gladney from Duke will join the Robertson class of 2014.

Imbrey and Schwemlein both had their applications rejected as high school seniors, but Imbrey said many of his accomplishments occurred between his two applications.

His superhero movie was featured at the Charlotte Jewish Film Festival in early March.

And Schwemlein said she has since helped organize the first China Leadership Summit, a collaboration between UNC, Duke and Chinese officials that resulted in two days of symposiums on both campuses.

“We’ve shown in our first one-and-a-half semesters that we’ve found something we’re passionate about in our heart, we’ve pursued it academically with our mind and we’ve put it into action with what we do,” Schwemlein said.

Gladney, the co-founder of Duke’s chapter of To Write Love on her Arms, said she didn’t apply for the scholarship in high school, but became interested because her roommate is in the program.

“After having been exposed to the people and the program … it was kind of a no-brainer to apply for it,” she said.

Schwemlein said she applied partly because scholars she met said the program develops a supportive community.

“There’s this real opportunity for collaboration, to go further than we would otherwise go,” she said.

Imbrey said he immediately felt welcomed into the Robertson community and isn’t worried about entering the program late.

“Everybody is going to be excited to see who we are,” he said.
Still, both Imbrey and Schwemlein say their allegiances remain with UNC.

“Come basketball season, we will always be rivals,” Schwemlein said. “We’re Tar Heels for life, although academically, we’ve decided on Tar Devil.”

Contact the University Editor at university@dailytarheel.com.