Sophie Davis
The chance to be a part of a close and passionate community drew 18-year-old Sophie Davis to the Brinkley-Lane Scholars program.
“I adore hearing about other people’s goals, interests and drives, and as a Brinkley-Lane Scholar, I’m already surrounded by those people,” said the Denver, North Carolina native. “Additionally, being a Brinkley-Lane Scholar means having a community of people dedicated to helping me succeed, both in my career and life in general, for which I am so grateful and excited.”
Davis felt that dedication to their success before even receiving the Brinkley-Lane Scholar offer letter.
“Everyone at ECU made me feel seen, involved and taken care of all throughout the application process,” she said. “I never had an email go unanswered, a question be disregarded or had the feeling that I would not be able to thrive in ECU’s environment.”
Davis is one of 20 who received the Brinkley Lane Scholars award, the most prestigious undergraduate award program offered at ECU. The four-year merit scholarship recognizes outstanding academic performance, commitment to community engagement and strong leadership skills. Recipients receive a fully funded education, covering the cost of tuition, fees, room and board for both in-state and out-of-state students and unique high impact experiences, as well as the ability to explore the world with a $5,000 study abroad stipend. Scholars benefit from access to an array of leadership opportunities, research with award-winning faculty and a robust alumni network.
ECU’s motto of “servire” is one that Davis already practices with her involvement in the special needs community at their high school, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. Their hope is to continue that involvement while at ECU, with an interest in the SustainabiliBEES club, an ECU organization dedicated to the Greenville pollinator population.
Davis plans to major in engineering with a concentration in biomedical and is keen to get involved in research designed to help people.
“I want to get involved in tissue engineering specifically to create personalized treatments using patients’ own cells, reducing the risk of rejection, and also paving the way for new medicine involving organ regeneration,” they said. “The growing organ donor list that many people die before reaching is a huge issue I hope to address in my career by researching how we can help organs heal using what the body already has.”
Before potentially attending graduate school and obtaining a doctoral degree, Davis is excited to soak in all of the experiences and connections that being a Brinkley-Lane Scholar will provide, including the chance to grow with their cohort for the next four years and study abroad.
While they don’t have a specific location in mind for future study abroad experience, they would love to visit a city in a cooler climate with natural scenery and the option to be a little more secluded.
Before arriving at ECU this fall, Davis plans to focus on non-academic passions, including kayaking, meeting fellow future Pirates, hiking in the mountains and spending time with their sister.
Davis’ parents are Carly and Michael Davis of Greensboro.
“Everyone at ECU made me feel seen, involved and taken care of all throughout the application process.”
High school: North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
Intended major: Engineering
Hometown: Denver