Brinkley-Lane Scholar: Isabella Dameron
For Isabella Dameron, the fact that she’s a Brinkley-Lane Scholar at East Carolina University still doesn’t feel real.
“I don’t think it’s going to fully sink in that I got a full ride to college until I’m an adult, making my own money, and realizing this is such a blessing to come out of college without any debt,” she said.
The 18-year-old Greenville native grew up around ECU and has several family members who are Pirates, including her parents, Timothy and Allison Dameron, and her grandparents. Although she’s always loved it, her mom wanted to make sure she toured other schools to ensure it was the right fit. Attending Selection Sunday to interview for the Brinkley-Lane Scholars program was the event that truly clinched her decision.
“Everyone I met seemed to know what they wanted to do in life and had goals and a purpose,” she said. “It was such a welcoming community, and I could totally picture myself there, whereas at other colleges, I hadn’t really pictured myself going there.”
Housed in the Honors College, the Brinkley-Lane Scholars program is 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. Both in-state and out-of-state recipients receive a fully funded education, covering the cost of tuition, fees, room and board, and high impact experiences. Included in the scholarship is the ability to explore the world and pursue additional educational opportunities with a $5,000 study abroad stipend and a $3,000 enrichment scholarship. Scholars benefit from access to an array of leadership opportunities, research with award-winning faculty and a robust alumni network.
An aspect of the program that excites Dameron is the study abroad component. She spoke to a current scholar about studying abroad in Italy at ECU’s Tuscany campus.
“She talked about how she traveled on the weekend, so she got to see different countries that way,” Dameron said. “My mom’s heritage is Greek. Her grandfather was an immigrant from Greece. We’ve always wanted to go see Greece and that’s something that’s been on my bucket list.”
While at ECU, Dameron plans to major in marketing due to her passion of finding creative ways to connect people with ideas, products or causes that matter. Her work at Buzzadelic, a local marketing agency, over the last two years while she attended J.H. Rose High School has cemented her passion for the field. Pursuing a master’s degree is in her future plans so that she can potentially open her own business one day.
During her first year, Dameron plans to make the most of every opportunity.
“I’m really excited to get to know my cohort and build new friendships,” she said. “That’s something I’ve really been looking forward to after graduating high school is finding another community.”
“It was such a welcoming community, and I could totally picture myself there, whereas at other colleges, I hadn’t really pictured myself going there.”
High school: J.H. Rose High School
Intended major: Marketing
Current City: Greenville