Brinkley-Lane Scholar: Sydney Carden
Sydney Carden describes herself as welcoming, creative and family oriented, all traits she also saw in the Brinkley-Lane Scholars program when she visited East Carolina University.
“When I was invited to Selection Sunday, everyone was so welcoming, it just felt like a family. At ECU, they really wanted me to be a piece of their family, rather than just a number at their school.”
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.
Carden is eager to engage with her fellow Brinkley-Lane Scholars, saying, “It means a lot to me to be able to collaborate with such a strong group of individuals over the next four years. I am so excited take advantage of the number of opportunities that this program will provide me with.”
She was drawn to ECU’s clinical laboratory science degree and is pursuing a career in pathology.
“That’s another reason why I chose ECU, because that’s not a very common major and I like the more behind-the-scenes work compared to patient care.”
Carden said she is inspired by her grandmother’s own medical journey with polio, breast cancer and dementia. She expressed a desire to focus on helping individuals struggling with life-altering diseases through work as a pathology assistant.
“My grandma struggles with a lot of uncurable diseases and that’s pushed me to go into a career that focuses on those diseases and help take some steps in finding a cure.”
Coming into ECU, Carden is looking forward to getting involved in campus ministry and ECU’s chapter of Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA). She is also planning on studying abroad in Australia.
“My family has always wanted to travel to Sydney because of my grandfather. He was in the military, and whenever he was given leave, he always chose to go to Sydney, Australia. I think it’d be awesome to go there and get the same experiences that he did.”
Currently, Carden is in the Honors Medical Research Program through Brody School of Medicine. She is involved in the D.H. Conley chapter of HOSA, where she serves as the vice president of charitable events, and several academic honor societies.
As the daughter of Pirate alumni Chuck Carden ’01 and Vickie Carden ’03 ’07, Carden will enter ECU this fall and become a second-generation Pirate.
“It means a lot to be able to collaborate with such a strong group of individuals over the next four years.”
High school: D.H. Conley High School
Intended major: Clinical laboratory science
Current City: Greenville