Brinkley-Lane Scholar: Penny Smith
Penelope Smith, Penny to those close to her, is proper Asheboro. All her family are for that matter. Her parents and grandparents attended the same high school as her. Her mother is an assistant principal at the middle school, and her father teaches technology and design at the high school, where she will graduate in June.
To say education is important for the Smiths is putting it mildly.
Penny’s older brother Calvin will graduate this year from Chowan University, where he played on the soccer team. Her mother is also graduating from UNC-Greensboro with a master’s in school administration.
“It’s a big year for us; we’ll have three graduations,” Smith said.
After she turns her tassel, Smith join ECU as one of 21 Brinkley-Lane Scholars, the most prestigious undergraduate award program offered at ECU.
Housed in the Honors College, 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.
Smith has played all four years on the Asheboro High School soccer team. The Blue Comets, and the community that supports them, have deepened the sense of connection to her home.
Community is very important to Smith, even if she doesn’t know the members of that community — yet.
In 2023 she and two close friends were compelled to start a nonprofit — Maddie’s Mission — that raises money for care packages for children receiving cancer treatment across North Carolina. One of the girl’s cousins was diagnosed with kidney cancer when she was 18 months old. Over three years they have raised more than $10,000 and delivered over 200 care packages, often in person, and have extended that sense of community by involving clubs from their school.
Smith’s education has been split between traditional high school coursework and classes at Randolph Community College. She’ll start her time at ECU with nearly two years of general classes completed, which she hopes will give her some breathing room to explore university life outside of the classroom.
One of the requirements of the Brinkley-Lane program is to spend time overseas, to broaden student perspectives. Her hope is to travel to Tuscany, Italy, with ECU’s long-running summer study abroad program.
“I haven’t even been outside of the U.S. Everyone I’ve talked to who has been to the ECU satellite campus has nothing but praise for it,” Smith said.
Nursing might seem a left turn for a kid from a family of educators, but Smith said the experiences she’s had with Maddie’s Mission have given her a sense of purpose.
“Maddie’s Mission has shown me what it would be to have a life of service,” Smith said. “Recently I got the opportunity for an internship in a cancer center. As depressing as that can be, the people are amazing and they just need somebody to talk to.”
After touring ECU’s campuses and the College of Nursing with Emma Roming, a current Brinkley-Lane Scholar and nursing student, she was all in.
“I was just so impressed with everything that the program had to offer. I thought, “Oh yeah, I’m definitely coming here,’” Smith said.
Despite being the captain of her soccer team, founder of a nonprofit that helps kids in cancer treatment and now a Brinkley-Lane Scholar, Smith sees herself as a young woman who is no different than her peers.
“I’m just your regular high achieving student, trying to do my best,” Smith said.
“I was just so impressed with everything that the program had to offer. I thought, ‘Oh yeah, I’m definitely coming here.’”
High school: Asheboro High School
Intended major: Nursing
Current City: Asheboro