Nora McCunney
A love for nursing runs strong through Nora McCunney because of volunteer experiences and family ties — but she hopes to make her own mark on the profession someday.
McCunney, 18, is a member of the newest class of EC Scholars, 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 an Honors College scholarship and a stipend for study abroad for a total value of nearly $64,000.
McCunney also was accepted into the early assurance program for nursing; she is guaranteed a spot in the College of Nursing’s bachelor of science in nursing program and has the opportunity to enter the doctoral program upon completion of her undergraduate degree and satisfaction of the program requirements.
She is the daughter of Kathleen Brewer and Dennis McCunney, both of Greenville.
“I was absolutely stunned when I found out, to be honest,” she said of the early assurance program. “I’m so excited to work with all the amazing people and mentors within the program and to initiate my research so early to really enhance my educational experience.”
Growing up in Greenville, McCunney always pictured herself going away to college. When she toured ECU during a handful of college campus visits, she felt right at home in ways she never expected.
“I really did feel at home on campus, and I didn’t feel that way anywhere else,” she said.
With family members in nursing and experiences as a volunteer at Vidant Medical Center, McCunney is looking forward to beginning her nursing education. She hopes to become a nurse practitioner and eventually teach nursing to encourage young people to pursue careers in health care.
Work and travel are on her agenda for this summer, but studying abroad in Latin America is already on her to-do list.
“I think it’s extremely important to be able to communicate well with people, so being able to speak another language would be incredibly beneficial,” McCunney said. “It would be amazing to be able to continue practicing Spanish while also being able to learn and immerse myself in another culture.”
McCunney is also looking forward to taking advantage of volunteer and research opportunities while pursuing new interests, as she has watched other EC Scholars achieve.
“I was able to see how well each individual was supported in following their passions while also being able to serve and excel in the community,” she said. “Even though that looked different for everyone, it was still beautifully done in so many ways.”
“Being an EC Scholar is an extraordinary honor. So many of the other scholars continue to inspire me — not only in my cohort, but everyone in the program.”
High School: D.H. Conley High School
Intended major: Nursing
Hometown: Greenville