Morehead-Cain Foundation Names Christopher Bradford as Next Executive Director

One of the most prestigious scholarship programs at UNC will be undergoing a change in leadership this year.

The Morehead-Cain Foundation has announced that Christopher “Chris” Bradford will be assuming the role of the foundation’s executive director this summer.

Bradford will be arriving in Chapel Hill with his wife, daughter, and 17 years of experience as an education innovator and entrepreneur. As CEO and co-founder of the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in Johannesburg, South Africa, Bradford has helped provide more than 1,300 students from 46 African countries with the chance to excel and grow into the next generation of leaders on the continent.

(Photo via Morehead-Cain Foundation)

“Talent is universal, but opportunity is not,” Bradford said in a press release. “We have sought to build programs that connect promising young people to transformational opportunities that develop their capabilities and accelerate their impact on the world.”

Charles Lovelace Jr., current executive director of the Morehead-Cain Program, announced his retirement in November of last year. Upon hearing Bradford would be assuming his position, Lovelace expressed strong confidence in the capabilities of his successor.

“I am honored that Chris will succeed me as CEO,” Lovelace said. “I admire greatly what he has built at ALA, where he has spent the past fifteen years developing and testing best practices to assess students and inspire leadership. His experience and innovative vision make him uniquely qualified to lead the Morehead-Cain Program moving forward.”

The Morehead-Cain Program was the first merit based scholarship in the United States. Since 1945, the program has funded the tuition, room and board, and various summer experiences to high-achieving students from around the world.

“I have spent my career building institutions that help young people reimagine what is possible for themselves and their societies and create the change they seek,” Bradford said. “I come to Morehead-Cain and North Carolina with tremendous respect for what has been accomplished over the past seventy-five years, and with great enthusiasm for the impact we will have in the decades to come.”

More information about the Morehead-Cain Program can be found here. To read more about Bradford and his background with the ALA, you can visit their website.

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Morehead-Cain Foundation Names Christopher Bradford as Next Executive Director

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