UNC has announced eight incoming freshmen and two rising juniors as this years Global Gap Year Fellowship recipients.

The fellowship allows the students to defer a year of university enrollment to travel internationally for a combination of study, work and volunteer service.

While the fellowship is generally exclusively awarded to incoming freshman, a collaboration with student run The Meantime Coffee Co. enabled the program to grant two inaugural Bridge Year Fellowships to rising juniors Araseli Valverde and Kaitlin Galindo.

The Meantime’s co-founders Keegan McBride and Scott Diekema started the company in hopes to provide students with these types of opportunities.

“We are thrilled to be living out our mission within our first year by funding scholarships for two students. We owe that feat entirely to our customers who gave us a tremendous amount of support this past year,” said Diekema, a rising senior. “As The Meantime grows in the years to come, I am excited to see how we can further our reinvestment into the community.”

GGYF program director Sarah Smith is pleased with the progression of the fellowship.

“Each year the caliber of our applications increases as more students become aware of the benefits of a gap year,” said Smith. “I’m hopeful that this diverse cohort will continue and expand upon the legacy of public service and global citizenship that previous Fellows have created.”

The recipients of this year’s fellowship are as follows:

• Shelby Watson
• Viktoria Alston
• Janis Arrojado
• Araseli Valverde
• Natalie Barth
• Jennings Dixon
• Katie Huge
• Georgia Morgan

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