RCC student Ky’Aisa Roberts earns $10,000 scholarship to ECU
For Ky’Aisa Roberts, during her search for a college, all signs were pointing to East Carolina University.
Ky’Aisa is an advanced senior dually enrolled at both Robeson Community College and the RCC early college. Doing what most high school seniors do, she started the process of applying to colleges and universities early, with one of those colleges being East Carolina.
“After being accepted by ECU, I was invited to apply for the honors college program,” said Ky’Aisa.
“At first I was on edge about it.”
But she says that one particular person at Robeson Community College made all the difference in her decision to apply – Chris Walker, an English Instructor who recently passed away.
“Mr. Walker told me that I should take a chance on myself and he pushed me and convinced me to apply,” said Ky’Aisa. “We worked through that application together and all the essays that were involved in that for like a month.”
Not only did Mr. Walker help her through the application to ECU, but Ky’Aisa says that he become like a mentor to her, helping with scholarship essays and other various projects she had in school.
“He was very, very, very helpful,” said Ky’Aisa.
“I had considered UNCG, WCU, and UNCP, they had my major,” said Ky’Aisa. “But ECU took me as I am, so that’s when I decided to go with that school, and Mr. Walker really pushed it.”
Seeking Mr. Walker’s advice and assistance seemed to pay off.
“I got accepted in January,” exclaimed Ky’Aisa. “I was one of 200 students that got accepted into the honor’s program at East Carolina. I was excited. The Honors College is very prestigious, very selective, and I’m honored to be a part of it already.”
With the acceptance into the Honors College also came a $10,000 scholarship.
“I got a Centennial Fellows scholarship into the program,” said Ky’Aisa, who will receive a $2500 scholarship each year for up to four years, along with all the benefits associated with participation in the Honors College, which include a specialized housing; high impact experiences such as study abroad opportunities, internships, and international programs; priority registration, priority admission to graduate programs; and additional advising from peers.
Chris Walker was so proud of Ky’Aisa when he learned she had been accepted into the Honors program. He himself was a graduate of East Carolina, and he was excited that she would be attending his alma matter and wanted her story to be told.
“I have a great student success story that I want to tell you about,” said Walker during a phone call to the public information office at RCC. “Ky’Aisa Roberts from the Early College has been accepted into the Honors College at ECU, it’s a great opportunity for her…. I believe she is going to do great things.”
“That really sums him up,” said Ky’Aisa. “He always believed in me.”
“One of the last things Mr. Walker told me was, ‘I’m 100% sure you can create positive change wherever you go.'”
Ky’Aisa says that is something she will always remember.
“I think that’s why a lot of people choose to come to RCC. There are a lot of people around vouching for you all the time, to just explore your potential and push the boundaries, there is so much support in whatever path that you choose, even if it is unconventional.”
And, Ky’Aisa knows something about being unconventional, following a path and major into musical theatre.
“It’s my passion because I have always felt connected to music… music theatre, music composition and all the technical aspects of music and how it made me feel and how it empowered me.”
During high school, Ky’Aisa has taken classes in theatre, and fell in love with it, saying, “it’s really given me a voice over the years, and people that know me know that I’m very quiet and timid, but it has really given me a chance to shine in all the positive ways and really helped me to come out of my shell a lot.”
“It’s a very transformative art and I really think that a lot of people should participate in theatre at least once in their lives. It has the dance, the music aspect, and the acting aspect that I love, the triple trifecta, and I enjoy it. I really love it.”
Ky’Aisa hopes to one day become a professional performer, saying she loves becoming a character.
“You get to be somebody else; you learn how they move, act, and it fosters a creative process like no other.”
But she says she also looks forward to giving back to the next generation and her community.
“I really, really want to come back to Robeson County and share my gifts and try to develop the arts culture down here a little bit more than it is and expose children and young adults to all that the theatre world has to offer.”
“There is so much outside of just performing, there is tech work, there is building construction of sets, the light design, and other aspects of theatre than just being on stage because you could be a director, you could be a stage manager, all types of people come together in that sort of space and do the magic that it is.”
But in the meantime, she is looking forward to graduating from RCC and the Early College this Spring, receiving a high school diploma and an associate of arts, and then setting sail this summer to embark upon a new adventure in Greenville, as she starts a new life at ECU.
“I’m excited to meet a lot of different people from different walks of life and expand my horizons and learn new things, because being in Robeson County, you are kind of in a little bubble, and it’s a great bubble, but sometimes you get to a point where you need to burst it and see what else is out there.”
And as she does begin to explore the world around her, she has some heartfelt words of wisdom she would like to share, “If you know of anybody that is passionate in the arts, please support them. It will mean a lot to them in the end.”
Published in loving memory of Mr. Christopher Walker, an English instructor at RCC, at the request of Ky’Aisa Roberts.
