The 17th annual Kenan Institute Student Awards were presented at a ceremony and celebration April 17 in the Kenan Lounge at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. The five awards, presented through a generous gift from the William R. Kenan, Jr. Fund, are given annually each year to recognize students who have exhibited outstanding service and commitment by exceeding expectations during their tenure at UNC Kenan-Flagler and at the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise through its Luther Hodges Scholars program.
The 2024 Kenan Institute Student Award winners:
Rollie Tillman Outstanding Achievement Award: Emily Caprioglio
Named in honor of Rollie Tillman Jr., the Kenan Institute’s first director and UNC Kenan-Flagler professor emeritus of marketing, the Rollie Tillman Outstanding Achievement Award recognizes a graduating undergraduate student’s superior contributions to community betterment efforts. The student has displayed superior leadership in and out of the classroom and leaves a lasting impact through their work and service to the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise. The recipient is honored with a certificate and a $2,000 award.
Emily Caprioglio of Apex, N.C., Class of 2026 and a Luther Hodges Scholar, is this year’s honoree. Caprioglio believes that the best leaders are developed by their peers and for their peers and are grounded in a commitment to honesty and empathy. Graduating in May with a major in business administration and minors in public policy and women and gender studies, Caprioglio’s professional interests are in strategy; environmental, social and governance; and policy.
Nominators describe her as the epitome of a student leader and a kind and generous person. Recognized for her work with the Luther Hodges Scholars Student Leadership Council, Kenan-Flagler community and Carolina Housing, nominators acknowledged Emily’s ability to inspire and support fellow students. After graduation, she will work at EY-Parthenon in the Washington, D.C., area.
Thomas A. & Yolanda K. Stith Leadership Award: Luke Pollo
Named for the founder of the Kenan Institute’s award-winning economic development center, NCGrowth, and his wife, the former vice chair of the North Carolina Industrial Commission, this award commemorates the Stiths’ commitment to academia, entrepreneurship and service. This award is given to an exceptional graduating graduate student who has demonstrated outstanding scholarship and exemplary leadership. The selected student shows a clear commitment to leadership, academic achievement, entrepreneurship and community service, and a passion for economic growth throughout the state of North Carolina and beyond. The recipient is honored with a certificate and $500 award.
Luke Pollo is this year’s honoree. Graduating with a master’s degree in city and regional planning, he is an advocate for sustainable, equitable and resilient local and regional economies. Nominators describe Pollo as being diligent and persistent. They also praised his tenacious and resilient spirit throughout his time working with NCGrowth, a Kenan Institute-affiliated center working nationally to build an economy with opportunities to prosper for all.
John Kasarda Research Excellence Award: Hunter Vaughan
The John Kasarda Research Excellence Award is given to a Luther Hodges Scholar who has carried out research of the highest caliber and exemplifies the future of thought leadership. Named for the longest-serving director of the Kenan Institute and Kenan Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, the award recognizes a Luther Hodges Scholar who has achieved excellence in research. The recipient is honored with a certificate and a $500 award.
Hunter Vaughan, Class of 2024 and a Luther Hodges Scholar, is this year’s honoree. Graduating with majors in business administration and public policy, his senior thesis – titled “Increasing the Power of the Vote: Ranked Choice Voting and Partisan Sentiment” – explores the two major political parties’ understanding of and support for ranked choice voting. Upon graduation in May, Vaughan will join McKinsey & Co. as a business analyst in the Washington, D.C., office.
Vaughan’s nominators praised his research proficiency, intellectual curiosity and commitment to success. They also spoke of his leadership both inside and outside of the classroom as a Morehead-Cain Scholar, Luther Hodges Scholar, student government representative and youth baseball coach.
James “Jim” Johnson Policy Impact Award: Kesan Ucheya
Named for the director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center at the Kenan Institute and William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, the James “Jim” Johnson Policy Impact Award recognizes a Kenan-Flagler undergraduate whose work and service engages with the broader local, state, national or international communities and has made outstanding contributions to changing the world for the better. The recipient is honored with a certificate and $500 award.
Kesan Ucheya, Class of 2024 and a Luther Hodges Scholar, is this year’s honoree. Graduating in May with a degree in business administration, Kesan has spent much of his college tenure exploring the use of economic development as a lever for change.
Nominators describe Ucheya as dedicated and passionate. They also acknowledged his innovative approaches to problem-solving through his policy work locally with NCGrowth, nationally with the Poverty Alleviation Initiative, and internationally with Rwandan genocide survivors. Upon graduation, he will join Deloitte Consulting in the Washington, D.C., office
Frank Hawkins Kenan Distinguished Scholar Medal: Irfaun Karim
Named for the Kenan Institute’s founder and benefactor, the late Frank Hawkins Kenan, the award commemorates his legacy, vision and belief in private enterprise and the entrepreneurial spirit to stimulate economic prosperity and improve the lives of people in North Carolina, across the country and around the world. The Frank Hawkins Kenan Distinguished Scholar Medal is awarded to a distinguished senior Luther Hodges Scholar who has endeavored to serve the scholars program, the Kenan Institute, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and communities beyond with distinction. The recipient is honored with a medal and a $500 award.
Irfaun Karim, Class of 2024 and Luther Hodges Scholar, is this year’s honoree. From soccer fields in L.A. to classrooms in Buenos Aires, Karim has cultivated meaningful bonds in an array of environments.
Karim is described by his nominators as epitomizing the essence of Kenan-Flagler’s core values through his unwavering commitment to using business as the vehicle for societal change. Nominators also praised his authenticity, his infectious positivity and his impactful work with Mi Pueblo, Kenan-Flagler, and the Kenan Institute. Graduating with degrees in business administration and global studies, he will work as a Haslam Sports Group Diversity Fellow, poised to make a contribution to both the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer.