CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Sarah Followill, a senior on the University of North Carolina fencing team, has received the 2023 Wells Fargo Postgraduate Scholarship, a $10,000 grant presented annually to a UNC senior student-athlete who plans to attend graduate school. The Wells Fargo announcement was part of the Rams Club’s Endowed Scholarship Dinner, held at the Carolina Club on Feb. 10.
Followill, a foil fencer from Atlanta, Ga., will graduate from Carolina in May after majoring in environmental studies with minors in geographic information science and studio art. She plans to earn a Master of Architecture degree with a focus in sustainable architecture.
“Sarah is such an asset to our team,” UNC fencing coach Matt Jednak said. “She is completely selfless and works so hard to make sure the team and coaches come first. I’m so proud of her and ecstatic she is receiving this award.”
In addition to the Wells Fargo honor, Followill has earned the G. Herbert Stout Award for Innovative Student Projects in GIS and placed first in the 2022 UNC GIS Map Day Competition. She has made the Dean’s List and garnered Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Honor Roll recognition all four years while at Carolina.
“I am honored to receive this scholarship, and I look forward to putting it to good use in aiding my educational and creative journeys in architecture school,” Followill said. “Thank you to Wells Fargo for their generosity.”
Wells Fargo has been a sponsor of Carolina Athletics for 20 years. In addition to the annual postgraduate scholarship, the company also partners with the Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy to teach all UNC student-athletes financial literacy and an understanding of basic money management concepts. The training is designed help them make wise financial choices now and after they graduate.
“Wells Fargo is proud to support Sarah as she continues her education and pursues her dreams,” said Mike Golden, who presented the scholarship to Followill and serves as the Executive Vice President and Regional Director of Wells Fargo’s Piedmont Triad, Triangle and Eastern North Carolina regions. “She stands out as an incredibly accomplished young woman and someone who has been and will continue to be successful in whatever she does.
“Our relationship with UNC is about much more than what happens on the fields or courts. It’s about working with student-athletes to prepare them and their teammates for the future. Their collective success is vital to keeping our communities strong and prosperous. Wells Fargo is committed to providing them and all students with every possible opportunity to achieve their dreams.”
– UNC –
LEARFIELD’s Tar Heel Sports Properties, longtime multimedia rightsholder for Carolina Athletics, oversees all aspects of Wells Fargo’s sponsorship.