Raleigh, N.C. May 28, 2015 – Forty Nine Triangle and Sandhills-area students have been awarded $1,000 scholarships from Ronald McDonald House Charities of North Carolina (RMHC of NC) and local McDonald’s owner/operators for outstanding academic achievement and community involvement. The local scholars are among a number of students from across the state that received college scholarships from RMHC of NC and local McDonald’s franchisees.

All scholarship recipients will be recognized at an awards reception on Thursday, May 28 in the courtyard at WakeMed Hospital at 3000 New Bern Ave. in Raleigh starting at 4 p.m.

“Each year, I am impressed by the applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to furthering their education," said Triangle-area McDonald’s Owner/Operator Doris Huebner. "It’s an honor to reward these 49 students these scholarships. Through programs like this and other local education-based initiatives, McDonald’s owner/operators in the Triangle and Sandhills area are committed to supporting our students' pursuits of their higher education goals.”

The fifteen RMHC scholarship recipients were chosen based on their leadership skills, academic success, community involvement, financial need and a personal essay describing how they intend to make a difference in society.

This year’s local RMHC Scholars are:

Melinda Kauffman, Fuquay-Varina, N.C. Kathleen Rubio, Raleigh, N.C.

Brittany Williams, Henderson, N.C. Celeta Smith, Moncure, N.C.

Melanie Stewart , Robbins, N.C. Michael Rose, Raeford, N.C.

Heather Lundquist, Wake Forest, N.C. Ronald Harris, Durham, N.C.

Eunkyeol Han, Chapel Hill, N.C. Kai-Yin Hsu, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Rianne Troutman, Chapel Hill, N.C. Kai- Ching Hsu, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Caroline Jenkins, Nashville, N.C. Michael Tran, Fuquay-Varina, N.C.

Roger Villarreal, Raleigh, N.C.

In addition to the RMHC Scholars, 34 local McDonald’s employees were awarded with $1,000 Ray Kroc Youth Achievement Award Scholarships. These scholarships are awarded to McDonald’s employees who are furthering their secondary education and have made significant contributions to their communities and achieved academic success.

This year’s Ray Kroc Scholarship recipients include:

Malik Taylor, Oxford, N.C. Adriel Bahe-Sandoval, Smithfield, N.C.

Sarah Kirkland, Oxford, N.C. Charles Smith, Clayton, N.C.

Ricardo Trejo, Raleigh, N.C. Tavish Mitchel, Raleigh, N.C.

Jaslyn Mott, Durham, N.C. Elise Phinazee, Wake Forest, N.C.

Quanesha Whitley, Kenly, N.C. Ashley Elliott, Oxford, N.C.

Brannon Daughty, Louisburg, N.C. Kayla Hill, Creedmoor, N.C.

Nadalie Harris, Oxford, N.C. Stephanie Luna, Four Oaks, N.C.

Kenya McKillion, Garner, N.C. Savannah Eason, Goldsboro, N.C.

Jenny Bautista, Four Oaks, N.C. Shannon Lide, Raeford, N.C.

Harry Knight, III, Raleigh, N.C. Jasmine Murdock-Moore, Hope Mills, N.C.

Ashley Cook, Clayton, N.C. Jose Vargas-Calero, Four Oaks, N.C.

Gregory Stewart, Garner, N.C. Zachary Hollenbeck, Fayetteville, N.C.

Diandra Robinson, Four Oaks, N.C. Azaria Simmons, Fayetteville, N.C.

Kieran Raines, Angier, N.C. Shante Newman, Roxboro, N.C.

Amanda Styron, Benson, N.C. Courtney Thorpe, Fuquay-Varina, N.C.

Rachel Kimble, Clayton, N.C. Cianci Glaspie, Goldsboro, N.C.

Parth Upadhyaya, Raleigh, N.C. Leanna Wilkins, Mt. Olive, N.C.

About RMHC of NC

RMHC of NC is committed to the health and well-being of children. From the six Ronald McDonald Houses in North Carolina that serve as “homes away from home” for families with seriously ill children to annual scholarships and grants for community programming, their outreach touches thousands of children each year. RMHC of NC, an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is based in Raleigh, NC, and is governed by a board of directors comprised of business, civic leaders, and McDonald's representatives.

About McDonald’s

McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with over 35,000 locations serving approximately 70 million customers in over 100 countries each day. More than 80% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business men and women.

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