At the beginning of the program, the scholars participate in a white coat ceremony – similar to what aspiring physicians go through as they transition to the clinical study of medicine. “The goal is that the white coat symbolizes a level of maturity and performance to them, that’s the best that they can deliver,” says Zoe Draelos.

In Dr. Shabnam Hematian’s chemistry lab, Draelos Scholars are assisting graduate students and postdocs with National Science Foundation-funded experiments.

In Dr. Jasmine DeJesus’ child development lab, Draelos Scholars are helping communicate research findings to a broader audience and working with children and families at places such as the Greensboro Children’s Museum.

Both UNCG professors – among 12 faculty mentors for this year’s cohort – have had Draelos Scholars come back and work with them as undergraduate students.

DeJesus says the Draelos Scholars and their fresh perspectives energize her. “They renew my own enthusiasm for the work that we’re doing,” she says. “I encourage students to stay in touch, let me know how things turn out.”

“We support them, write recommendation letters for college – it’s been a great experience,” adds Hematian.

Aidan Hunt – now a third-year student majoring in computer science and linguistics at UNC-Chapel Hill – was a Draelos Scholar in Hematian’s lab in 2019. The experience, he says, gave him an inside look at the life of a scientist.

He talked about his Draelos Scholars experience in his college essays and admissions interviews, he says, and it’s even come up in a recent interview for a summer internship.

For Dave, in this years’ cohort, the work helping synthesize potential new cancer drugs has reinforced her interest in pursuing medicine. She can see herself as a doctor running human trials for potential cancer treatments – “helping research get to its final step,” she says.

“The Draelos Scholars program is one of many ways UNCG is redefining what it means to be a public research university,” says Shelton. “We are focused on knowledge, student, and regional transformation.” An important part of that, she adds, is preparing students for the workforce.

The Draeloses’ ability to take their own experiences and transfer those lessons to students is what makes them so effective as philanthropists, says Paul Lessard, president of the High Point Community Foundation, which manages the fund that supports the Draelos Scholars program.

“I think that what Mike and Zoe are showing here is that everyone can be a philanthropist,” Lessard says. “I respect the fact that they’ve taken their passion and they’ve turned it into something remarkable that will impact, literally, generations of kids.”