Six students selected as 2025 Burch Fellows
Six students were selected as recipients of the 2025 Burch Fellowship to pursue unique, self-defined educational experiences anywhere off UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus.
The Burch Fellows Program was established in 1993 by a gift from UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus Lucius E. Burch, III. Its purpose is to recognize undergraduate students at Carolina who possess extraordinary ability, promise, and imagination. The students propose self-designed endeavors that will make a demonstrable difference in the selected Burch Fellows’ lives and enable them to pursue a passionate interest in a way and to a degree not otherwise possible. Funding of up to $7,000 is available towards the expenses of each proposed project.
To be chosen as a Burch Fellow, an applicant must present convincing evidence of exceptional intellectual, creative, civic, or leadership ability and promise through the application, recommendations, and interview. The proposed fellowship experience should allow the pursuit of an intense interest well beyond the scope of an academic course, a vocational commitment, a summer job, internship, or enrichment program. All Carolina undergraduates who meet eligibility requirements may apply.
Mina Bayraktar (’26) is a third-year neuroscience major from Cary, North Carolina with a passion for healthcare equity. She has gained hands-on research experience at the Frohlich Lab, where she studies interbrain synchronization during therapy sessions, and has volunteered in earthquake-hit regions of Turkiye to provide psychosocial support to children. For her Burch Fellowship, Mina will travel to Turkiye to research and conduct interviews with Syrian refugees to explore how Turkish health policies impact their access to care. Her project aims to compare the healthcare systems in Turkiye and the U.S., identify gaps in healthcare services, and propose improvements to address the unique challenges faced by displaced populations. As an Arabic minor and a native Turkish speaker, Mina is super excited to connect with communities and gather meaningful insights. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in medicine, focusing on underserved populations and maternal health.
Hannah Berhane (’26) is studying global studies and romance languages with a minor in data science. Passionate about migration and community building, Hannah will travel to Lisbon, Portugal to study how musical spaces cultivate belonging for Brazilian and Cape Verdean immigrants in Portugal. In doing so, she hopes to highlight the resilience and cultural contributions of immigrants in Portugal. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Hannah loves language learning, the arts, and history. Upon graduating from UNC, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D or attend law school.
Oumou Hardy (’27) is an Alexandria, Virginia native studying public policy and computer science. Inspired by her passion for addressing disparities in digital access and opportunity, Oumou will use her Burch Fellowship to travel to Accra, Ghana. Working with a business development firm, she will analyze the role of technologies and artificial intelligence in driving economic growth and improving access to public services. Oumou is particularly interested in empowering women and rural populations through digital literacy and accessible technology. Following her time at Carolina, she plans to pursue a career in public service, leveraging technology to advance equity and empower underserved communities.
Darby Mcbride (’27) is from Mooresville, North Carolina and is a double-major in Gillings community & global health and IDST human rights with a minor in public policy. She will use her Burch Fellowship to study the intersection of art and storytelling among women in Rwanda. She will be interning at a local NGO working on designing artistic workshops and expanding access for rural artists. Darby is passionate about the decolonization of global health, understanding art as a form of resistance, and peace building in post-conflict areas. After graduation, she hopes to become a Fulbright Scholar and pursue work in humanitarian aid and international law.
Bella Russell (’27) is from Apex, North Carolina studying biology. Bella will use the Burch Fellowship to work at Dr. Goda’s lab in the University of Tokyo to develop her knowledge of lab techniques used in biochemical research. She will also be working with the Cellular Agricultural Institute of the Commons (CAIC) to inform the public about the innovations in alternative protein research happening in Japan. Bella hopes to do her part in increasing food security and environmental sustainability through the development of alternative proteins such as lab grown meat. She will continue pursuing alternative protein research after graduating from UNC.
Hallie Stallings (’26) is from Chevy Chase, MD studying public policy, African studies, and education. For her Burch Fellowship, she will travel to Marrakech, Morocco to study participatory development. Following her time in Morocco, she will then live in the Dzama village, located near Lilongwe, Malawi for eight weeks. There, she will implement a family literacy program and propose a new curriculum for the preschool. Her project will support her senior Honors thesis on the efficacy of preschool curriculums in developing countries. After graduating from UNC, she intends to work for an NGO in Sub-Saharan Africa before pursuing a Ph.D. in international development.
You can find 2024 Burch Fellows project posters and videos on our Past Burch Fellows page.
Read more about the Burch Fellowship here.
Honors Carolina contact: Gina Difino, (919) 962-9680, Gina_Difino@unc.edu
