GREENVILLE, N.C. (5/19/2021) — A high school student from Lenoir County is among 20 selected for the EC Scholars program at East Carolina University.

The recipient is Maelee Becton, a senior at Smithfield-Selma High School, intends to major in psychology. She is the daughter of Angela and Claude Becton of Kinston.

 The EC Scholars program is ECU’s most prestigious and competitive merit-based undergraduate award. It offers students challenging learning and research experiences along with a four-year Honors College scholarship valued at nearly $64,000 that includes a study abroad stipend.

Recipients are recognized for their outstanding academic performance, commitment to community engagement and strong leadership skills.

 Finalists participated in multiple rounds of interviews and were selected from nearly 1,000 applications, the largest applicant pool to date. This year, finalists were unable to attend Selection Sunday in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, they joined ECU faculty, staff and students on Cadence, a virtual event platform where they took part in finalist interviews, a student showcase, a panel discussion and conversations with current students and alumni in one-on-one and group discussions.

 To learn more about the EC Scholars program, visit ecscholars.ecu.edu.