Durham Tech student selected as Goodnight Scholar at NC State

A Durham Tech Associate in Engineering graduate has been named a 2023 Goodnight Scholar.

Samuel Korvie, 21, has been selected for the Goodnight Scholars program Transfer Class of 2023 at North Carolina State University.

“I honestly can't explain the feeling. I can simply say my mood was shot to its most positive state,” he said. “It felt like I had just won a presidential election.”

Acceptance into the program includes a scholarship of $20,500 per academic year, renewable for up to three years. It is available to low and middle-income families from North Carolina and is limited to students studying in the STEM disciplines or affiliated education majors.

Korvie is one of 70 recipients from 34 North Carolina counties. Fifty high school students were chosen for the traditional cohort and 20 community college students were chosen for the transfer cohort.

Korvie said he was at work at CVS when he got the good news.

“I identified a couple of missed calls from a particular number and when I returned the call during my break, the news was delivered to me,” he said. “I couldn't contain the joy and hence screamed a joyful shout.”

Originally from Ghana, Korvie moved to the United States when he was 18 years old and is earning an Associate in Engineering from Durham Tech. He ultimately wants to become an aerospace engineer – his dream field.

He said the instructors at Durham Tech played a large role in his success.

“I really appreciate each and every Durham Tech professor that I have encountered in my academic journey thus far,” Korvie said. “They put in their best efforts to ensure the success of each student that comes their way.”

Marina DelVecchio, English instructor, and Ashley Hodges, math instructor, made a significant impact.

“They've really been a solid rock foundation that supported me throughout my classes and then through the application processes of each scholarship and school,” Korvie said. “They were relentless, and all I can say is they are like angels living among humans.”

DelVecchio said Korvie is the kind of student that stands out in a class of many students.

“Samuel intensifies your course content and reminds you why you went into teaching. He has become a staple at Durham Tech and one in my personal life as well,” DelVecchio said. “I often end up talking about him at the dinner table with my family, because he is one of those extraordinary human beings who has struggled to achieve the American Dream but also to overcome a difficult life in Ghana. Despite all of that, he is the student that knows what he wants to achieve and works hard to get it. There are no excuses, no requests for reprieves, and no expectations that he deserves any. His commitment to his studies, his unrelenting work ethic, and his kindness to those around him make him an exceptional human being, let alone an exceptional student that will be remembered for years to come.”

He also credits Margaret Memory, math instructor, and Brittney VornDick, physics instructor.

“They've been great professors, but their selfless efforts to ensure student success during the past nine weeks is one I can't quantify,” he said. “They went above and beyond to ensure students had enough information for each week's lesson.”

Korvie is in the NC State Community College Collaboration, or C3, which allows eligible students to receive guaranteed admission to the university after completing an associate’s degree. This partnership between NC State and Durham Tech was solidified in June 2018.

He is also vice president of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, president of Durham Tech Ambassadors for Christ, and a volunteer with the American Red Cross.

“I'm thrilled for him and cannot wait to see how this scholarship will help shape his dreams,” DelVecchio said. “The Goodnight Scholar program molds scholars into leaders in the STEM field, and Samuel is the perfect choice because he has already proven that he is leadership material.”

Korvie will start at NC State this fall to major in Electrical Engineering.

“Whenever you hear of a scholarship opportunity, just apply,” Korvie said in his advice to other students. “Don't doubt yourself. God sees your efforts and he will bless them if you take the step. I thought I wasn't qualified, but grace qualified me.”
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Contact Marcy Gardner, Content and Social Media Coordinator, at gardnerm@durhamtech.edu