Four Durham Tech students named finalists for NC State Goodnight Scholars program

Four Durham Tech students were notified last week that they were among the 41 finalists for North Carolina State University’s prestigious Goodnight Scholars program – Transfer Class of 2023.

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.

Finalists were selected from a pool of 297 candidates from 21 North Carolina community colleges. Each finalist demonstrated exceptional community college accomplishments, including academic performance, extracurricular involvement, community engagement, and inspiring goals in the STEM and education fields.

The original Transfer Finalist Interview Day was canceled due to COVID-19, so finalists will participate in the first-ever virtual interview at the end of April. From the interview process, 20 students will be invited to join the Transfer Class of 2023.

The announcement is expected in May.

Meet the Finalists

Alin Mirzoca, 31
Originally from Jebel, a rural town in western Romania, Mirzoca is enrolled in the Associate in Science program at Durham Tech and wants to pursue a career in statistics as an actuary, financial analyst, or biostatistician.

“I am fascinated by the relevance and applicability of statistics in solving real-life problems. A career based on statistics will allow me to pursue an academically rewarding career and enable meaningful contribution to the well-being of my community.”

Mirzoca said he was attracted to NC State because of their world-renowned statistics program, resources for research and professional development, and respect for cultural diversity. He was speechless when he heard the good news.

“It was quickly followed by a flood of joy and gratitude mixed with an immediate motivation to start preparing for the interview. I also felt very honored and humbled to be in such a select group of outstanding students.”

Wyatt Tormey, 30
Originally from Two Rivers, Alaska, Tormey is earning an Associate in Engineering from Durham Tech and wants to join the Aerospace Engineering program at NC State.

“My whole life, I have been fascinated by airplanes, rockets, and spacecraft,” he said. “I became an aircraft mechanic right after I finished high school and now I want to pursue a career in aerospace engineering.”

Tormey said he would be honored to be a Goodnight Scholar.

“I felt extremely fortunate to be selected as a finalist. During my years at Durham Tech, I have found a wonderful community of people that I am sad to leave,” he said. “The Goodnight Scholars program sounds like a great community that I would be honored to be a part of.”

Samuel Korvie, 21
Originally from Ghana, on the western coast of Africa, Korvie is earning an Associate in Engineering from Durham Tech and ultimately wants to become an aerospace engineer – his dream field.

Korvie said diversity, community, and the drive for success attracted him to NC State. When he found out he was a finalist, he said his feelings were unexplainable.

“I literally made a joyful noise and started jumping in my apartment. I sang my favorite worship song and checked the email again to be sure I was reading it right,” Korvie said.

“I’m very grateful to my professors at Durham Tech. Their ardent desire to see students succeed is one that can't be exchanged for any treasure. The Goodnight Scholars family defines humanity through their love for building futures of people they've not even met nor know like myself. I'd forever be grateful for their kindness whether I become a recipient or not. Their kindness towards the community and nation alone is enough to keep them in my prayers.”

Vincent Dallura, 20
Originally from Henderson, Nevada, Dallura is enrolled in the Associate in Engineering program at Durham Tech and his career ambition is to ensure nuclear fusion.

“This zero emission energy production becomes a world sweeping technology that supersedes any of the emission-producing energy production methods. This will take quite a bit of knowledge, massive cooperation among individuals across the nation, and funds, but I believe it will be done.”

Dallura was most attracted to NC State because of their engineering program and tradition.

“When I initially found out I was a finalist for the Goodnight Scholar program, I was in disbelief. I read the email over and over again to ensure that I was reading it correctly,” he said. “I'm more than grateful for this opportunity that has been granted to me.”