Kiara Moore is the first student from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke to be accepted into the John M. Belk Impact Fellowship, granted by The Hunt Institute.

The paid, 10-month fellowship focuses on training social impact leaders through various projects, including policy briefs and research, social media efforts and quantitative analysis. Moore is looking forward to supporting programs and systems that promote equity in all levels of education.

Moore visited the UNCP Career Center for assistance with preparing her application. She says they played a large part in her acceptance. “They helped me prepare my essays, rewrite my resume and learn how to present myself in a positive light and as the best applicant for the position.”

Associate Director of Career Counseling Jillian Nerenberg played an instrumental role in helping Moore prepare for this role. Through Moore’s one-on-one mentoring sessions with Nerenberg, she was able to discover her purpose. “She identified her passion for higher education and turned that into an attention-grabbing application for the fellowship committee,” Nerenberg said.

“By taking advantage of the resources available at the Career Center, students can build lifelong relationships with the Career Center staff. Students can grow professionally, participate in networking opportunities, conduct a career assessment and get closer to landing their dream job/internship,” said Nerenberg, recommending that students utilize the Career Center as a resource when preparing for jobs and internships.

Moore is studying business administration with a concentration in marketing at UNCP, with graduation set for May 2022. After graduation, her ideal plan is to land a job with the Department of State or similar government agency. She is one of 15 impact fellows accepted into the fellowship out of 200 applicants. The fellowship began mid-August.