The Morehead-Cain Scholarship (originally the Morehead Scholarship) was the first merit scholarship program established in the United States. It was founded at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1951 and was named for its benefactors, John Motley Morehead III and the Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation. In addition to covering all expenses for four years of undergraduate education at UNC, the scholarship also includes fully funded summer enrichment activities and funding for independent research, internships, and international study. Mary Cain, who donated $100 million to the program in 2007, called it "the gold standard in undergraduate educational opportunities." History In 1945 businessman, industrial scientist, and philanthropist John Motley Morehead III bequeathed $130 million to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) to create the John Motley Morehead Foundation and the university's planetarium. The Morehead Foundation created the Morehead Scholarship Program in 1951. This was the first nonathletic merit scholarship program in the United States. This undergraduate scholarship covers all expenses for four years of study at UNC. Morehead-Cain scholars can also access " a network of peers and mentors, challenging internships and summer experiences, and an opportunity to travel the world." The scholarship was designed to attract "gifted student leaders" from across North Carolina to the university. The Morehead Scholarship's first director was Robert Fetzer, a former UNC track coach and athletic director. In 1958, he was replaced by Roy Armstrong, former director of admissions at the university. In 1972, Mebane M. Pritchett, a Morehead alumnus, became the executive director and served until 1987. Charles E. Lovelace Jr., another Morehead alumnus, was the next president. The current president is Chris Bradford. Originally just for students from North Carolina, the program expanded to include students from across the United States in 1954. In 1968, the first Morehead scholar from Great Britain was selected, followed by the inclusion of women in 1974. The program now includes students from Canada and various other countries. In 2022, the incoming freshman class of Morehead-Cain scholars includes 75 students—41 scholars from North Carolina, 34 from other states, and ten international scholars from Canada, India, South Sudan, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. The foundation and scholarship were both renamed Morehead-Cain in 2007 after the Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation contributed $100 million to expand the program. Mary Cain gave this gift in honor of her husband Gordan, who was a major stockholder