Two Freedom High School seniors will attend Appalachian State University in the fall on a four-year, full cost scholarship.
The two seniors, Jacorian Logan and Nathaniel Surratt, are childhood best friends who “do everything together,” according to Burke County Next Step Adviser, Anson Gagnier.
As the Advise NC representative for Burke County, Anson is responsible for meeting with every senior at least once to discuss their plans after graduating high school. Most students meet one-on-one with Anson, but Jacorian and Nathaniel, like they do with most things, attended the meeting together.
“When they both met with me, they expressed that App State was on their target list of schools,” Anson said. “So from there, we started to look at some different scholarship opportunities. And one of the programs that popped up was the ACCESS program.”
The Murray Family ACCESS Scholarship is available to students attending Appalachian State University who meet the federal guidelines for Pell Grant eligibility. To date, the Murray Family ACCESS Scholarship has helped more than 400 students graduate from Appalachian State University debt-free.
“This scholarship means everything to me,” Nathaniel said. “It represents my mother’s sacrifices, her strength, and the values she taught me, including resilience, discipline, and the belief that I could overcome any challenge. Being awarded the Murray Family ACCESS scholarship is not just an academic achievement, it is a personal milestone that reflects the person she helped shape.” Jacorian and Nathaniel both intend to pursue health care at App State, hoping to graduate in 2030 with their Bachelors of Science in Nursing.
On receiving this scholarship, Jacorian said,
“Some opportunities feel bigger than an award; they feel like an answered prayer. Being named an ACCESS Scholar at Appalachian State is one of those moments for me. I’m deeply grateful for the guidance of my advisors, Mrs. Logan and Mr. Gagnier, and the support of the administrators at Freedom High School who helped open doors and encouraged me to walk through them. Above all, I carry the unwavering support of my family, especially my mother whose belief in me has always been stronger than any doubt. My faith has guided every step of this journey, and receiving this scholarship feels like confirmation that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. I’m honored, excited, and incredibly thankful to continue my path at App State, knowing this opportunity represents not only my hard work, but the love, guidance, and the people who believed in me long before this moment.”
Kim Logan, a GEAR UP Coordinator for Burke County, was also instrumental in Nathaniel and Jacorian’s journey to postsecondary education.
Kim is responsible for taking the best friends on a campus visit to Appalachian State University’s health sciences building, something that sparked both of their interests in nursing and health care.
“When I think of a breath of fresh air, I think of Jacorian and Nate,” Kim said. “I have sensed in both of them the passion and resolve to positively impact their own lives as well as the lives of others. They are both academically gifted students, but even more so, leaders amongst their peers.”
Helping students realize their dreams with minimal financial impact is one of the core tenets of college access, and is something that motivates Anson Gagnier to continue guiding students towards their goals.
“Being able to provide students with the resources that can change the trajectory of their life is, I think, the thing that a lot of us in college access are the most excited about.” Anson said. “I think that’s one thing that keeps us going a lot of the time.”
(Left) Nathaniel Surratt and Jacorian Logan pose with their families and support system from Freedom High School.