Carolina Covenant Scholar Jennifer Maldonado-Castro ’27 transferred to Carolina in fall 2025 via C‑STEP. (Photo submitted by subject)
For new transfer student Jennifer Maldonado-Castro ’27, storytelling is a calling — powered by the Covenant and C‑STEP.
By Samee Ghaffar ’27
Sitting in her car with a Cook Out milkshake in hand, Jennifer Maldonado-Castro opened the email that would change everything. Her acceptance letter from Carolina was more than just an admission — it was a celebration and validation that her dreams were close ahead.
“It was like that song ‘I’m Walking on Sunshine’ started playing in my head. But I think most of the joy came from being able to share it with other people,” Maldonado-Castro said.
As a first-generation college student from Morehead City, North Carolina, Maldonado-Castro took an unconventional path to Chapel Hill. After graduating from high school in 2018, she worked in the fine-dining industry for years before ultimately ending up at Carteret Community College. Her road to Carolina began there, where she sought to explore her career options and make informed decisions about her future. Maldonado-Castro’s academic journey at Carteret included her service as president of the North Carolina Comprehensive Community College Government Association in 2024-25. Her unwavering commitment to community led her to pursue communication, with the goal of highlighting underrepresented voices.
“I’ve always been interested in telling human stories,” said Maldonado-Castro. “They’re such a powerful force when it comes to public policy, or how those policies affect different people. Studying communication will give me that analytical edge to portray these stories — through not just the emotional appeal but by giving more weight to the people behind them.”
Finding Belonging Through C-STEP
Growing up in a lower-income household, Maldonado-Castro says she found her way to academic and community excellence through hard work, support from her loved ones and the resources available to her from the community college system.
“It’s definitely a big privilege that I was able to grow up in an area where education was prioritized and encouraged,” reflected Maldonado-Castro. Her advisors at Carteret Community College pushed her to apply for C-STEP — the Carolina Student Transfer Excellence Program — an offer which she took up.
C-STEP, which was founded in 2006, works to provide pathways for students to transfer to Carolina following the completion of an approved community college program. Selected students are offered guaranteed admission to UNC-Chapel Hill and work closely with C-STEP advisors during their final semester at their community colleges.
Becky Egbert, the director of C-STEP, emphasized the program’s commitment is to directly address the needs and goals of each individual student. “We do everything to meet students exactly where they are,” explained Egbert. “Regardless of how they started their academic career, if they’re bright, motivated and determined, we want them here.”
She added that C-STEP utilizes support networks and its long-standing partnerships across University departments and organizations to provide opportunities for its students — making the transition to Carolina that much easier.
Maldonado-Castro expressed her gratitude toward C-STEP’s inclusivity, and wants to stay connected with peers and faculty from the program until graduation.
“I went to a play with the C-STEP group, and those little moments are what solidified Carolina as where I was supposed to be,” said Maldonado-Castro. “I’m looking forward to being around like-minded people who value community.”
The Freedom of the Carolina Covenant
Maldonado-Castro will also be entering UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall as a Carolina Covenant Scholar. The Carolina Covenant, established in 2004, offers students from lower-income backgrounds the opportunity to graduate debt-free through grants, work-study and scholarships. Since its founding, the Covenant has proven to be one of the most successful support packages in University history, aiding more than 11,000 scholars.
She highlighted how the financial security afforded to her by the Covenant allows her to enjoy those small, daily choices that define the college experience at Carolina.
“I’ll have the freedom to get a cup of coffee, and not have to worry about taking giant loans,” she said. “I don’t have to worry about debt.” She added that the removal of financial stress opens her pathways, as she isn’t limited by taking part-time jobs; instead, she can focus on academics and building meaningful connections on campus.
“It’s actually kind of an insane opportunity,” Maldonado-Castro joked.
The support from the Covenant is opening doors that she’s still discovering as she steps foot on campus in the fall. “It’s helping me in ways I don’t even realize yet,” Maldonado-Castro said. Beyond the obvious financial benefits, it’s the food security, housing stability and relief from economic stress that she has already found transformative.
Maldonado-Castro has also been accepted into the McNair Scholars Program, which prepares undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. Her advice to incoming scholars is to maintain the intellectual curiosity that brought them to Carolina in the first place.
“Don’t be afraid to ask. Be big on asking questions.” She emphasized the importance of reaching out to peers, advisors and other faculty to find opportunities that can help students achieve their goals. “Don’t be shy — make moves if you’re stationary.”
Looking Forward
This philosophy has guided Maldonado-Castro’s journey from her hometown to Chapel Hill. She is most excited for the “general exposure to the world” Carolina boasts with its vibrant, diverse environment — and to learn about global viewpoints that extend far beyond her local experience.
Her post-Carolina plans extend her commitment to community and communication. Maldonado-Castro intends to pursue a master’s degree in strategic communication, with the ultimate goal of starting her own marketing agency with a focus on serving Hispanic communities — work that Maldonado-Castro says continues her parents’ legacy while still carving out her own path.
The Carolina Covenant and C-STEP represent more than just education for Maldonado-Castro; each program serves her goal to amplify voices that have been overlooked and tell stories that need to be told. As she begins her Carolina journey, she carries the lessons of community leadership, her optimistic curiosity and a steadfast determination to ensure others don’t feel their chances have passed them by.
In a changing world that can reduce people to generalizations, Maldonado-Castro is ready to champion the power of individual stories — starting with her own.
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