$500 Estelle and Marion Chestnutt Scholarship in Nursing (Private Donation)

Kendra Maelena Underwood received the inaugural award in 2012 and is the repeat recipient of the Estelle and Marion Chestnutt Scholarship in Nursing. This scholarship honors the memory of the paternal grandparents of National President Reginald Chestnutt. Kendra graduated in 2012 with honors from Hobbton High School in Newton Grove, North Carolina. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Garrett Underwood of Newton Grove, North Carolina. Now a college sophomore, she proudly wears the maroon and gray as an “eagle” on the sloping hills and verdant green campus of North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. She completed her freshman year at NCCU with a weighted GPA of 3.3 and un-weighted score of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale. She is a member of the “NCCU Marching Sound Machine”. In May, 2013, she was named “Woman of the Year” in the band. This award reflects an individual who strives to do her best marching on the field, knows all the drills and music, shows great leadership skills, helps others to do better in band as well as life, shows extraordinary discipline marching and in the classroom and simply does what is supposed to be done, yet never complains. This award-winning band travels extensively. She visited Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and Florida during a course of two months. Kendra says “You are only as strong as the weakest link” and “it’s all about striving to help others.” She admits that she goes above and beyond what is required in order to succeed. She accepts the challenge to learn and is determined to make an indelible contribution to the academic community. She is pursuing a major in Nursing at North Carolina Central University.