Nevaeh McFelson, a senior at North Little Rock High School, has just received the letter of a lifetime. She has earned a full ride scholarship to Columbia University, one of the eight prestigious institutions that make up the Ivy League. Columbia University is located in New York City.
Columbia University, founded in 1754, boasts of having alumni such as former President Barack Obama, aviator Amelia Earhart, and Saturday Night Live cast member Kate McKinnon.
McFelson has been in the North Little Rock School District all of her life. She started her educational journey at Belwood Elementary, where she attended kindergarten and first grade, followed by Boone Park Elementary for second through fifth grades. She attended North Little Rock Middle School and is finishing up her journey as a Charging Wildcat at NLRHS.
“Without our diverse and collaborative community, I’m not sure I would have had the real-world experiences that would have led me to even consider applying to an Ivy League school,” McFelson said. “Additionally, NLRSD has allowed me to take Advanced Placement and Concurrent College Courses, which allowed me to obtain an academically rigorous schedule throughout my years in high school and helped prepare me in continuing a higher education.”
McFelson will be studying economics with a concentration in philosophy. After that, she plans to attend law school. She’s still deciding what type of attorney she would like to be, but it is between corporate law and litigation right now.
While at NLRHS, McFelson has been a member of National Honor Society, National Thespians Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Beta Club, EAST Leadership, and Key Club. She is an Advanced Placement Scholar, earning a 3 or better on the following Advanced Placement exams: AP World History, AP English Language and Composition, and AP Seminar. She is ranked in the top 3% of the Class of 2023. She scored a 34 on the ACT, of which 36 is the highest.
“The NLRSD staff has been extremely helpful throughout [this process]. My counselors and teachers are the absolute best and have helped me navigate both high school and the college admissions process,” McFelson said. “I even have teachers from elementary and middle school who still reach out to me because they truly care about my success. They have essentially built a lifelong relationship that goes beyond the classroom.”
She is the daughter of Antranette McFelson.