Page 55 - N.C. A&T Magazine Spring 2019

Luther Funches has many At 28, Funches is a
dreams. He’s achieved his first nontraditional student. He is
by playing basketball overseas and also the father of a three-year-old
is working on the second—becoming a daughter who he says is his motivation
teacher. to keep his eyes on the goal.

After high school, Funches spent 11 years playing “I’m here putting in the work so I can provide for
basketball around the globe, including in the my family,” he said. “She’s number one and I want
Philippines, Italy and Germany. When he returned to to show her that she can do anything.”
the States, he was not hesitant about what he wanted
to do but was less knowledgeable about how to achieve Funches works at the Campus Recreation Center. He
his new dream. is also the vice president of the N.C. A&T chapter of
Student North Carolina Association of Educators and a
tylar Jacksonville, Florida, he wasn’t too sure where to look member of Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society.
As an only child and first-generation college student from
Lewis College and earned his associate degree. He was then The Barnett Scholarship was named for a former dean of the
for help. Funches attended Guilford Technical Community
College of Education. It is awarded to a student in teaching
recruited to North Carolina A&T by the former dean of the education with a 2.8 grade point average.
College of Education, Anthony Graham, to continue on his
Lewis mentors nine freshman women path to become an educator. “I’m grateful that donors see our potential and invest in our
with whom she talks to every day. futures,” he said. “I want them to know that their investment
Tylar Lewis was not going to settle for her “When you teach, you instill the importance of education in is not in vain and we are out here succeeding.”
second choice in colleges. She knew she “I’m only a sophomore, but I know some our children,” he said. “It’s only two percent of teachers that
wanted to attend North Carolina A&T and she of the things they are going through as are black men. I want to help change how they engage.” “I want to plant the roots for our children to grow strong in
was going to figure out how to get from Detroit freshmen,” Lewis said. “It can be hard to move to education,” he said. “I want them to be oak trees, ready to
to Greensboro, North Carolina. a whole new place and adjust to a different type After graduating, Funches wants to pursue his master’s weather any storm.”
of atmosphere, so I’m just here for them.” degree in history education and look at teaching in
“A&T was always my dream school,” she said. Houston, Texas. Funches recently received the Woodland Hall Fellowship
“When I applied the first time I was deferred, so I Lewis also tutors in biology and helped restart the for a full ride to pursue graduate studies at A&T.
worked really hard to get my grades up and got a Undergraduate Student National Dentist Association, Funches said it was an achievement for him to get out
4.0 my senior year.” which had not had a presence on campus since 2012. of the Jacksonville and the Dr. Dorothy Prince Barnett
USNDA’s mission is the advancement and retention of Endowed Scholarship gave him the ability to keep
In addition to admission, Lewis’s hard work made minority students within the field of dentistry. working toward his dream.
the sophomore biology student eligible for several
scholarships. “It was something I was interested in being a part of, “I wouldn’t have been able to stay in school
but we didn’t have a chapter here anymore,” she said. without this scholarship,” he said. “There
“Scholarship support is a kind of wake-up call,” “I talked to my adviser and we worked with other was a time I thought I wasn’t going to be
Lewis said. “It lets you know that people are paying students and now we’re trying to get the word out able to come back because I couldn’t
attention and that there are people in the world to other students and local dentists.” afford it. I’m glad I was able to
other than my family who want to see not only come back and finish what
myself, but my peers, succeed even when they Because of her scholarship, Lewis is traveling to I started.”
have no idea who we are.” Europe with the University Honors Program. In
May, she’ll travel to Amsterdam and Paris.
Although she intended to join ROTC when Luther
she came to N.C A&T, her path led her “I haven’t been out of the country since
toward Biology Scholars and Aggie sixth grade,” she said. “I’m excited to Funches
Success Leaders. In those groups, she experience the culture.”
is able to play a leadership role and
help younger students find their Lewis wants to become a dental
way in the new experience of hygienist and, ultimately, an
college. orthodontist.

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