Be an NCBA Star Student – Get Good Grades, Get Involved, Give Back

Since 1984, the NC Bankers Association Foundation has awarded nearly $1.5 million in college scholarship funds to more than 120 high school seniors with a parent employed by an NCBA member bank. Last year’s recipients were Anna Holt Basinger of New Hanover High School in Wilmington, now in her freshman year at the University of Virginia; and Jefferson’s Lane Miller, an Ashe County High School graduate in his first year at Duke University. This year’s application window opens soon, so continue to watch this space for details. As we ramp up for the 41st year of the scholarship program, we are highlighting the 2024 finalists in our Star Student Spotlight. This week, John Sullivan, Senior Director of the NCBA’s Future Bank Leaders Program, spoke with Payton Gunter from Cape Fear High School in Fayetteville. Now a freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill, she is the daughter of Van Gunter III with First Bank.

 

John Sullivan: Of all your accomplishments – academically, athletically, in the community – what are you most proud of?

Payton Gunter: Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant and working with the elderly at a nursing home. It wasn’t always pleasant, but it was a very valuable and rewarding experience.


JS:
Where did the desire to be a nurse come from?

PG: I’ve always known that I wanted to do something in the medical profession because I’ve always been driven to help people.


JS: That’s a noble aspiration. Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

PG: I hope to have completed my undergraduate and graduate degrees and be using my work experience to achieve accomplishments that I’m proud of.


JS: Any chance we can talk you into a career in banking?

PG: Probably not (laughing). I’m not very good with numbers!


JS: You had a challenging start to high school. What happened?

PG: Because of COVID, my freshman year was entirely online. Plus, it was a new school for me and I worried a lot about what other people thought of me. It’s difficult going through high school worried about how other people see you. Everything changed when one of my English teachers told me not to worry because the other kids are so concerned with themselves that they aren’t even thinking about me. That was a huge relief.


JS: You’re a very spiritual person. Are you comfortable talking about that?

PG: Yes. When a friend of ours passed away it was very hard for the community, but his faith was so strong it was obvious he loved Jesus because he talked about it all the time. The impact he had on people was amazing. He changed lives by leading them to Christ. Seeing that for myself and hearing the eulogies at his funeral was so moving. It brought me closer to Jesus.


JS: It sounds like that experience truly made a difference in your life.

PG: Definitely. I worry a lot less now. In high school I was constantly stressing about my AP classes. His death helped me realize I don’t need to make A’s to go to heaven. That helped me sleep at night.


JS: Given that, I think I know the answer to this question, but I’ll ask it anyway. What advice would you give your middle school self?

PG: Relax. Go one day at a time. Live in the present. Don’t worry about what’s going to happen in the future.

 

JS: Staying on the same theme, if you could change one thing about your high school what would it be?

PG: The location. It’s in a rural area surrounded by the Food Lion and a cornfield, so we didn’t go on many great field trips (smiling).

 

JS: If you could change one thing about our country what would it be?

PG: Make health care more affordable. I’m not sure how to do it, but that would be my focus.

 

JS: Time for the Rapid Response Round. Favorite color?

PG: Pink.

 

JS: Favorite movie?

PG: The Princess and the Frog.

 

JS: Favorite social media platform?

PG: TikTok.

 

JS: What will you do when they ban it?

PG: Be more productive with my day (laughing).

 

JS: Lucky number?

PG: 12. That was my number in volleyball and softball.

 

JS: Cat or dog?

PG: Dog.

 

JS: Beach or mountains?

PG: Beach.

 

JS: Read a story or write a story?

PG: Write a story.

 

JS: Take a nap or hang out with a friend?

PG: Hang out with a friend.