When Synthia Scott Kearney arrived at the University of North Carolina, she hadn't yet decided on a career. All she knew was that her mother wanted her to go to college – which ultimately set her on a path to break barriers and pave a trail for young Black women.
The first African American on the UNC women's soccer team and the city of Gastonia's first female battalion chief, Kearney will be celebrated this month as a Tar Heel Trailblazer, which recognizes former Black student-athletes who paved the way for success in all aspects of the student-athlete experience.