UNCSA announces prestigious scholarship winners for 2026-27

UNCSA has announced the recipients of several prominent merit-based scholarship programs: William R. Kenan, Jr. Excellence Scholarships, Sarah Graham Kenan Scholarship of Excellence and Thomas S. Kenan Concertmaster Fellowship.

Through these scholarship programs, UNCSA attracts talented student artists from across the United States and around the world.

“Scholarships play a vital role in expanding access to the rigorous conservatory training that defines UNCSA,” says Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Patrick J. Sims. “This year’s recipients have already demonstrated extraordinary promise as artists and scholars, and we look forward to seeing how they will contribute to the creative life of our campus and the future of the arts.”

This year’s newly named recipients join continuing scholars across UNCSA’s merit-based scholarship programs, including the Joe Mantello Endowed Scholarship in Drama and other donor-supported awards.

Kenan Excellence Scholarship

The Kenan Excellence Scholarship is the most prestigious scholarship program at UNCSA, providing selected incoming students with full tuition, required fees, and room and board for four years of undergraduate study.

The dean of each of UNCSA’s five arts schools nominates candidates for this scholarship from among newly admitted students each spring term. The scholarship selection committee then reviews nominations, considering criteria that include each student’s ability in the given arts discipline, capacity to lead and motivate, extracurricular achievement, grade point average and standardized test scores. Finalists are then interviewed for selection. Awards are made to the students judged to have the best potential as artist scholars, regardless of the program in which they enroll or their area of residence.

Konstantin Atev

Konstantin Atev, School of Filmmaking, will study directing at UNCSA. His personal projects include short films, screenplays, theater plays and poetry, and he has been recognized for his photography and poetry with Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Atev participated in the Little Falls Watershed Alliance in Maryland for a number of years, working on creek cleanup and invasive plant removal, and has maintained a 4.0 GPA. He speaks Bulgarian, English and Italian and was a member of his high school’s varsity squash team. Atev’s passion for filmmaking was strengthened by a summer spent as a trainee at Nu Boyana Film Studios in Bulgaria and later through a summer filmmaking program in the United States, where he acted in 12 student projects while working on three short projects of his own. He also dedicated three years of high school to the drama club, where he served as a photographer and videographer for 10 productions, and attended community college classes on filmmaking, theater, screenwriting and acting for the stage.

“This is a student who is gifted academically and artistically,” says Deborah LaVine, dean of the School of Filmmaking. “He is truly a remarkable, special individual who will add immeasurably to the artistic and academic UNCSA community.”

Elijah D’Elena

Elijah D’Elena, School of Drama, will study acting at UNCSA. Following a love for performing that began in community theater as a child, he continued to develop his craft in middle and high school through the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education curriculum at the St. Johns County Center for the Arts in St. Augustine, Florida, where he has a 4.5 GPA. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and is in the top 6% of his class of 400. D’Elena won a Best Actor Applause Award at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida, for his role as Davie in “Newsies” and won best actor two years in a row at his District One Act Thespian Festivals. He recently performed as Max in “World Builders” at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, a selected main stage production at the Florida State Thespian Festival. D’Elena has served as a student intern at The Limelight Theatre, as his troupe’s vice president, as co-director of St. Johns County Center for the Arts touring production of “Charlotte’s Web,” and has volunteered with Best Buddies and the National Honor Society.

“The School of Drama had close to 700 applicants this cycle to comprise a class of 30, and Elijah was among the top 1% of all auditions,” says Quin Gordon, School of Drama director of recruitment. “Possessed with infinite ease and charm, Elijah lights up the acting space and makes you lean in and listen closer. Not only is he a terrific performer, but he is also an academic overachiever of the highest caliber and a proven leader on his high school campus. Elijah is the epitome of artist/scholar.”

Gabby Farinas

Gabby Farinas, School of Music, will study clarinet at UNCSA. Farinas immigrated to the United States from Havana, Cuba, at 13, and her cultural identity continues to guide her artistic expression and commitment to connecting with communities through music. She performs on clarinet, saxophone, percussion and piano, and has been involved with Tosco Music and JazzArts Charlotte since moving to Matthews, North Carolina. Farinas has won positions in the North Carolina All-State Band three years in a row and performed at Carnegie Hall as part of the Honors Performance Series. She is part of the All Stars Ensemble at the JazzArts Academy and Nuestro Tiempo Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble, and has supported community music programs through JazzGirls Day and student arranging projects.

“Gabby is an exceptionally talented young artist whose musical achievement, work ethic, and extraordinary personal resilience make her profoundly deserving of this prestigious honor,” says Saxton Rose, dean of the School of Music. “Gabby is also an inspiring leader and a deeply engaged community member. She is exactly the kind of student who elevates her peers, enriches the campus community, and carries forward the values of the Kenan Excellence Award.”

Jace Ferney

Jace Ferney, School of Design & Production, will study sound design at UNCSA. Ferney is an accomplished theater technician and student leader from Ringgold, Georgia, with a strong background in sound design and stage management. As a Georgia Thespian All-State Theatre Technician and assistant stage manager for Ringgold Performing Arts, he has played a key role in multiple award-winning productions, including a Georgia High School Association One Act State Championship and productions nominated for the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards. In addition to his artistic achievements, Ferney has maintained a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the National Honor Society; French National Honor Society; and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America. He has volunteered with Clean Catoosa, Toys for Tots, Angel Tree and fundraising efforts for underserved youth.

“From the start of our admissions process, Jace stood out,” says Michael Kelley, dean of the School of Design & Production. “As one of the earliest applicants to our sound design concentration, he set a high bar from the start. We look for students who will contribute not only through their talent but through their presence, students who raise the standard for those around them. Jace has that ability. He will strengthen our sound design program and our school’s culture.”

Gemma Pendergast

Gemma Pendergast, School of Drama, will study acting at UNCSA. Pendergast is a student in the International Baccalaureate program at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon, where she has a 4.19 GPA. A member of both the International Thespian Society and the National Honor Society, she serves as co-president of Lincoln’s Drama Cabinet, the student leadership body for the school’s performing arts. Pendergast has performed in every Lincoln drama production during her high school experience, with roles including Persephone in “Hadestown,” the title role in “Amélie,” Little Red in “Into the Woods,” and Veronica in “Heathers.” She has also directed for Lincoln’s Fresh Ink Play Festival, studied voice with Matthew Capurro, served as an alto section leader for Lincoln’s choir and participated in master classes with faculty from UNCSA and other conservatory programs across the country.

“Gemma’s audition revealed an artist of extraordinary range,” says Gordon. “This is a young performer who can do virtually anything on stage. She immediately caught my attention as possessing an energy that stood out from her peers. The achievements and honors are numerous for Gemma. Her track record as a scholar made her a natural Kenan Excellence Scholar nominee.”

Elliot Zider

Elliot Zider, School of Design & Production, will study scene design at UNCSA. Zider is a graduate of Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, where she studied theater with a focus in technical theater and design. In high school, Zider contributed to 17 theatrical productions, including scene designing seven productions and leading as a technical director, deck supervisor, rail captain and carpenter for many others. For her designs and technical work, she has received awards recognizing her achievements in the theater department, as well as statewide awards recognizing her scene designs for “Urinetown: The Musical” and “Anna Karenina.” Zider has mentored younger students through her role as technical liaison for her thespian council and through Lights Up, a student-led organization that holds workshops for middle school students and fundraisers for students interested in theater in the greater Houston area. For the past three years, she has also worked as a stage manager and deck supervisor for The River Inclusive Arts Showcase, a branch of Theatre Under the Stars in Houston.

“Elliot is a serious student and a committed young artist who has both the discipline and the character to grow in our rigorous environment,” says Dean Kelley. “The William R. Kenan, Jr. Excellence Award recognizes scholarship, leadership, and integrity. Elliot Zider reflects those qualities.”

Sarah Graham Kenan Scholarship

UNCSA’s oldest full-scholarship program, the Sarah Graham Kenan, was established in 1984 and is awarded to one rising fourth-year undergraduate student. It provides full tuition, required fees, room and board, and a stipend for related expenses.

The Sarah Graham Kenan Scholarship goes to a rising college senior with outstanding characteristics in talent and artistic achievement, excellent academic performance, and exceptional leadership and citizenship qualities.

Ella Nagengast

Ella Nagengast, School of Design & Production, is studying scenic technology at UNCSA. A student from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, Nagengast has maintained a 4.0 throughout her education. Her longtime interest in theater, crafting and machinery led her to study at UNCSA. Last summer, she completed an automation internship at ShowMotion Inc. in Milford, Connecticut, where she worked on several Broadway shows as well as a touring production. She will return to Connecticut this summer. Nagengast also supports her classmates with structures homework and enjoys drawing local architecture and cooking for friends.

“Ella represents the very best of the School of Design and Production at UNCSA,” says Dean Kelley. “She combines exceptional ability with humility, generosity, and a genuine love of the craft. She improves every team she joins and every environment she enters.”

Kenan Concertmaster Fellowship

The Kenan Concertmaster Fellowship recruits preprofessional, aspiring orchestra leaders to attend UNCSA tuition-free. Recipients are mentored by violin faculty, perform as concertmaster with the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra, and participate in national and international music festivals. The fellowship is funded through a gift from longtime UNCSA supporter Thomas S. Kenan, III. The two recipients are:

Dylan Latham

Dylan Latham, a violinist from Norwich, England, graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, in 2024. He began playing at age 3 through the Suzuki method, won awards and scholarships in Norfolk, England, and attended the Junior Guildhall program and the Purcell School. Latham has recently won two concerto competitions in the U.K. and Italy, was awarded a New York concert, and was a semifinalist at the 7th Violin Competition Sofia in Bulgaria. He has performed with Manchester Camerata, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Hallé and BBC Philharmonic, and led the feature orchestral performance of the Royal Northern College of Music’s 50th anniversary celebrations, which won a Culture Award. Latham regularly performs concerti with orchestras and is a chamber musician who helped establish the Enys Chamber Festival in Cornwall, England. He plays on a 2024 Jeremie Legrand violin and was the recipient of the Drapers’ Music Scholarship.

Nicolas Williams

Nicolas Williams is a violinist and graduate student at UNCSA from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Williams began playing violin in sixth grade after joining Southwest Onslow’s orchestra class and was later appointed concertmaster of local ensembles including Onslow’s All-County Orchestra and the Junior Eastern Regional Orchestra. After hearing the North Carolina Symphony perform, Williams applied and auditioned for UNCSA and was accepted into the university’s high school program under Music faculty member Kevin Lawrence. He continued at UNCSA for his undergraduate studies and graduated in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in music with a focus in violin performance. During his undergraduate studies, he attended the Luby Symposium at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont. In his first year of graduate studies, Williams performed in master classes with violinists Ilya Kaler and Johnny Gandelsman and was offered a Kenan Arts Institute Fellowship to work alongside the Virginia Symphony and Dance Theatre of Harlem in Norfolk, Virginia.

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June 15, 2026