Cheyenne Murphy
By ARIADNE WILL
Sentinel Staff Writer
Cheyenne Murphy, 18, received life-changing news on Dec. 1: the Mt. Edgecumbe High School senior got word she’s been awarded a full scholarship to Stanford University, one of the most selective colleges in America.
“My best friend was with me when I got the email. I was freaking out. I was saying, ‘I can’t open it!’ and she was like, ‘Just open it!’” Murphy told the Sentinel.
This year is Murphy’s third year at Mt. Edgecumbe. She did her freshman year in her hometown of Bethel.
At MEHS she participates in student government, cross country and wrestling, and is a member of National Honor Society.
Murphy said she applied to Stanford through Questbridge, a national nonprofit that helps low-income, high-achieving students attend prestigious colleges on full scholarship. Forty-two colleges participate in the program, including Yale, Wesleyan, and Swarthmore.
Murphy is back in Bethel for the holidays, where her family has been able to congratulate her on her acceptance in person.
“My extended family would all tell me, ‘Crazy! You’re too smart,’” Murphy said.
She said that her mother was especially proud: “My mom just looked at me and was like, ‘Wow. I can’t believe you’re going to college.’”
And for Murphy, college is something she’s been thinking about for a long time.
“I’ve wanted to go to college since I was a little girl,” she said. “I used to dream about (attending) a really selective college, but as I got older, I didn’t really think it was possible.”
She hasn’t yet seen the campus, located in California’s San Fancisco Bay area, but Murphy says she’s not daunted by the distance.
“I’ve had experience with Edgecumbe,” she said.
The second of four siblings, Murphy is the first in her family to attend college. Her dream will become a reality in the fall of 2021. She’s not yet sure what she would like to study but she’s interested in history — and certain she’ll return to Alaska after she receives her degree.
“I’ll definitely be back,” she said.
