Carrie Penley has learned that life rarely unfolds the way we expect. In fact, the phrase that best describes her journey is the title of the book she wrote about it: Always Expect the Unexpected.
A graduate of Starmount High School and a Shore Scholar, Carrie is now a sophomore at William Peace University, where she is majoring in Writing with a minor in Communications. Much of her time is spent in class or working as a publisher for the university’s student news website and newspaper.
Looking back, she sees how much her path has changed—and how those changes shaped who she is today.
“Some of the best things come from the unknown,” Carrie says. “Three years ago, if you told me I’d be at a university three hours away on scholarship, I would have laughed. I never planned to move far from home. But God had other plans.”
Carrie’s journey through the Shore Scholars program began during high school when one of her teachers encouraged her to apply.
“I was really nervous about it,” she remembers. “Another teacher I was close to kept telling me, ‘All they can say is no.’ So I went for it.”
Launched in 2019 through a partnership between Yadkin County Schools and the Shallow Ford Foundation, the Shore Scholars program supports students who have the drive to pursue college or career training but may need guidance, encouragement, and practical support to get there. It maintains a cohort of 20 students selected from both Forbush and Starmount High School. Each year, new scholars are welcomed through a competitive application process to fill spots created by graduating seniors. Students can join the program as juniors or seniors and remain in the program through their first two years of college.
For Carrie, the experience helped her grow in many ways.
“I’m very shy and reserved, so joining was scary at first,” she says. “But it pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me become the best version of myself.”
As a first-generation college student, the guidance was especially meaningful.
“I always saw myself going to college, but everything about it was new—how to apply, how to ask questions, how to speak up,” Carrie says. “Shore Scholars helped me learn those things.”
Right before starting college at her orientation, Carrie faced one of the most difficult moments of her life when she experienced a severe asthma attack that forced her to completely reorganize her plans for school.
“My whole world flipped,” she says. “I expected to be a full-time, in-person student. Two weeks later I had to move fully online and reorganize everything. It took a lot of phone calls and advocating for myself.”
The experience was challenging, but it also showed her how much she had grown.
“Shore Scholars gave me the confidence and tools I needed to speak up and figure things out,” she says.
Along the way, Carrie leaned into her passion for writing. Wanting to encourage others who might be facing their own challenges, she decided to share her story.
“I felt like I had an important message to share,” she says. “Everyone goes through hard things, and what helped me was knowing there’s another side to the tunnel. I wanted to be that reminder for people who maybe don’t have one—to say, ‘I’m here now, and I’m okay.’”
Carrie published her book independently, editing and producing it herself.
“Honestly, I feel like God did the hard part,” she says. “I never thought I’d publish a book, but I had lots of supporters and learned a lot through the process.”
The response was remarkable. Within two days of its release, the book became a number-one bestseller, and as of early 2026 Carrie has sold more than 1,000 copies. One of the most meaningful moments of this journey was when a billboard for the book appeared in Times Square.
“The message on the billboard was ‘You can beat the odds,’” she says. “Because I truly felt like everything was stacked against me. Even when it doesn’t feel like it, you can get through it.”
Carrie has also pledged 25 percent of the book’s royalties to diabetes research in honor of her cousin who passed away from Type 1 diabetes. He was a big encouragement to Carrie throughout her life, and inspired her to beat all the odds, as she saw the strength he carried in his day-to-day life.
Her experiences have also shaped her future goals. After completing her undergraduate degree, Carrie hopes to pursue a master’s degree in public health and become a medical writer who helps educate people about chronic illness.
“With my chronic illness, a lot of people don’t understand it because it’s invisible,” she says. “I look young and healthy, but I live with it every day. I want to be someone who educates people about illnesses and supports others going through the same thing.”
When she reflects on her time in Shore Scholars, Carrie says the program helped prepare her not only for college, but for life.
“It shaped me a lot,” she says. “It helped me learn how to speak up, ask questions, and work with people. Those are things I use every day now.”
Today, Carrie hopes other students will remember that it’s okay not to have everything figured out.
“It’s okay to be unsure,” she says. “Just try your best, and the rest will fall into place.”
For donors and community members who support Shore Scholars, Carrie offers a simple message of gratitude.
“I would want them to know that their support and commitment truly make a difference,” she says. “I know how much I’ve grown over the past four years, and I’m very grateful. What they’re doing matters.”
Carrie’s story reflects the heart of the work made possible through the Shallow Ford Foundation—investing in people, removing barriers, and helping individuals discover the confidence and opportunity to pursue their future. Through programs like Shore Scholars, students gain not only practical support for the next step after high school, but also the encouragement to believe that their path forward is possible, even when life takes unexpected turns.
