I always knew that Carolina was the school for me since the first day I visited the campus. When Coach Ken Browning and Head Coach Mack Brown offered me a scholarship, that meant the world to me and it was an amazing feeling. My childhood dream came true.

Attending the University of North Carolina changed my life in a lot of ways and it first starts with the people. Everything you do at Carolina means you're interacting with amazing people. The environment is one of a kind and I know no other university can provide that. I came to Chapel Hill from Virginia, so I was kind of an outsider. What I learned when I got to Carolina was that it didn't matter where you came from or who you were before you got to campus. Once you enrolled at Carolina, you were considered a Tar Heel, which comes with a standard, and that was all that mattered.

I learned lessons from Mack Brown and the Carolina Football program that have played a major role every day in my life since I first enrolled back in 1995. I learned accountability and responsibility at a very early age which is very important. Mack Brown was one of the most positive men I've ever been around, and that was critical to me because of how I was raised. My parents were educators and always taught me to be positive and to have Faith. No matter how cloudy it was outside, there was always a way. Coach Brown was the same way and always remained optimistic through any adversity we experienced, and that's something I still live by today.

Mad Dog (Jeff Madden), my strength coach, was the other significant factor of my experiences. Under his leadership and training, we felt we couldn't be defeated. He wanted us to feel that no matter how fast the guy was across the line of scrimmage or how hard the task at hand was, we would win. When you're positive believing in yourself and feeling superior, that's a great combination.

The impact that Carolina has on this country is breathtaking. If your name is associated with Carolina, it holds a lot of weight. You can be on the other side of the country, and being a Tar Heel means something. The impact Carolina has isn't just statewide, it's worldwide.

The kids who are considering accepting a scholarship to Carolina right now – no matter what sport it's in – are extremely lucky. They won't understand until 20 years from now, when they're long gone from the school, what it will mean to their life to be a Tar Heel. If you really dig deep, and look past win-loss records or what's on the surface, and you try to understand what it means to be a Tar Heel, there are no other choices that come close.

There's not another school in this country that can go pound for pound with North Carolina on the impact a school has on your life. Some of the most powerful people in Charlotte, where I live now, are proud to be Tar Heels. Some of the most powerful people in North Carolina are proud to be Tar Heels. Some of the most powerful people in the world are proud to be Tar Heels. What this school provides academically, socially, athletically, and career-wise can't be matched. It's a no-brainer.

A scholarship to North Carolina doesn't just give you a great four years. It gives you a lifetime of happiness and success which will change your life!