Alum Christopher Moxley believes that increasing opportunities for one person can increase long-term prospects for others.
This is the reason Moxley ’03 chose to make a heartfelt gift to EXPONENTIAL: The Campaign for UNC Charlotte -- to create the Jaylen C. Moxley Scholarship for Academic Excellence.
The scholarship, named for his 11-year-old son, will provide support to incoming UNC Charlotte first-year students with demonstrated financial need, who also have a history of volunteerism in their local communities. Preference will be given to first-generation college students and applicants of the Charlotte Housing Authority Scholarship Fund.
"Jaylen inspires me every day, and I know that this scholarship, in his name, will be a stepping stone for countless others in the years to come on their journeys to become the best versions of themselves."
Moxley, a compliance associate with TIAA and co-founder of Charlotte’s successful apparel company 704 Shop, has always been appreciative of those who create scholarships and contribute to their universities. However, he used to think that these types of philanthropic opportunities were reserved for the super-wealthy or the highly influential.
His perception quickly changed as he got more involved at UNC Charlotte, first as a member of the Young Alumni Board of Directors and now as a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors.
“Through my interactions with my board peers and University staff, I’ve realized that the most important things that you need to make a meaningful gift are compassion and the desire to make a difference, and the rest will take care of itself,” said Moxley.
At UNC Charlotte, 74 percent of undergraduate students receive financial aid and the average unmet need per student is just over $8,000.
“I’ve had a unique view into how great the need amongst our students is,” said Moxley. At the same time, the academic quality for this year’s freshmen class is at an unprecedented level. The University has never had a point in time where the need was so great for more deserving students.”
Moxley hopes his gift will encourage other alumni to make gifts of their own to UNC Charlotte. “Many of us have our degrees to thank for opening doors in our personal and professional lives,” said Moxley. “I can say that’s absolutely true for me, as a Charlotte native defying the odds of an environment with significant economic mobility challenges. Students who come from where I come from and who have seen things I’ve seen need more than just encouragement; they need resources.”
Visit EXPONENTIAL.uncc.edu to learn how you can make a difference in a student’s life by making a gift to EXPONENTIAL: The Campaign for UNC Charlotte.