Victoria Bennett, who entered KIPP Gaston College Preparatory in the fifth grade, recently earned the prestigious title of future Robertson Scholar.

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Over the past eight years, she has been a participant in the school’s Founding Jazz Band, basketball team, high school advisory, Student Government Association and National Honor Society. In addition to her rigorous course work, extracurricular activities and after school job, she has begun college course work at Halifax Community College.  Over the past eight years Bennett and her classmates have traveled across the country visiting more than 40 colleges in more than 20 different states. As a senior, Bennett was accepted to all 11 of the colleges that she applied to, including Tulane University, The University of Miami, Spelman College and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

As defined by the Robertson Scholar’s  Web site, “The Robertson Scholars Program is not just a merit scholarship; nor is it just a leadership development program. The Robertson Scholars Program is a comprehensive, long term investment in our Scholars’ futures.” The Robertson Scholars Program provides full tuition, room and board and mandatory fees for scholars at Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill. Scholars receive a laptop and have access to three summers of generous funding. Additionally, they pay for scholars to study abroad for up to two semesters during their four years as undergraduates. The support lasts far beyond Scholars' undergraduate experience. The program describes itself as a 12-year program providing support in many aspects of the graduate’s lives. One of the most exciting and unique aspects of being a Robertson Scholar is having full access to two great universities.  Robertson Scholars can pull from the best of Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill to build their educations. Robertson Scholars have full student rights and privileges at both universities, and this unique “dual citizenship” avails them of a world of opportunities on the two campuses. By the time they graduate, all Robertson Scholars have taken at least five classes on the sister campus. They also have the opportunity to participate in clubs, conduct research with a faculty member and attend cultural and sporting events on the sister campus.  In addition to the Robertson Scholars for $250,000, Victoria Bennett has already received the Pogue Scholarship from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for $30,000 and the Legacy Scholarship at Howard University in Washington, D.C., for $50,000, The Dell scholarship for $20,000 and the P.E.O. Star Scholarship for $2,500.

She is the daughter of Derrick and Vicky Bennett and the sister of Derrick Bennett Jr.