Morehead-Cain Scholars modernize services, rebuild resilience in WNC

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, communities across western North Carolina have faced immense immediate and systemic challenges. To help Helene recovery efforts this summer, rising sophomore and junior scholars in the Morehead-Cain Civic Collaboration program spent eight weeks working alongside regional partners to tackle real-world problems.

The projects demonstrate the adaptability and impact of the program, with two scholar teams deployed to work on urgent, context-specific issues with local partners. The students’ contributions have been practical, immediately implementable and designed for long-term sustainability.

Morehead-Cain’s commitment to civic collaboration fosters learning that goes beyond academics, providing scholars with real-world experience while delivering qualitative benefits to local communities.

From left to right: Sofia Chan, Ibrahim Mohsin, Walter Marr, Harsehaj Dhami, and LeAnne Tucker. (Morehead-Cain)

Using AI and texting to help others

Teammates Sofia Chan ’27, Harsehaj Dhami ’28, Walter Marr ’28, and Ibrahim Mohsin ’28 partnered with the Land of Sky Regional Council to modernize services for older adults across Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties. The regional  Area Agency on Aging sought ways to better meet demand amid ongoing staffing shortages and increased service needs.

The team defined the core dilemma as two-fold: Caregivers often don’t know what resources are available or how to efficiently find the right support, while agency staff are overwhelmed by inquiries and unable to offer around-the-clock guidance.

The solution had to balance technological innovation with respect for community dynamics and capacities. The result was SkyNav, an artificial intelligence care-navigation service designed to connect caregivers and aging adults with appropriate resources while also easing the burden on agency staff. Users receive real-time, personalized information through text messaging, while staff can rely on the tool to streamline and organize resource referrals in one centralized platform.

“One thing we discovered through interviews is that this is a niche community nestled within the mountains, very tight-knit, and where everyone leans on each other. So, when implementing a solution, we needed to fit into that existing sense of community instead of creating some industrial thing that may not belong here,” Chan said.

For agency director LeeAnne Tucker, the partnership filled a long-standing gap.

“It felt like the obvious next step, but it was a step we could not take on our own,” Tucker said. “We didn’t know how to get there, so when the scholars said, ‘Let’s do it,’ we were thrilled. Not just that they wanted to take the project on, but that they were committed to shaping something truly useful for us now and, hopefully, years down the road.”

Ultimately, the team’s mission was grounded in service, aiming to provide a truly sustainable solution that addressed real, not just perceived, needs, something that agency partners could use without continued dependence on the scholars who built it.

This project represents a major step forward not only for the Area Agency on Aging but also for the Land of Sky Regional Council as a whole, demonstrating what’s possible when rural communities embrace innovation without compromising their values.

“Our hope with Civic Collaboration is that scholars get a taste of what it takes to research a local issue and partner with the community to explore creative solutions,” scholar adviser Ann Taylor Shaw said. “When teams prioritize their community partnerships, it contributes to the long-term impact and viability of their recommendations.”

Read more about the work in Asheville. 

Joss Gowar and Raife Levy refine their project strategy in the Town of Black Mountain Town Hall, the scholars’ home base for the summer. (Morehead-Cain)

Rebuilding resilience in Black Mountain

Scholars on the Black Mountain Civic Collaboration team were Raife Levy ’27, Joss Gowar ’28, Sophie Luxton ’28, Ali O’Brien ’28 and Bryan Sukidi ’28. They worked closely with town manager Josh Harrold and assistant town manager Jessica Trotman to document the storm’s impact. The scholars analyzed breakdowns in emergency communications and developed a detailed report with recommendations to strengthen future crisis response.

Trotman explained that the team’s work on resiliency planning was only possible by first understanding the town’s initial response.

“You cannot engage in resiliency planning unless you understand where you have been,” Trotman said.

For Levy, the summer offered a chance to contribute in a meaningful way to his adopted home state.

“Going to school here, I have the opportunity to be involved in something that can have very real impacts and give back to my community in a tangible way,” Levy said.

Sukidi echoed the program’s spirit of service:

“I think the question that the Civic Collaboration summer asks is not ‘What can you get from your community, opportunity or internship?’ but rather ‘What can you give?’ To be able to give back to a community in this practical way — that is not something solely to be put on a résumé — is very meaningful.”

The scholars’ work supported Black Mountain in building both short- and long-term resiliency: identifying gaps in disaster communication systems, archiving lessons learned from Helene through interviews and official records. The team also recommended equitable strategies such as multilingual outreach, designated safe zones and formalized emergency protocols to strengthen future preparedness.

The project offered not just immediate support to the town but the promise of ongoing civic engagement.

“I hope that the scholars can walk away from it with a better understanding of how town operations work — an up close and personal understanding of the process and why barriers happen,” Trotman said. “Their perspective and appreciation for local government will be different, and they become your allies in the future. They are your future council members, planning board members or community advocates.”

Read more about the work in Black Mountain.