Rosewood graduate earns award for leadership skills
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on April 22, 2015 1:46 PM
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Caroline Keen
A Rosewood High School graduate now attending law school at the University of North Carolina was recently presented with the Winston Crisp Award, which recognizes excellence in student leadership.
Caroline Keen, valedictorian of the Class of 2009 at Rosewood High School, graduated from Duke University in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in sociology.
The Winston Crisp Award was initiated by the Student Bar Association during the 2005-2006 school year to recognize excellence in student leadership. Named for a former associate dean at the law school, selection of recipients is based on outstanding coordination of student projects, effective decision-making skills and willingness to assist fellow members of the law school community.
In her second year of law school, Miss Keen served this year as president of the UNC Law School's Asian-American Law Studies Association.
"I had a few different people nominate me (for the award) for transforming a relatively passive student organization into an active participant in the UNC Law community and the larger legal community," she said. "As an organization we created a networking organization, N.C. Asian American Legal Network, for Asian-American attorneys in North Carolina.'
Last month, it hosted the inaugural N.C. Asian American Civil Rights Conference, "Defining the Movement," which examined the historical roots of the movement. Miss Keen was executive director of the conference planning board.
She said about 70 people attended the conference, including undergraduate and graduate students, lawyers, professors, faculty, deans and administration.
Miss Keen is the daughter of Pete and Debbie Keen of Goldsboro.