For Ashlyn Osborne, one intentional connection became a lifelong community and a future she never imagined possible.
Before she ever stepped onto a college campus, Ashlyn Osborne knew one thing: she wanted to help people. What she didn’t know was how to turn that passion into a career or even where to begin.
As a first-generation college student growing up in Charlotte, the path forward wasn’t exactly paved. Her parents believed in higher education, but like many first-generation families, they didn’t have firsthand experience navigating college admissions, scholarships, or the professional opportunities that come afterward.
“I knew I wanted to go to college,” Ashlyn says. “But I didn’t necessarily know what I wanted to do with that education.”
That’s where Carolina Youth Coalition (CYC) stepped in.
CYC didn’t simply provide information. It intentionally connected Ashlyn with the people, opportunities, and experiences that would shape the course of her life. Those carefully made matches, from mentors to scholarships to community partnerships, created a support system that went beyond high school graduation.
For Ashlyn, success wasn’t accidental. It was built through relationships. One of the first people who recognized Ashlyn’s potential was CYC’s LaShawn Robertson. As Ashlyn shared her passion for serving others, LaShawn listened carefully and helped her connect that passion to a future in political science and law. Rather than leaving her to figure out the next steps alone, CYC introduced Ashlyn to attorney Tim Emry as her mentor. That match would become one of the most influential relationships in her life.
“I think Tim and I have very similar values,” Ashlyn reflects. “We really created a bond. He cared about me more than academics. He cared about me as a person, and he cared about my development as a human being.”
What began as a mentorship quickly became something deeper, a trusted relationship Ashlyn could count on, rooted in encouragement, accountability, and genuine care. Tim welcomed Ashlyn into his professional world. He allowed her to shadow his work to better understand how law could become the driver for social justice. Over time, he also became part of her family’s life, demonstrating that mentorship isn’t simply about career advice, but about showing up consistently for another person. That intentional match helped Ashlyn discover a future she hadn’t been able to envision on her own.
For first-generation students, access often makes the difference between possibility and opportunity. CYC understood that. While many of Ashlyn’s classmates at Myers Park High School talked about college, few experienced the level of exposure CYC provided.
“I feel like unless you were an athlete or in the top one percent of students, they weren’t really taking you to colleges,” she recalls. “When you’re a first-gen student, you just know you want to go to school. You don’t know that you have options.”
College tours, scholarship coaching, application support, and one-on-one guidance gave Ashlyn access to experiences that turned uncertainty into confidence. Through CYC’s scholarship tracking process and relentless encouragement, she applied for opportunities that ultimately helped make college financially possible. Those opportunities also opened unexpected doors.
Receiving the Smith Opportunity Scholarship (SOS) connected Ashlyn with the scholarship’s donors, and these relationships continued well beyond the award itself. After attending a CYC fundraising event, she built a personal connection with Sean and Andrea Smith while attending Queens University, where they lived nearby.
“It’s just the small things,” Ashlyn says. “For first-gen students, everything is so new.” Those “small things,” like an introduction, a conversation, a scholarship, or a campus visit, became life-changing because someone intentionally created the connection. CYC’s network didn’t stop with mentors and donors. It expanded through colleges, alumni, and community partners who believed in Fellows’ potential.
When Ashlyn enrolled at Queens University, CYC’s relationships continued to work on her behalf. University leaders introduced her to student government, leadership programs, and opportunities to serve on campus that helped her build both confidence and professional experience. Community, she says, became one of CYC’s greatest gifts.
“Community helps you better yourself. It helps you with networking. It opens your eyes to opportunities you never would have known existed.” That same sense of belonging inspired Ashlyn to pay it forward.
When another CYC Fellow arrived at Queens, Ashlyn welcomed her into the campus community before they had even met. “I wanted to make her feel comfortable in the space.” It’s a simple gesture, but one that reflects the culture CYC intentionally builds. One where every Fellow becomes part of a network that keeps growing long after graduation.
Today, Ashlyn serves as Deputy Clerk for the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court, serves on CYC’s Alumni Council Executive Board, and is pursuing a Master of Legal Studies at Northeastern University School of Law. She also returned to CYC as an Empowered Mentor, hoping to provide another fellow with the same encouragement she once received.