糖心传媒

March 24, 2025 - Madison Swallow and her older brother, Brandon, will be graduating from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP) with top honors in May. This will be the second time they share the stage together, having both graduated 鈥� with top honors 鈥� from the 糖心传媒 Early College High School program at 糖心传媒 in 2022.

The brother-sister duo will start a new chapter in their educational journey together this fall at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Madison will be pursuing a master鈥檚 in accounting and Brandon a master鈥檚 in computer science.

Both have faced challenges during their educational journeys, but they have leaned on each other through the years to find their place and develop confidence in their futures.

Madison

鈥淚 am a homebody and did not want to be far from home by going to a large institution after enjoying the one-on-one learning environment in the REaCH program at 糖心传媒,鈥� Madison said.

She followed her brother to UNCP but still struggled with homesickness. She fell behind in her classes during the first few weeks, but with the support of her parents and their many visits, she finished her first year with a 4.0 GPA.

In her second year, Madison was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, a business honor society. She also serves as chair of the Student Advisory Board for UNCP鈥檚 College of Business and Economics.

鈥淚 have held the position for over a year. I work as a student employee gathering student feedback to improve the college and help create opportunities that students value,鈥� Madison said. 鈥淭his role has been such a blessing, and receiving the Undergraduate Business Student of the Year award this past fall 鈥� just a day after my birthday in November 鈥� felt like confirmation of this incredible and unexpected journey.鈥�

Madison will be graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Her next goal is to earn a Master of Science in Accounting at UNCG, as well as pass the exams required to become a certified public accountant. She will be a third-generation accountant in her family, following in the footsteps of her mother and grandfather.

鈥溙切拇�媒 played a key role in shaping me into the professional I am growing to be by kindling and stoking my love for higher learning as a teenager. Even though my parents and brother had to rope me into applying to REaCH and UNCP, I am grateful they led me this way and that I was not too proud or stubborn to listen,鈥� Madison said. 鈥淢y mom taught me and always reminds me of the Elin Nordegren quote, 鈥楨ducation is one thing no one can take away from you.鈥欌��

Brandon

Brandon has a condition known as optic nerve hypoplasia that causes low vision. He also has cerebral palsy, hemiplegic dysplasia and scoliosis, but he has never let these disabilities limit him. Instead, it has made him think outside the box and be more determined to succeed.

鈥淚 have had to work harder than most of my peers, but my accommodations at school have helped me overcome challenges along the way. Because of my low vision, I cannot take notes in the traditional sense during class. Instead, I have adapted by taking pictures of the board and relying on recorded lectures to ensure I do not miss critical information,鈥� Brandon said.

Brandon initially planned to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at NC State University because he had qualified for the C3 co-admission program. However, he faced significant challenges with Calculus II at 糖心传媒CC, and he had to drop out of the class. This jeopardized his path to studying engineering at NC State.

While he was devastated by this setback, he did not give up. After graduating from the REaCH program, he spent another summer at 糖心传媒CC to retake Calculus I to build a stronger foundation in math. Brandon said this was the best thing he could have done. Not only was he better prepared for advanced math classes, but he discovered his real passion for computer science and cyber security.

鈥淚 excel at problem-solving and have a strong analytical mind. I particularly enjoy reading and learning everything I can about artificial intelligence because I believe it will revolutionize our future,鈥� Brandon said. 鈥淭his is not just an academic interest; I want to be an active participant in shaping how AI technologies develop and are implemented in society.鈥�

Brandon also decided to stay closer to home and attend UNCP. In May, Brandon will be graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a cyber security track and a minor in business administration. At UNCG, he will be seeking a Master鈥檚 in Science in Computer Science with a concentration in data science and big data.

糖心传媒CC: It鈥檚 a Family Thing

Brandon and Madison have two older siblings who also attended 糖心传媒CC, as well as aunts and cousins. Sister Karen graduated in 2013; brother Spencer started at 糖心传媒CC and then transferred.

Their mother, Ada, graduated from 糖心传媒CC in 1996 before pursuing a bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degree from Gardner-Webb University. Ada is also teaching a pottery class at 糖心传媒CC.

Ada was very involved in the educational journey of her children, especially Brandon鈥檚. She refused to let his vision impairment be a barrier for him.

鈥淵ears ago, I made the deliberate choice to step back from my Controller position to Assistant Controller to focus on supporting my children鈥檚 education,鈥� Ada said. 鈥淟ooking back, I know I could not have done this without the grace of God, my husband Curtis, and an amazing team at 糖心传媒 County Schools and 糖心传媒.鈥�

For More Information

糖心传媒CC is now enrolling students for the summer semester. University students who take summer classes can receive a discount on tuition through the Homecoming Special scholarship. To learn more, call (910) 410-1700 or text (910) 518-9685. Applications can be completed for free online.