Inspired by Harvey Beech, Angelica Foster leads with courage
The 2024 recipient of a scholarship honoring Carolina’s first Black graduate is building a legacy for her daughter.
Originally posted by Terzah Dyer, University Development, Thursday, April 30th, 2026
“I saw myself in Harvey Beech,” said Angelica Foster ’25 (MPA). “He was a bold person and so am I.”
Foster’s record of service and dedication to the public interest was recognized with the prestigious Harvey Beech scholarship in 2024. She graduated from the Master of Public Administration program at the UNC School of Government in December 2025 and will be participating in the 2026 Spring Commencement.
When Harvey Elliott Beech ’52, the first Black student to graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill, came to the UNC School of Law, he wasn’t welcome in many places — not in Steele dorm, not in the dining hall and not even at the pool. Beech challenged the way things were simply by existing in spaces Black students weren’t allowed to be in.
That boldness is what drove Foster to Carolina.
She recalls reading about a moment when Beech attended a football game and insisted on sitting wherever he chose.
“The newspapers printed it as if to say Harvey Beech cursed out the chancellor,” Foster said. “But he said, ‘I didn’t. I just said I would sit any damn place I wish.’ That showed me how bold he was — when others were afraid, he was speaking up. And that’s who I am.”
Like Beech, Foster has built her life around speaking up for others, especially when it matters most.
After graduating from UNC Charlotte in 2015 with a degree in criminal justice, Foster went on to serve in the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem program, where she advocated for abused and neglected children and led statewide efforts to strengthen outcomes for youth and families involved in the court system.
“I am often the person who says things that people don’t want to hear, which is why it’s easy for me to testify in court on behalf of kids and families,” Foster said.
That conviction is deeply personal. At just 9 years old, Foster testified in chambers about the abuse she and her sister were experiencing.
“I was living in fear, and that experience shaped my purpose, and that led me to not caring if I am well liked, especially in the courtroom,” she said. “Now I don’t shy away from difficult conversations. I advocate for what is right to protect the children I serve,” she said.
Foster says her daughter is the heart of her decision to come to Carolina. (Submitted photo)
Deciding on Carolina
Faith and family ultimately guided Foster’s decision to come to Carolina for graduate school.
“I prayed and heard God say, ‘Do the things you thought you could never do,’” Foster said. “I told myself I am doing this for my daughter and building a Carolina legacy for my family, ensuring that she will grow up never thinking Carolina isn’t for her because of the color of her skin.”
Not only was Foster admitted into the MPA program in the UNC School of Government, she was also the only graduate student to win a Beech scholarship.
In the MPA program, Foster found more than coursework — she found community. Professors stayed after class to continue conversations, creating space for her to show up fully as herself and grow as a leader.
Today, Foster runs her consulting firm Angelic Impact Consulting LLC, a trauma-informed consulting firm focused on strengthening outcomes for children, families and the professionals who serve them.
Looking ahead, Foster is committed to advancing systemic change within child welfare and public service systems, ensuring both families and frontline professionals are supported to thrive.
But at the core of her work is something simpler: legacy.
“I didn’t have that legacy started for me,” Foster said, “so I wanted to create that legacy for my daughter.”
