UNC Charlotte Magazine - Winter 2022 by UNC Charlotte

KAT LAWRENCE

A return to in-person classes and traditional campus life in August, with COVID-19 precautions in place, after a year of remote learning due to the historic coronavirus pandemic was enthusiastically embraced by all of Niner Nation.

www.charlotte.edu Vol. 28 • No. 1

Jennifer Ames Stuart, Ph.D. Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for University Communications EDITOR Phillip Brown Assistant Director of Editorial Services WADE BRUTON

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Phillip Brown Jennifer Howe Jenny Matz ART DIRECTOR Ryan Honeyman Director of Creative Services

A celebration 75 years in the making

Through this year's special Founders Day observance on Sept. 23, UNC Charlotte celebrated its landmark 75th anniversary.

PHOTOGRAPHERS Wade Bruton Ryan Honeyman Kat Lawrence DESIGN & PRODUCTION Ryan Honeyman

From the beginning: Memorable moments in time

UNC Charlotte's trajectory from extension center to junior college to North Carolina's urban research university is one of American higher education's great success stories. A historical timeline highlights milestones from the first 75 years.

Building a stronger brand

The University’s new primary logo — the “All-in-C” — brings Charlotte to the forefront and unifies institutional and athletics branding. The inserted sticker, created expressly for this publication, is to be used for sharing Niner pride!

Painting Charlotte Green: Niner Nation Week

UNC Charlotte Magazine is published by The University of North Carolina at Charlotte 9201 University City Blvd. Charlotte, N.C. 28223-0001 ISSN 10771913 EDITORIAL OFFICES Foundation Annex The University of North Carolina at Charlotte 8730 University City Blvd. Charlotte, N.C. 28223 704-687-7214

Niner Nation Week, Oct. 31–Nov. 7, combined the excitement of Homecoming and Family Weekend, forging a new campus tradition.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is open to people of all races and is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students or employees based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age or disability.

What’s next for the Charlotte 49ers?

18,500 copies of this publication were printed at $.92 per piece for a total cost of $17,020.

UNC Charlotte and its 18 men’s and women’s sports teams prepare to join The American Athletic Conference. COVER DESIGN BY RYAN HONEYMAN

Printed on recycled paper

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MES S AGE FR OM T HE CH A NCEL LOR

1946-2021: Celebrating 75 years and planning what’s next

his special edition of UNC Charlotte magazine celebrates our University’s extraordinary 75-year journey from its post-World War II origins as the Charlotte Center, a two-year evening school, to its position today as North Carolina’s urban research university. It highlights the milestones that shape our story and acknowledges the passionate and determined individuals — starting with our earliest champion, the incomparable Bonnie Cone — who devoted their lives and careers to UNC Charlotte’s existence and success. We owe these selfless pioneers a debt of gratitude — and bear an obligation to honor their vision by paying forward to the next generation of Niners a legacy that reflects the founding belief in the value of this institution. We remain committed to providing students the opportunity to reach beyond their perceptions of their limitations and to empowering them with the courage and confidence to make a difference in ways that are bound only by their imagination. With this comes a responsibility to shine a light on the indispensable expertise of our faculty and creativity of our staff, the far-reaching applicability of our research, the impact of our academic and cultural programs, and the ability of our alumni to drive the region’s economy. Due in great part to the amazing and visionary leadership that UNC Charlotte has enjoyed over the years, our legacy already is strong, and we’re ready to build upon it with our ambitious new strategic plan, “Shaping What’s Next.” A fresh brand platform — showcased within these pages (page 20) alongside the recognizable logos that have defined the University through the years — unites our academic and athletics identities, and communicates to constituencies near and far that we are “Charlotte.” Beside the stated goals of the strategic plan are additional indicators of progress to watch. First, we want UNC Charlotte to shed the descriptor “best-kept secret.” It’s time for everyone to know who we are and what we can do. Next, we’re looking for a greater number of diverse and high-achieving, aspiring Niners to identify Charlotte as “their school” and to make us their first and only choice when they’re accepted. And finally, we want alumni in their workplaces and communities to be heard when they state, “I learned that at Charlotte,” or “I can lead this because I went to Charlotte,” reinforcing the message that our state’s largest city is home to an innovative leader for public higher education.

As we turn the page to our next chapter, we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Our original plan was to kick off what is sure to be a memorable year on Founders Day, Sept. 23, with the installation ceremony that traditionally marks the arrival of a new chancellor. Although that has been postponed until next spring — when we hope it finally will be safe to gather — big-hearted Niners dedicated this Founders Day to serving our community (page 4), summoning the spirit of our founding leaders and reaffirming the very reason Charlotte College was created. With gratitude for all you do to support UNC Charlotte, I invite you to join us during the coming months for events that salute the students, faculty members, alumni, researchers, staff, trustees, donors and community leaders who have had a hand in this University‘s amazing success and who will lead us into a remarkable and impactful future. Go Niners!

Sharon L. Gaber Chancellor

WADE BRUTON

Chancellor Gaber and visitors to the 75th anniversary celebration on campus signed a structural “cake” designed by students and faculty in the College of Arts + Architecture and constructed in the 3-D Fabrication Lab. Its design speaks to the combination of freedom and rigor, study and recreation, and research and innovation, hallmarks of the UNC Charlotte experience. 3

CELEBRATING

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A CELEBRATION

75 years in the making V

irtually every member of Niner Nation knows the significance of Sept. 23, 1946. It is Founders Day, the date when 278 students, mostly World War II veterans seeking to take advantage of their GI Bill benefit, began collegiate studies at the Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina. Founders Day this year was unique as it marked the 75th anniversary of UNC Charlotte’s beginning. “Together, Niner Nation has built a remarkable University,” said Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber. “All of our accomplishments have been made possible by the extraordinary students, exceptional faculty and staff, dedicated alumni, generous friends and strong leaders who helped move us forward — starting with our founder, Miss Bonnie.”

BY JENNIFER HOWE

From night school to junior college to a member of the UNC System, UNC Charlotte has grown exponentially, in academic offerings, enrollment, alumni and supporters. A cadre of dedicated faculty members are transforming the future for countless individuals through education and research on the University City main campus, and at The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City and the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. UNC Charlotte’s first 75 years of meteoric growth have helped power the Charlotte region and beyond. What does the future hold? The University will be at the forefront, shaping what’s next. Seventy-fifth anniversary activities included a drop-in celebration, a community service event and a virtual conversation with Chancellor Gaber. Jennifer Howe is director of internal and operational communications in University Communications.

WADE BRUTON

Chancellor Gaber took photos and selfies with students, faculty and staff in front of stylized, natural moss art, designed for the 75th anniversary by Torrie Savage '05, owner of The Savage Way, depicting the new “All-in-C” logo.

RYAN HONEYMAN

Students, faculty and staff celebrated at Popp Martin Student Union. Hosted by the Student Government Association, the event featured cake pops, T-shirts and other anniversary giveaways.

Chancellor Gaber and Alumni Association President Frenchie Brown ’91 joined students to write thank you notes to Atrium and Novant health care workers for their dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the Founders Day Community Service event.

More than 100 faculty, staff, student and alumni volunteers assembled care packages at the Hauser Alumni Pavilion for four local community partners: Niner University Elementary, Care Ring, Crisis Assistance Ministry and Hope Vibes.

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UNC Charlotte’s trajectory from extension center to junior college to North Carolina’s urban research university is one of American higher education’s greatest success stories. The institution’s entire journey cannot be captured at once. However, the timeline on the following pages features highlights and memorable moments from Charlotte’s first 75 years and offers a launch pad to an exciting future.

1946

The Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina (CCUNC) is founded on Sept. 23 as one of 14 evening college centers the state of North Carolina established following World War II. These were created in response to rising education demands generated by the war and its technology. Charles Bernard is appointed the first director, and evening classes are held at Central High School.

Special thanks to Atkins Library’s Special Collections and Archives for assistance, especially Pamela Mason, Rita Johnston and Stacy Rue. Additionally, Tom Whitestone, LouAnn Lamb, Lyndsay Richter, Doug Lape and Jane Watson provided valuable contributions. Ken Sanford’s “Growing Up Together,” William Jeffers’ “The Making of a Research University” and “Jewel in the Crown: Bonnie Cone and the Founding of UNC Charlotte” and “Dean Colvard: Quiet Leader” by Marion Ellis served as key reference resources and are recommended for learning more about UNC Charlotte history. The timeline was researched and compiled by Phillip Brown, editor, UNC Charlotte Magazine, and edited by Susan Messina, director of editorial services for University Communications. 7

CELEBRATING

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BONNIE CONE

CHARLOTTE’S GUIDING STAR

The University is an institution devoted to excellence in teaching, the nurturing of the whole person and enriching the lives and understanding of all people within its influence because of Bonnie Cone and the vision she held before us. She has been our guiding star. Chancellor Emeritus Jim Woodward

1947

The CCUNC Owls football team takes the field under coach Arthur Deremer. Howard Baker is hired as the first basketball coach. The football team disbands the following year, selling its uniforms and equipment due to lack of funding.

1949

Community leaders, at the urging of Bonnie Cone, save the Charlotte Center from closing. It becomes Charlotte College, an independent two-year junior college operated by the Board of Education of the city of Charlotte.

1957

Daytime classes begin, and J. Murrey Atkins announces the selection of a 240-acre site for Charlotte College’s future permanent home.

1958

On May 11, the Board of Trustees of the Charlotte Community College System assumes responsibility for Charlotte College from the Charlotte City School Board, and Charlotte College joins the North Carolina Community College System.

A member of the Charlotte Rose Society, Miss Bonnie loved roses, which is reflected in a garden near her gravesite in the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens.

NC Charlotte’s existence is a testament to the pioneering spirit and dogged determination of Bonnie Ethel Cone. A year after joining the Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina in 1946 to conduct placement testing for students and teach engineering-mathematics — while keeping her full-time job as a high school teacher — Cone took over after the resignation of center director Charles Bernard. For the next three decades, she devoted herself to championing access to higher education for students in Charlotte and the people of North Carolina. Her contagious passion and never-take-no-for-an-answer temperament led the state to authorize the Charlotte Board of School Commissioners to oversee the institution as a two-year junior college starting in April 1949. Over the next five years, Cone persuaded community leaders to support Charlotte’s fledgling college. Her efforts were rewarded in 1954 when a designated two-cent city property tax was passed, then extended in 1958 to all of Mecklenburg County. By 1960, planning was underway to construct the first two buildings on a new campus location in what would become known as University City, purchased by the Charlotte College advisory board in 1957. With sights set on Charlotte College becoming a four-year, state-supported institution — which the N.C. General Assembly approved in 1963 — Cone and her allies planned the expansion of the UNC System to include Charlotte College. Their vision was realized on March 2, 1965, when the state legislature passed a bill to transform Charlotte College into The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, effective that year on July 1. Cone served as director of Charlotte College until 1961 when the board of trustees voted to name her president. Following the selection of Dean W. Colvard as UNC Charlotte’s first chancellor in 1966, Cone served in the new position of vice chancellor for student affairs and community relations until her 1973 retirement. She championed the University for the rest of her life, remaining a constant presence at commencement ceremonies and athletics events.

1960

The Charlotte College Foundation is established, and Addison Reese, a banking executive named to the Charlotte College Board of Advisors in 1957, announces the first corporate donation of $2,500 from his company, North Carolina National Bank (predecessor of NationsBank, now Bank of America).

Forever Bonnie Cone touched the lives of thousands of students, as a teacher and leader. A year after her death on March 8, 2003, she was interred in the Van Landingham Glen, part of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens she helped create. Her gravesite marker reads “Founder The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.” It is inscribed with a quote by American author Edward Everett Hale that Cone kept on her desk:

I am only one But I am one I cannot do everything But I can do something What I can do I ought to do And what I ought to do By the grace of God, I will do Some say Bonnie Cone saw what others could not. Specifically, she envisioned Charlotte as home to an exceptional four-year university. Seventy-five years later, her legacy thrives in North Carolina’s largest, most vibrant city.

1962

Ronnie Green, the 6-foot-3 center for the Charlotte College Owls, is named to the Carolina-Virginia Junior College All-Conference basketball team; the first athletic trophy or award won by a student. Charlotte College trustees vote on May 8 to request the addition of a junior year in 1963 and a senior year in 1964.

1963

The North Carolina General Assembly approves Charlotte College’s status as a four-year, state-supported institution.

1964

On April 7, the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners unanimously approves a gift of 520 acres of land to Charlotte College, which expanded the campus to 917 acres toward its goal of 1,500 acres. 9

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This 1961 aerial photo by Bill Barley captures the rustic location of the new Charlotte College campus; the first two buildings shared space with an old barn.

A permanent campus

y the 1950s Charlotte College had outgrown its original home at Central High School. In 1957, J. Murrey Atkins, who chaired the first college advisory committee and later the Charlotte Community College System board, announced the selection of a 240-acre site for the future permanent home of Charlotte College. On Nov. 11, 1960, Bonnie Cone joined Atkins, L.P. McLendon, chairman of the North Carolina Board of Higher Education, and Addison Reese to break ground for the new campus’ first two buildings. These structures, built alongside a barn, were later named for W.A. Kennedy, a member of the college’s first advisory board, and Pierre

1965

The North Carolina House of Representatives passes a bill on March 2 to make Charlotte College The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, effective July 1. The institution becomes the fourth campus of the Consolidated University of North Carolina. On June 17, the Charlotte College Board of Trustees approves a resolution transferring title of the campus and its facilities to the 100-person UNC Board of Trustees. 10

Macy, first chair of foreign languages. Nearly four years later, the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a gift of 520 acres of land to Charlotte College, enlarging the campus to 917 acres with a goal of achieving 1,500 acres. Following UNC Charlotte’s designation in 1965 as a campus of the Consolidated University of North Carolina, University and elected officials began planning for campus expansion. In 1967, the UNC General Administration and the state legislature provided funding for Dalton Tower to expand the J. Murrey Atkins Library. Additional allocations would fund the Rowe Arts Building, Belk Gymnasium and a cafeteria.

Harvey Murphy, Ph.D., is hired to begin the University’s physical education program. He also serves as interim men’s basketball coach and athletics director; he guides the development of the University’s NCAA Division I sports programs and the Department of Health Promotion and Kinesiology during his 31 years at the institution. The first and only four-year class of Charlotte College graduates on June 6; 25 bachelor’s degrees are awarded, and 11 sophomores receive associate

degrees during commencement exercises in the Atkins Library Auditorium. Marian Anderson, worldrenowned contralto and the first African American to perform with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, sang at the ceremony.

WADE BRUTON

Students find a home at UNC Charlotte Upon authorization in 1967 to build residence halls, Sanford and Moore Halls, named for former governors Terry Sanford and Dan Moore, emerged as the first on campus. The twin 11-story halls were completed in 1969 with Moore Hall designated as the first men’s dormitory. They were followed in 1972 and 1973 by Scott Hall and Holshouser Hall, also named for past governors, Bob Scott and James Holshouser. These high-rise residence halls anchored what became South Village. Holshouser and Scott were renovated in 2015 and 2018; Moore Hall was removed in 2019 to make way for a 650-bed residence hall with a mid-2023 completion. In 1978, Hunt Village opened next to Holshouser Hall. This apartment-style residence preceded a second, Martin Village, on the eastern part of campus. Now called East Village, it includes five residence halls and Greek Village, completed in 2007. Comprising 13 houses, Greek Village is

Enrollment Milestones UNC Charlotte has come a long way since its initial enrollment of 278 when it was founded primarily to accommodate returning World War II veterans. Now the second-largest university in the UNC System, a milestone achieved during the COVID-19 pandemic when many universities reported lower enrollments, UNC Charlotte continues to attract students eager to experience undergraduate and graduate study at North Carolina’s urban research university.

1966

The UNC System Board of Trustees elects Dean W. Colvard as chancellor of UNC Charlotte on Jan. 28. At UNC Charlotte’s first commencement on May 29, 87 degrees were awarded in ceremonies held in Atkins Library Auditorium.

Levine Hall

home to UNC Charlotte’s sororities. Five additional houses are reserved for non-Greek students. In 2013 and 2014, Hunt Hall and Martin Hall replaced their smaller namesake villages. North Village residences began with the construction of Witherspoon (originally called Poplar) Hall in 1990. North Village now includes Belk, Lynch, Miltimore and Wallis halls. Levine Hall, a 425-bed residence hall located near the University’s main entrance, honors philanthropists Leon and Sandra Levine, benefactors of the Levine Scholars Program. Named in 2016, Levine Hall also houses the program’s administrative offices and the Honors College.

1962 – 1,000 1972 – 5,000 1982 – 10,000 1991 – 15,000 2005 – 20,000 2010 – 25,000 2020 – 30,000

1967

Three new sports programs debut: cross country, volleyball and track, and intramural sports begin with touch football, bowling and volleyball. On Nov. 29, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools affirms accreditation of the University at its annual meeting in Dallas, Texas. William Hugh McEniry is hired as the first vice chancellor for academic affairs.

With the start of the fall semester, the Counseling Center opened in what is now the King Building under the direction of Ronald Simono, Ph.D., with an educational counselor and a psychometrist. By 1970, a master’s-level and two Ph.D. psychologists were added.

1968

UNC Charlotte’s inaugural honorary doctorates are awarded on May 26 to Frank Porter Graham (Doctor of Letters) and Addison Hardcastle Reese (Doctor of Laws). 11

CELEBRATING

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nam,

in Viet m to End the War ed in the Moratoriu at cp rti pa . ts 69 en Stud in fall 19 in cities nationwide which took place

Starting in the 1960 s, Black Stu dent Unio students led the c n that wa h remains a s chartere arge for a ctive toda d in 1969 y. and

Students push for change Academic Civil Rights

n the late 1960s, Black student and faculty activists, buoyed by a nationwide wave toward overdue societal change, advocated formalizing the study of Black people and Black liberation. On Feb. 26, 1969, Ben Chavis, Ronald Caldwell and T.J. Reddy led members of the unchartered Black Student Union to the Administration Building where they presented Doug Orr, assistant to the chancellor, a list of 10 demands, all aimed at increasing UNC Charlotte’s academic inclusivity. In May, Chancellor Colvard began the process for change. The Black Studies Committee convened that year, and on Nov. 26, the Black Student Union received official recognition as a student organization. Based upon the Black

On. Oct. 4, Seth Ellis of the English Department receives the first NCNB Award for Teaching Excellence, now the Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence.

1969

In response to community needs, UNC Charlotte begins offering courses for employees of Celanese Corporation, Eastern Airlines, Humble Oil, J.P. Stevens, Catalytic Construction, Allstate Insurance and other firms located in southern Mecklenburg County. 12

Studies Committee’s recommendations, the University established the Black Studies Program in 1971, with longtime Charlotte educator Bertha Maxwell as its founding director. Maxwell was among the first Black principals to lead a white elementary school in Charlotte. In 2006, due to continuous growth and evolution, the program was renamed the Department of Africana Studies to emphasize the comparative study of the African Diaspora paradigm.

Vietnam War Protests

On Oct. 15, 1969, students, faculty and staff participated in the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, a nationwide demonstration and teach-in across the United States. The

Graduate education commences with the fall semester; a Master of Education and the Master of Arts in Education with concentrations in English, history and mathematics are offered; 139 students enroll in inaugural courses.

1970

The UNC Charlotte Academic Council approved reorganizing the University’s divisions to colleges starting in 1971 (shown clockwise from top left): College of Business Administration (Dean Allan V. Palmer), College of Engineering (Dean

Newton H. Barnette), College of Human Development and Learning (Dean John B. Chase Jr.), College of Humanities

KAT LAWRENCE

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day-long event involved some 500 college and university campuses across the country. At UNC Charlotte, roughly 500 people turned out to hear and respond to a series of antiwar speeches.

Equal Rights

Beginning in the early 1970s, the student newspaper, Carolina Journal, published a series of articles that outlined issues central to the fledgling gay liberation movement, the predecessor to the LGBTQ Pride movement. During the same time, a Women’s Lib wall was installed on campus to raise awareness for issues surrounding equal rights for women. Coursework for women’s studies began in the 1970s, with an academic concentration in women’s studies approved in 1984 and a minor offered starting in the 1990s. Eventually, student leaders voiced the need to create an entity “to educate others in the campus community about the need for a warm and inviting place for people of diverse backgrounds.” The Multicultural Resource Center was established in 1996 after a proposal by then-senior class president Joseph Toomer. In July 2018, the center, along with the offices of Religious and Spiritual Life, Latinx Student Services and Student Advising for Freshman Excellence, merged to become the Office of Identity, Equity and Engagement within the Division of Student Affairs.

(Dean William S. Mathis), College of Nursing (Dean Edith Brocker), College of Science and Mathematics (Dean Philip Hildreth), College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Dean Norman W. Schul) and the College of Architecture (Dean Robert G. Anderson). The athletics program is accepted to the NCAA. In March, the Athletic Foundation of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte was formed.

In June 2020, students cont inued a long-s commitment tanding campu to advocating s for the rights a March to En of all people — d Injustice. with

The Work Continues

In September 2016, the city of Charlotte was thrust into the national spotlight following the police-involved death of Keith Lamont Scott in University City. UNC Charlotte students called for increased attention nationwide to issues related to social injustice. Peaceful demonstrations involving students, faculty and staff were held on campus, along with facilitated conversations, a healing concert and a combined spoken word, music and movement event to express solidarity with those who seek justice and equality. Four years later, UNC Charlotte students, in the wake of the May 25, 2020, murder of George Floyd, led a March to End Injustice. The event, held June 6, was organized by students who marched from North Tryon Street and J.W. Clay Boulevard to the Popp Martin Student Union.

1972

The historic first meeting of the UNC Board of Governors takes place on the 10th floor of the Dalton Tower of Atkins Library on July 7. North Carolina Gov. Bob Scott presided. During fall 1971, the legislature approved the restructuring of the UNC System, incorporating all 16 campuses under a 32-member Board of Governors. In November, UNC Charlotte is elected a member of the Association of Urban Universities, an organization for

institutions in major metropolitan areas. At the time, the University was the only member from the Carolinas.

1974

8 a.m. classes start on a trial basis, and the Rathskeller opens in the cellar of the Residential Dining Hall, located near the high-rise residence halls.

CELEBRATING

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What’s in a name? N

orm the Niner, official mascot of the Charlotte 49ers, is the recognizable face of UNC Charlotte. Norm appears at campus and sporting events, enthusiastically exuding Niner spirit. However, Norm has been known by this name only since the early 1990s, when Geoff Smith, according to the University Times, led a contest to name the statue (“The 49er Miner”) that greeted visitors to the campus. Previously, the mascot was referred to as the 49er Miner. Photos of students from the 1960s, dressed as a miner, eventually influenced the larger-than-life costumed Norm. Through the years, Norm has toned up, trimmed his beard and adopted moveable eyebrows to allow an array of facial expressions. After ditching a corncob pipe, six-shooters and a T-square, Norm is most often seen with his trusty pickaxe, a symbol of his pioneer origins and intention to settle for nothing less than the gold standard. His wardrobe, too, has evolved from flannel and corduroy to contemporary athletics wear, a Santa suit, and a cap and gown. Charlotte College students voted to adopt the 49ers nickname in October 1961; however, student publications of the time alternated between calling sports teams the “Forty-Niners” and Owls, the mascot first adopted by enrollees of the Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina, a fitting moniker for the original night school.

1975

The International Studies Program begins, and the first International Festival is held Sept. 27, eventually becoming one of the largest events of its kind, with annual attendance topping 20,000 participants prior to COVID-19. On Dec. 22, men’s basketball plays its first televised broadcast against nationally ranked University of Maryland at the Cole Fieldhouse in College Park.

1976

UNC Charlotte receives an FCC license for a 10-watt radio station to be called WFAE-FM (Fine. Arts. Educational.). The station signed on the air on April 18, 1977, operating from the basement of the Cone University Center. Budgetary constraints led UNC Charlotte to transfer control of the station to a nonprofit community board, University Radio Foundation, on April 15, 1993.

Division I men’s soccer begins under first head coach Ike Gardner from Independence High School’s coaching staff. He will coach men’s tennis and teach tennis, too.

1977

For the first season, the Charlotte 49ers play more games at the Charlotte Coliseum (Independence Arena) than the Belk Gym’s Mineshaft, the students’ nickname for the first campus basketball arena. Women’s intercollegiate softball begins in spring.

Athletically aligned 49ers athletics conference affiliations through the years: 1965-66 Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 1976-77 through 1990-91 Sun Belt Conference 1991-92 through 1994-95 Metro Conference

Why 49ers? The selection of Charlotte 49ers honors the significance of 1949 in the history of the institution, as Bonnie Cone and her supporters championed the continued need for higher education in the Charlotte region when many of the state centers created after World War II were closing. In an oral history, Cone recalled, “1949 was really the critical year in the life of this institution. The director of the extension of the university said they were not going to continue the college centers after June 30; we would have died right then had the legislature not been in session … Knowing we had to continue we were able to get legislation prepared and introduced and passed. So we stayed alive. Students picked up on that, and they said it not only was the year of decision, but it was the spirit of the 49ers who went West in search of gold ... so they came up with the idea that we had to be 49ers.” This pioneering spirit is an attribute all 49ers embrace as they chart their collegiate journeys. A second student vote in 1967 affirmed the decision to remain the 49ers after an effort to jettison it.

on the way to the Final Four. The team loses to Marquette (51-49), the eventual national champion. At the time, the tournament featured a national thirdplace game, which the 49ers lost to UNLV (106-94).

Men’s basketball receives a bid to the NCAA Tournament, a year after making it to the finals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The 49ers defeat Central Michigan University (91-86), Syracuse (81-59) and Michigan (75-68)

Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell was a star forward/center for the 49ers; he led the team to the Final Four, one year after the team’s first postseason appearance in the NIT in New York City, where he was named the MVP. Maxwell was drafted by the Boston Celtics as the overall 12th

1995-96 through 2004-05 Conference USA 2005-06 through 2012-13 Atlantic 10

2013-14 to present Conference USA 49ers to join The American (page 40)

player selected, and he played a key role in two championships during his 11-year NBA career, including 1981, where he was MVP of the NBA Finals.

1978

Class registration moves from paperbased to a computer-based process with the start of the fall semester.

1979

Elbert Kirtley (E.K.) Fretwell Jr. becomes chancellor, arriving after 12 years as president of Buffalo State College. 15

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Show your colors For students at the Charlotte Center of the University of North Carolina, the school colors of the day were maroon and light gray. By 1961, Charlotte College students yearned for a change, voting to adopt light blue and white. In 1965, students enrolled in UNC Charlotte, now part of the Consolidated University of North Carolina, sought a distinctive color scheme. An election offered the chance to vote for light green, dark green or deep purple to be combined with white, the coordinating color for all the branches of the UNC System at the time. Forest green and white prevailed in the Oct. 5 vote.

WADE BRUTON

Signed and sealed In 1965, with UNC Charlotte’s entry into the Consolidated University of North Carolina system, the University adopted a new seal. The design committee was chaired by Maud Gatewood, the first head of the arts program. The seal features tulip-like symbols at the top, reflective of an architectural feature of the Kennedy Building, one of the campus’ first structures. Back-to-back “Cs” represent Charlotte College, UNC Charlotte’s predecessor, as well as Charlotte and Carolina

1980

Chancellor Fretwell establishes the College of Arts and Sciences, combining the colleges of Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences and Science and Mathematics with Sherman Burson as dean. It became the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences in 2008. Doug Orr, vice chancellor of student affairs, is named vice chancellor of the newly created Division of Research and Public Service.

due to the campus location within North Carolina and proximity to South Carolina. The pine cone represents founder Bonnie Cone and acknowledges North Carolina’s history as land of the longleaf pine. The date, 1946, indicates the earliest beginning of the institution. Used liberally until the creation of the first UNC Charlotte logo in 1969, the seal now is reserved for official documents.

1981

Physicist James Werntz is named vice chancellor of academic affairs. Robert Albright is appointed vice chancellor for student affairs; he is the first African American named to fill a top-level administrative position at the University. He arrives from the U.S. Department of Education, where he was special

assistant to the assistant secretary for postsecondary education. Two years later, Albright is named president of Johnson C. Smith University.

1983

The University celebrates the conclusion of “The Campaign for Excellence,” co-chaired by Thomas Belk and C.C. Cameron. The $6 million generated by this first fundraiser paves the way for the Silver Anniversary Campaign that raised more than $30 million upon its completion in 1991.

WADE BRUTON

Judy Wilkins Rose

She’s got game

itle IX, the landmark federal civil rights law passed in 1972 as part of the Education Amendments, opened doors of opportunity for women in admission, academic majors, teaching, vocational programs and individual classes — and most notably, sports. In fall 1974, varsity women’s athletics arrived at UNC Charlotte with volleyball under head coach Abby Hastings. The following fall, Judy Wilkins (later Rose) was hired as head coach for women’s basketball and tennis. A graduate of Winthrop College and the University of Tennessee, Wilkins started a 43-year run with 49ers Athletics. By 1981 she was promoted to assistant athletics director and to associate director of athletics four years later. On July 1, 1990, she was

1984

Faculty members from the Department of Religious Studies establish the Witherspoon Lecture to honor their colleague Loy H. Witherspoon during his 20th year of service. Witherspoon, a longtime confidant of Bonnie Cone, served as first chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion and the first chair of the independent Department of Religious Studies. The Loy H. Witherspoon Greek Alumni Scholarship, established in 2012, honors Witherspoon’s work to establish

appointed director of athletics, making history as one of only three women who were athletics directors in the nation at the time. She held the position until retiring in July 2018. In 2002, Rose launched the fundraiser “Let Me Play” to provide scholarship support for 49ers women studentathletes. The annual event has raised nearly $2 million since its inception. Before and since her retirement, Rose has been recognized repeatedly for her trailblazing leadership, including as an inaugural member of the Charlotte 49ers Athletics Hall of Fame. In addition to basketball, tennis and volleyball, Charlotte 49ers women’s sports include cross country, golf, soccer, softball and track and field.

the University’s current Greek system. Witherspoon Hall, which opened in 1990, is named in his honor. Witherspoon, who retired in 1994, died Jan. 15, 2017.

1985

The UNC Charlotte Alumni Association Awards are established to recognize those who make important contributions to UNC Charlotte and who distinguish themselves through extraordinary service to alumni, faculty, students and their communities.

1986

The Graduate School is established under founding dean Robert Carrubba, who began his teaching career at Columbia University. 17

CELEBRATING

YEARS

VISIONARY CHANCELLORS

Inherent in those whose leadership has elevated UNC Charlotte to prominence are their vision to move the institution forward, talent to enact change and willingness to roll up their sleeves alongside their teams. Thanks to the cumulative expertise of the individuals who have served as chancellor, the University consistently has “punched above its weight” in a competitive higher education environment.

Dean W. Colvard University Builder, 1966-79 Chancellor Colvard guided UNC Charlotte’s formative years as enrollment grew from 1,700 to 8,705. With local business leaders, he was among the founders of University Research Park, which spurred future development in the area. • Organized the University into eight academic colleges

• Led the institution to achieve regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and national accreditation for nursing, chemistry and engineering

• Oversaw the first graduate programs • Launched the Urban Institute in 1969 to problem-solve for urban communities

Elbert Kirtley (E.K.) Fretwell Jr. Towering Leader, 1979-89 Chancellor Fretwell arrived in Charlotte after serving as national president of the American Association for Higher Education, president and board chair of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and chair of the board of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. An imposing figure at 6 feet, 7 inches, Fretwell provided leadership to set the stage for the University’s future growth. He championed the construction of University Place, which led to increased development and the formation of University City. • Achieved national accreditation for the professional schools of architecture, business, education, engineering and nursing • Established the Graduate School and combined three colleges into the College of Arts and Sciences

• Grew master’s programs from 10 to 29 • Added Army and Air Force ROTC; expanded internships and co-op programs • Introduced a “spirit of service,” encouraging qualified women and minorities to enroll

James H. Woodward Jr. A Quiet Giant, 1989-2005 Chancellor Woodward directed the campus’ evolution from serving primarily commuter undergraduate students to a research institution offering doctoral programs. He opened the Uptown Center to offer graduate and continuing education opportunities and established the Charlotte Research Institute, fulfilling the University’s role as an economic engine and creating partnerships in advanced manufacturing and applied technology. • Launched the College of Health and Human Services and the College of Computing and Informatics

• Generated support for a $3.1 billion Higher Education Bond referendum that provided the University with $190 million to fund construction for academic space

• Worked to diversify the student body to provide greater access to higher education

• Increased enrollment between 1989-2005 from 13,222 to more than 20,000

Philip L. Dubois Intrepid Powerhouse, 2005-20 Chancellor Dubois’ leadership powered UNC Charlotte’s trajectory with growth in student enrollment and academic programs, higher levels of research funding that grew to exceed $50 million annually and remarkable campus expansion. In 2018, his 13-year effort to bring light rail service from Uptown Charlotte to campus was realized, forever changing the University’s relationship with its city. • Oversaw the investment of $1.2 billion in facility construction and renovation (see timeline for details) to meet the demands of expanding enrollment and a growing research enterprise

• Developed new offices to benefit students and families: Office of Parent and Family Services, Scholarship Office, Call Center, Transfer Student Center, Niner Central and Office of Undergraduate Research

• Presided over planning to bring Division I FCS-level football and its rapid advance to the FBS level as a member of Conference USA • Launched 10 bachelor’s, 17 master’s and 12 doctoral programs and myriad graduate certificates

• Led the University's compassionate response to the April 30, 2019, campus shooting that took the lives of two students and injured four others, promising the institution will “never forget” the sacrifices of that day • Championed UNC Charlotte’s largest private fundraising campaign, which raised nearly $220 million

Sharon L. Gaber Strategic Innovator, 2020-present Chancellor Gaber arrived in July 2020 from the University of Toledo during the COVID-19 pandemic to become UNC Charlotte’s first woman chancellor, directing the University through remote teaching and teleworking. With the start of the fall 2021 semester, she guided the launch of updated institutional branding as the University prepared to commemorate its 75th anniversary. • Directed the University’s COVID-19 response, which was recognized by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities with a special 2021 Excellence and Innovation Award • Named an interim special assistant to the chancellor for diversity and inclusion in advance of the appointment of Brandon Wolfe as the first associate vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer

• Commissioned “Shaping What’s Next,” a strategic plan to guide the University from 2021-31 • Led UNC Charlotte to designation by U.S. News & World Report as a national leader in innovation and social mobility • Celebrated an invitation in fall 2021 for the Charlotte 49ers to join The American Athletic Conference 19

CELEBRATING

YEARS

Evolution of the UNC Charlotte brand

BY JENNY MATZ

NC Charlotte’s brand and the logos that represent it have evolved steadily since the University’s founding. Establishing an identity as North Carolina’s urban research university — a process that happened naturally due to location in the state’s largest city and by design through visionary leadership — took place alongside fan identification with the Charlotte 49ers. To commemorate this progression, here are some recognizable signs and symbols that have been a part of the University from its earliest days.

1969: FIRST OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY LOGO

Becoming part of the UNC System gave the University instant recognition. As UNC Charlotte was relatively unknown outside the region during its early years, the administration sought to build a distinctive identity with the first official logomark. Joe Sonderman with Jack Pentes Design created the block form UNCC logo as a pro bono project.

1988: SECOND UNIVERSITY LOGO

As the University grew, a different identity issue emerged. Area community college and technical systems began using the “CC” acronym as part of their names (such as CPCC for Central Piedmont Community College). To alleviate confusion and build recognition, the crown logo, also designed by Sonderman, represented the University's two greatest assets: the UNC System and the Queen City.

2000: CHARLOTTE 49ERS DEBUT ATHLETICS MARK

Athletics officially changed its name in 2000 to “Charlotte.” Its new logo, referred to as the “C-Pick,” depicts an arm holding a miner’s pick, simultaneously forming a “C” as the first letter in Charlotte.

Proudly display this ow window decal to sh irit! your Niner Nation sp

1986

Religion professor Henry Thomas introduces the University Transition Opportunities Program, enabling the University to expand enrollment of Black students by supporting their transition to college.

1989

On July 1, James H. Woodward becomes chancellor; his formal installation is held the next year on April 21.

1990

Legislative approval is granted to construct the James H. Barnhardt Student Activity Center (SAC), to include a 9,000-seat venue to be home to 49ers men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball. A grand opening celebration in February 1997 culminated

in a homecoming basketball game against Marquette University. The indoor venue becomes Halton Arena, named for University benefactor and former trustee Dale Halton. Her name graces the Halton Reading Room in Atkins Library and the Halton-Wagner Tennis Complex, which also honors her husband, Fred Wagner.

2008: REVISED CROWN LOGO

The original crown logo was revised in 2008 for a cleaner look and to provide increased distinction from the UNCC moniker. In this version, “UNC” and “Charlotte” are separated and the letters are the same size.

2020: A NEW ATHLETICS LOGO

In 2019, the Athletics Department and locally based strategic communications firm Luquire completed research with a broad cross-section of University stakeholders; in-depth interviews with selected administrators, supporters and licensees; and online surveys to alumni and students to develop a new athletics brand. In July 2020, the Charlotte 49ers unveiled the “All-In-C,” derived from the original Charlotte athletics logo, which placed the classic 49ers gold-mining pick inside a collegiate-inspired “C” with beveled corners. It features an aggressive stance and a 9-degree forward tilt to illustrate the brand’s positive energy and forward momentum. The All-in-C was designed by Todd Aldridge ‘92, senior vice president and executive creative director for Luquire. “This was really a labor of love,” said Aldridge, who is among three generations in his family with connections to the University spanning nearly 50 years. “UNC Charlotte means so much not just to alumni, students, faculty and staff, but to the entire community. As the school’s impact on our region reaches new heights, we were determined to develop an identity that reflected a positive, forward trajectory.”

2021: NEW UNIVERSITY LOGO

In 2020, UNC Charlotte began assessing public perception of the overall University brand. The arrival of Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber and the University’s upcoming 75th anniversary triggered the charge to strengthen and more sharply define the brand, while striving to increase UNC Charlotte’s national and international reputation. With Luquire, UNC Charlotte researched University perception from more than 5,000 current and prospective students and parents, faculty, staff, alumni and others. Results indicated some confusion with the two visual identities: the athletics “All-in-C” and the University crown logo. In August 2021, the University debuted a new primary logo that follows a national trend among universities to combine institution and athletics marks. The All-in-C was modified to create one cohesive University identity, revising the type treatment and bringing “Charlotte” to the forefront. Jenny Matz is director of content marketing and brand execution for University Communications.

The Belk College of Business is named in honor of the William Henry Belk family and the Belk organization.

1993

The UNC Board of Governors approves implementation of the University’s first three doctoral programs: mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and applied mathematics.

1994

In March, UNC Charlotte hosts the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final

Four at Charlotte Coliseum, under the coordination of Athletics Director Judy Rose. The University hosted the Women’s NCAA Final Four Basketball Tournament at the Charlotte Coliseum in March 1996, and the 1999 and 2000 NCAA Men’s Soccer College Cup. The women’s cross country team achieves a three-peat as Metro Conference champions, two decades after Title IX opened the door for athletic opportunities for women on college campuses.

The William States Lee College of Engineering is named on March 31 for Bill Lee III, the Duke Energy chairman and chief executive officer.

1995

The Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredits the University at the doctoral level. 21

CELEBRATING

YEARS

ince the 1960s, UNC Charlotte — North Carolina’s urban research university — has worked in tandem with the Charlotte business community to advance the University’s research enterprise, which today attracts upward of $50 million in external funding annually. • On July 11, 1963, the Charlotte College Foundation received an industrial facility in Burlington, North Carolina, worth more than $1 million from the Celanese Corporation of America. James Kennedy, the company’s executive vice president, stated the gift was to “promote scientific and engineering education at Charlotte College.” This early charge fueled UNC Charlotte’s efforts to conduct research and scholarly exploration that would power the growth of Charlotte and the greater metro region. • Chancellor Colvard championed the creation of the University Research Park, which broke ground on Jan. 11, 1968. Designed as an entrepreneurial venture to foster economic development near campus, the research

In March, the Office of Adult Students and Evening Services (OASES) opens with Janet Daniel as founding director to focus on the needs of nontraditional students. In 2005, OASES would launch the 49er Finish Program, an award-winning concierge service that targets seniors who leave prior to graduation to return to complete their studies. At 2019 Fall Commencement, 22

park would eventually house IBM, AT&T, Duke Power, Verbatim and the Electrical Power Research Institute, diversifying the city’s economy with its focus on technology, communications and data processing. • Additional graduate programs, including doctoral programs spearheaded by Chancellor Woodward, were implemented to prepare students for the coming knowledge economy. In 1993, the UNC Board of Governors approved UNC Charlotte’s first three doctoral programs: mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and applied mathematics. • Ongoing enrollment growth, increased demand for preparing a highly trained workforce for the region, coupled with the successful passage of the North Carolina Higher Education Improvement Bonds measure on Nov. 7, 2000, led University leaders to create the Charlotte Research Institute (CRI), starting with the 2001-02 academic year.

the 49er Finish Program celebrated its 1,000th returnee to graduate, Jon Venable.

1996

The Irwin Belk Track and Field Center opens; it serves as the host site for the German Olympic team as it prepares to compete in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

Men’s soccer reaches the NCAA Division I Soccer Tournament Final Four, with wins against the College of Charleston, Notre Dame and Hartford before losing to Florida International University. Goalkeeper Jon Busch enjoyed a 21-year career in Major League Soccer, winning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2008. With the completion of the James H. Barnhardt Student Activity Center, UNC Charlotte holds its first commencement on campus in 30 years on Dec. 14. This is the University’s inaugural Fall

Joe Williamson, a Charlotte College student body officer, speaks during a ceremony announcing the gift from Celanese Corporation. The University confers its first doctoral degree in May 1997; Jian Liu completed a Ph.D. in electrical engineering.

KAT LAWRENCE

• In December 2000, the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees approved a plan that designated 100 acres of undeveloped land along North Tryon Street as a “millennium campus,” envisioned as a partnership between corporate Charlotte and UNC Charlotte. It offers state-of-the-art research facilities that leverage the University’s strengths in precision metrology, advanced manufacturing, optoelectronics and optical communication and software and information technology. • Since 2005, research awards by UNC Charlotte faculty have more than doubled, reaching $52 million in 2020. The University ranked third among the UNC System and fifth in the state for research expenditures. The addition of EPIC, the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center, in fall 2012, and the launch of the Data Science Initiative in 2013, paved the way for increased research opportunities and enabled the University to grow its graduate enrollment to a record 6,332 master’s and doctoral students for fall 2021.

Commencement, necessitated by burgeoning campus enrollment.

1997

The first doctoral degree is awarded, a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, to Jian Liu. A year later, the first women earn doctorates, Deborah Louise Sharer, electrical engineering, and Wafaa A. Shaban, applied mathematics. Also, the first doctorates in educational leadership are awarded to Barry Leon Aycock and Harry Don Hall.

• The PORTAL Building, dedicated Feb. 28, 2014, represents the University’s commitment to foster partnerships with private industry to power innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. PORTAL (Partnership, Outreach and Research to Accelerate Learning) is home to Ventureprise, the successor to the Ben Craig Center, established in 1986 as a small business incubator. The Ventureprise team’s priority is to build strong entrepreneurial capacity serving the faculty, researchers and students of North Carolina’s growing urban research university. • On May 1, 2019, Richard Tankersley was named vice chancellor for research and economic development, succeeding Robert Wilhelm. Starting in fall 2019, Tankersley announced key changes for the Office of Research and Economic Development. CRI was repositioned as the Office of Research Partnerships to develop scholarship and research opportunities with nonprofit and governmental interests as well as those established with corporate partners.

For the 1997-98 academic year, psychology professor Al Maisto is named a U.S. Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation, the first professor from North Carolina to receive this honor.

2000

On Aug. 11, the UNC Board of Governors formally redesignates UNC Charlotte as a doctoral/research intensive institution as defined by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

The College of Information Technology is established with Mirsad Hadzikadic as founding dean. The college’s Department of Software and Information Systems had its origins in the School of Information Technology, which began in 1997-98, as part of the Lee College of Engineering. The college hosts the first Information Security and Privacy Symposium, years before the term cybersecurity enters the public lexicon. CCI’s annual Cybersecurity Symposium brings industry leaders to Charlotte and showcases how the college is a talent generator for the tech pipeline. 23

CELEBRATING

YEARS

Gov. Dan Moore

Sound of victory

very commencement ceremony concludes with the ringing of the Victory Bell, led by a deserving 49er graduate. Throughout the University’s history, it has rung to commemorate important institutional milestones. The Old Bell, as it was originally known, was presented to Bonnie Cone in the early 1960s. After serving for years to summon children to Elizabeth Elementary School, the bell was gifted to Charlotte College by Principal Hattie Alexander. It was placed near the Kennedy Building in a redwood framework built under the direction of biology professor Herbert Hechenbleikner. According to the Charlotte Collegian, on June 28, 1963, former Charlottean Herschel Johnson, a 25-year veteran of the U.S. diplomatic corps, gave a speech formally dedicating the Old Bell to Charlotte College. The bell rang again on March 2, 1965, to celebrate the victorious legislative vote that welcomed Charlotte College to the statewide university system. Cone, in Raleigh for the vote, called campus with the good news. Over the phone, she heard the wild ringing of the bell and was told it was ringing once for the legislature members and twice for her. Gov. Dan Moore visited campus on July 1 to ring the Old Bell to mark UNC Charlotte’s official entry into the UNC System. In 1990, Cone rang the Victory Bell to mark the University’s 25th anniversary as a member of the UNC System. It later rang to celebrate authorization to offer doctoral degrees and to announce the formation of the Charlotte 49ers football program. The bell and tower remained near Kennedy until the construction of the Belk Tower, when, according to the Carolina Journal, it was relegated to a “lonely spot between the Cone Center and the gym.” It remained there until campus and student leaders refurbished it for ceremonial use.

WADE BRUTON

On Nov. 7, voters approve the North Carolina Higher Education Improvement Bonds, which authorized $3.1 billion in bonds to provide funding for improvements to UNC System institutions and community colleges. Chancellor Woodward was among the leaders who championed the bond measure, which funded construction of several new academic buildings. 24

2001

The UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees and UNC Board of Governors approve the establishment of the College of Health and Human Services, effective July 1, 2002. Sue M. Bishop, founding dean, served previously as dean of the School of Nursing, which became a college unit. Through a first-ever state appropriation for a research center at the University, the Center for Optoelectronics and Optical Communications

is established. Michael Fiddy is appointed its first director.

2002

UNC Charlotte launches its $100 million “It Takes a Gift” fundraising campaign, bolstered by a $10 million investment from the Duke Energy Foundation.

2003

University founder Bonnie Cone dies March 8, and the following year, is interred on campus in the Van Landingham Glen, part of the UNC

Paul Escott, Robert Carr ub

d Thomas Bel

an C.C. Cameron

And the award goes to… A hallmark of the UNC Charlotte experience is outstanding teaching. Honoring exceptional faculty members dates to 1968 when University leaders announced the creation of the NCNB Award for Teaching Excellence. English professor Seth Ellis was the award’s inaugural recipient. Today, this honor is the Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence. Its presentation to an outstanding tenured faculty member annually is among the University’s most venerable traditions. Until 1990, the award could be presented to multiple recipients. Beginning in fall 2019, outstanding nontenure track teachers (primarily lecturers and adjunct faculty) became eligible to receive the newly established UNC Charlotte Award for Teaching Excellence.

ba and Paul

Other ways UNC Charlotte recognizes effective teaching, scholarly activity and service: • In 1988, research and scholarly activity had grown to a level that Chancellor Fretwell believed warranted recognition alongside teaching excellence. Graduate School Dean Robert Carrubba enlisted the sponsorship of a financial institution for the First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal. Paul Escott, history, and Paul Rillema, chemistry, were inaugural recipients. • To recognize private citizens who give substantially of themselves to the University and the community, the UNC Charlotte Distinguished Service Award debuted in 1987. C.C. Cameron and Thomas Belk were the first recipients of the award, presented at a black-tie gala. • In 2001, the Harshini V. de Silva Graduate Mentor Award was established in memory of an associate professor of biology who was noted for her deep dedication to the academic and professional development of graduate students. English professor Tony E. Jackson was the first recipient. • The title Chancellor’s Professor (formerly University Professor) is a UNC Charlotte recognition of a faculty member for outstanding contributions in a specific discipline, but exhibiting an interdisciplinary character enabling contributions to more than one department or college. Steven Rogelberg, professor of management and psychology, was the inaugural designee in 2013.

Charlotte Botanical Gardens she helped start with biology professor Herbert Hechenbleikner in the 1960s.

Atkins Library is designated a patent and trademark depository library, one of only two in the state.

Under head coach Katie Meier, the 49ers women’s basketball team wins its first Conference USA Championship.

UNC Charlotte awards its 75,000th diploma.

Joan F. Lorden is named provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Rillema

2004

Chancellor Woodward announces his retirement effective June 30, 2005. The recently completed Chancellor’s Residence is dedicated in honor of Sara H. Bissell, the wife of longtime supporter and former trustee Smoky Bissell, on

Nov. 18. The 7,500-square-foot structure features 12 rooms and six baths; its location on Chancellor’s Place positions it near the University’s South Entrance. 25

CELEBRATING

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In 2010, Belk gifted “Spirit of Discovery” by artists Hanna Jabran and Jodie Hollnagel-Jabra; it is installed in the Bioinformatics Building.

A haven for public art I

n September 1993, the University accepted the loan of three sculptures, “Monument to the Unknown Artist,” “Kanturk” and “Sun Target I,” from the Mint Museum to start a campus beautification initiative through a broad-based outdoor sculpture collection. Longtime University benefactor Ike Belk energetically took up the mantle to advance the installation of campus art.

Housi Knecht’s “Water Harp,” located near Robinson Hall, was contributed by Belk in 2007. The artist also created “Orbis,” installed on the quad outside Duke and Grigg Halls in 2008. The sculpture “Wings of Pride” stands outside Woodward Hall. Belk commissioned artist Kent Ulbert to create the work in recognition of Chancellor Woodward’s service in the U.S. Air Force; it was dedicated in fall 2005.

2005

Philip L. Dubois arrives on July 15 as the University’s fourth chancellor. Dubois, who previously served as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, returned to the University after eight years as president of the University of Wyoming.

2006

The College of Information Technology is renamed the College of Computing and Informatics (CCI). CCI today enrolls more than 2,300 undergraduate and 26

UMass. Tom and Lib Phillips Field, located within the facility, was built in 1984.

900 graduate students, making it the state’s largest and most comprehensive technology program.

2007

Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium, home of 49ers baseball, opens on March 30; the team scores a 3-1 victory against

Julian Mason, professor emeritus of English, donates a first edition of T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” to Atkins Library; this gift resulted in “A Million Reasons to Celebrate: The Acquisition of the J. Murrey Atkins Library’s Millionth Volume,” on April 20. A state-of-the-art Student Health Center opens; the 32,000-square-foot facility is almost triple the size of the

In 2013, Jon Hair’s “Ascend,” commissioned by Belk, is placed outside the Popp Martin Student Union. Earlier that year, two 12-foot statues of football players by Hair were erected outside Richardson Stadium.

Belk commissioned statuary depicting all the 49ers sports teams, starting in 1996 with “Female Sprinter,” “Female Hurdler,” “Male Relay Runner,” “Male Discus Thrower” and “Male Soccer Player” by artist Richard Hallier. Additional Hallier works include “Men’s Basketball Player,” “Male Baseball Player,” “Female Softball Player,”“Tennis Player Male,” “Tennis Player Female,” “Cross Country,” “Female Basketball Player,” “Volleyball Dig” and “Bicycle Kick.” The University has one of the largest collections of athletics statuary on any American college campus.

“Self-made Man,” by artist Bobbie Carlyle, is a 14-foot work located in the plaza outside Cato Hall. One of the most recognizable statues on campus, the piece represents the vision of a man carving himself out of stone, which serves to remind students their educational pursuits are an investment in their futures.

John Medwedeff’s “Aperture” joined the University’s public art collection in fall 2015, another gift from Belk.

More sculpture is found in McMillan Greenhouse and the Botanical Gardens and throughout campus. The College of Arts + Architecture manages the art galleries in Rowe Arts and Storrs buildings as well as the Projective Eye Gallery in The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City. which feature rotating exhibits. The Popp Martin Student Union Art Gallery is one more campus exhibition venue. WADE BRUTON

center’s former home, the Brocker Building, built in 1971. The Brocker Building, now Memorial Hall, houses the departments of Aerospace Studies (Air Force ROTC) and Military Science (Army ROTC).

2008

Chancellor Dubois establishes the College of Arts + Architecture with Ken Lambla as founding dean. Bringing the arts and design together in an educational forum unique in the Carolinas and rare in the U.S.,

the college offers opportunities for students to collaborate with regional arts organizations for arts education, environmental programs and community development. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois visits UNC Charlotte on Nov. 3, the eve of the presidential election, which he would win. Hosted by the College Democrats of UNC Charlotte, Obama addressed a crowd of more than 20,000 on the campus recreation fields, now the site of Richardson Stadium.

2009

A new Student Union opens Aug. 24 and quickly becomes the hub of student life; its central location houses the University’s 400-plus organizations. In 2016, it is renamed to recognize alumni and donors Karen A. Popp ’80 and Demond T. Martin ’97. 27

CELEBRATING

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KAT LAWRENCE

A grand entrance

ickson Gate, the main entrance that 49ers and visitors pass through from Hwy. 49 upon arriving to campus, was dedicated on Nov. 18, 2008. Race cars from UNC Charlotte’s Motorsports Lab driven by mechanical engineering students “broke the ribbon” in a video shown at the ceremony to officially open the gate. In the video, Steve Jessup ’08 from Mount Laurel, New Jersey, led the pack, breaking the ribbon as he drove a Legends car. He was followed by Chris Myers ’10 from Cary, in a 49ers drag car; Kevin Boehm ’09 from Wilkesboro, who steered the Formula car; and Brian Schmidinger ’11 from High Point in the Baja car.

Sandra Levine, through the foundation, have made two additional gifts to extend the program’s ability to recruit exceptional high school students from around the nation.

2011 The Levine Scholars Program, the University’s premier merit-based scholarship, is established through a $9 million gift from The Leon Levine Foundation. Philanthropists Leon and 28

UNC Charlotte Center City, the only UNC System classroom building conceived and designed specifically to serve the businesses,

organizations and people of an urban center, opens. It houses a number of UNC Charlotte graduate programs and the School of Professional Studies, to help working professionals advance or transition in their careers. In May 2020, the building is renamed The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City in honor of Chancellor Emeritus Phil Dubois and his wife, Lisa Lewis Dubois.

WADE BRUTON

Named to honor Rush Dickson, founder of the Charlotte investment banking enterprise R.S. Dickson & Company, the formidable entranceway was made possible by a donation from The Dickson Foundation and Harris Teeter. It enabled the University to relocate the entrance 750-feet south of its original egress and construct a twolane divided road with bike lanes that lead to a traffic circle along Broadrick Boulevard. On Nov. 23, 2019, the entrance from North Tryon Street, after enhancements to mirror Dickson Gate, was designated Popp Gate and dedicated in honor of Peggy and Coach Joe Popp, the parents of Karen Popp ’80, a longtime University supporter and former chair of the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees.

2012

The Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) opens in November to respond to the workforce needs of Charlotte’s growing number of businesses and industries specializing in the energy sector. Test centers include the HighBay Lab, Duke Energy Smart Grid Lab and the Siemens Large Manufacturing Lab.

Find your spot – to park UNC Charlotte’s first parking fee, $10 per calendar year, was imposed in 1968. As enrollment increased, University leaders decided to add parking decks — building up rather than out — as a way to preserve land. Cone Deck 1 was constructed in 1977. Today, 10 decks and 48 open lots are available to students, faculty, staff and campus visitors. Parking on any college campus is infamously compared to a scavenger hunt. In North Carolina, the state does not fund construction of parking lots and decks. Predictably, the cost to build and maintain the campus parking infrastructure rises steadily. To regulate parking, the University began issuing parking decals. For the 2012-13 academic year, the Parking and Transportation Office issued hang tags equipped with RFID chips to activate premium parking in gated lots and decks. In 2017, the University switched to a License Plate Reader system that deploys cameras to read license plates to match virtual permits.

Fabian Elliott completes a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Belk College of Business; the former Homecoming king is honored as UNC Charlotte’s 100,000th graduate at Spring Commencement.

2013

The Charlotte 49ers inaugural football game against Campbell University is held Aug. 31.

CELEBRATING

YEARS

R E T A M A M AL

They’re Playing playing Our songs our Songs I

n April 1992, Chancellor Woodward approved the University’s Alma Mater. History professor Robert Rieke wrote the lyrics; however, the music is part of an “Academic Festival March” composed in 1965 by James Helme Sutcliffe, a a Charlottecomposer Charlotte composerand andmovie moviecritic criticwho whowas wasliving livingin in Germany. Germany. LoyLoy Witherspoon, Witherspoon, professor professor of religious of religious studies, studies, commissioned commissioned the march, the which march,was which firstwas performed first at the performed 1967 installation at the 1967 of Chancellor installation Dean of Chancellor W. Colvard.Dean During W. tenure, his Colvard.the During marchhis served tenure, as the therecessional march served at every as the recessional at everyceremony. Commencement Commencement ceremony. Thirteen years later, UNC Charlotte’s fight song was approved by Chancellor Dubois. The music was composed by former faculty member Harry Bulow in 2001 and performed during basketball season. Laurence Marks, director of bands, wrote composed the lyrics. the lyrics.

2014

The PORTAL building is dedicated on Feb. 28 with University leaders, 30

e. e sing our prais w u o y To ! y it rs Hail Unive pel the night is d t h g li ’s e tt o May Charl days. illumine all our n the brightest w ro c ’s a n li ro a In C gem we see. r finest hour u o r e w o p r u o y Without ictory. would hold no v life and cherish r u o y e v lo s u t So le e. your great nam old your laws h p u , e s u a c r u To aid yo ng fame. and your enduri

FIGHT SONG Hail, Char-lott

e 49ers,. prou d as we can b We’ll stand to e, fight for the g reen and whit e ‘Til we win the vic-to-ry, “GO NINERS!” We pledge ou r trust in you And wave you r colors high, The loyal Nine r Nation chee rs Forever! We’l l Fight-Fight-F ight!

government officials, business and industry partners and the public invited. The Partnership, Outreach and Research to Accelerate Learning (PORTAL) facility supports partnerships with private industry that power innovation and entrepreneurship across the region. Home to Ventureprise, which focuses on building strong entrepreneurial capacity for faculty researchers and students, PORTAL is the successor to the Ben Craig Center, established in 1986 as a small business incubator.

Classes get underway at Charlotte Engineering Early College (CEEC) on Aug. 25. A partnership with CharlotteMecklenburg Schools, CEEC enables high schoolers to complete up to two years of college as students. Alumnus Will Leach ’00 M.S.A. is the inaugural principal.

2015

The 49ers begin play as a Football Championship Subdivision independent and the Pride of Niner Nation Marching Band takes the field for the first time. Three years later, the marching band

RYAN HONEYMAN

The unmistakable spirit of Niner Nation To 49ers everywhere, Niner Nation represents much more than a place — it’s an inclusive, spirited mindset that embraces anyone associated with or who holds affinity for UNC Charlotte. As a trademarked term, “Niner Nation” dates to 2003-04, when enrollment, residential living and student organizations had grown dramatically, and student spirit and pride had crescendoed to match. Use of “Niner Nation” surfaced after Beau Memory, student body president in 2001, with fellow students David McDonald, Stephen Collie and others, had organized the “Gang Green” to fill the student section at athletics events — to the objection of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, whose fans use the same label. Together with students, Marcia Kennard Keesling, a student affairs director, proposed “Niner Nation” as an alternative and auxiliary services staffer LouAnn Lamb developed a graphic identity. The San Francisco 49ers requested the University not adopt the phrase, which is affiliated with its fan base. An agreement was reached that grants UNC Charlotte use of “Niner Nation” in its branded form.

2016

traveled to France as the official band representing the United States as part of the international commemoration of D-Day.

On Sept. 22, Gene Johnson ’73, chair of EXPONENTIAL: The Campaign for UNC Charlotte, announces the launch of the $200 million fundraising effort focused on scholarships and other opportunities for students; recruiting and retaining world-class faculty and supporting their research; high-impact projects; and student life resources. The “49er Miner” statue is relocated from the front entrance to the plaza between the Cato College of Education and the

College of Health and Human Services on Oct. 20. Artist Lorenzo Ghiglieri was commissioned in 1990 to produce the statue after creating a smaller version for recipients of the University’s Distinguished Service Award. In its permanent location, graduating seniors traditionally dip their class ring into the miner’s pan. 31

CELEBRATING

YEARS

Football kicks off

harlotte 49ers football kicked off against Campbell University on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013. The 49ers, led by head coach Brad Lambert, defeated Campbell 52-7 to start what has become a favorite — and galvanizing — student and alumni tradition. In 2006, the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees voted to authorize Chancellor Dubois to pursue a study to add football. Dubois appointed business leader Mac Everett to chair the effort in March 2007; in February 2008, the committee unanimously recommended adding the sport. On Sept. 18, 2008, Dubois recommended football’s approval to the trustees, with the board voting two months

Professor Emeritus Thomas C. Turner, who helped establish the Department of Accounting, donates $2.5 million as part of EXPONENTIAL: The Campaign for UNC Charlotte. The department is renamed the Turner School of Accountancy in his honor. On Nov. 11, the College of Education is named for the Cato Corporation. John Cato ’73 serves as chairman, president and chief executive officer of the Charlotte-based corporation. Originally the College of Human Learning and 32

later to pass the recommendation without opposition. Groundbreaking for the football complex, Jerry Richardson Stadium, took place in May 2011 with construction of the 15,300seat, expandable stadium finished in October 2012. Longtime University benefactor Dale Halton purchased the naming rights to the football fieldhouse, now known as the Judy Rose Football Center, named in honor of the 49ers’ long-serving athletics director who played an instrumental role in establishing the sport. Alumni Gene ’73 and Vickie ’71 Johnson, spearheaded fundraising for the 49er Drumline to enliven the game-day experience, and later donated $2 million to support the creation of a marching band, now the Pride of Niner Nation. The band’s home is the Vickie and Gene Johnson Marching Band Center. Hauser Alumni Pavilion, dedicated in 2015, is an 8,000-square-foot space where 700 49ers faithful can gather for pre-game tailgating prior to home football contests. Nancy ’77 M.A. and David ’77 MBA Hauser provided a gift to construct the pavilion.

Development, it became the College of Education and Allied Professions in 1985 before the College of Education in 1995.

play as the 49ers 18th intercollegiate athletics program under first-year coach Holly Clark.

2017

Classes begin for the Charlotte Teacher Early College on Aug. 7. This five-year program is designed for CharlotteMecklenburg Schools students who are interested in education careers.

Charlotte 49ers defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi is the first 49ers football player to be selected in the NFL Draft. He was chosen as the 65th overall pick by the Cleveland Browns. Women’s golf begins

The Counseling Center relocates from the Atkins Library building to the Christine F. Price Center for Counseling and Psychological Services.

Charlotte 49ers football debuted Aug. 31, 2013, with a 52-7 victory over Campbell University. WADE BRUTON

2018

Prior to the season-opener Feb. 14, the 49ers softball stadium is named to honor the late Sue M. Daughtridge. On March 16, the Charlotte Area Transit System LYNX Blue Line Extension begins service to campus. Mike Hill from the University of Florida Athletic Association is named director of athletics,

assuming leadership on March 15. Hill’s first hire is Ron Sanchez as men’s basketball head coach, followed in December by Will Healy as the 49ers second football coach. Adopting Hill’s signature “Gold Standard” philosophy, Healy led the team to its first postseason game, the Bahamas Bowl, Dec. 20, 2019. The team rode a five-game win streak to become bowl eligible but lost to the University at Buffalo, 31-9.

Located in the historic core of campus, Belk Plaza is reimagined to add a monumental water element and more expansive lawn, and is rededicated Nov. 16. It sits on the site of the former Belk Tower, dedicated in 1970 in honor of William Henry Belk; the tower was removed starting in December 2015. 33

CELEBRATING

YEARS

Campus navigation

n March 16, 2018, a project defined as one of the “most transformative in University history”culminated as the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) LYNX Blue Line Extension began service to campus. Light rail provides an enhanced level of connectivity between the University and uptown Charlotte as well as points south. Chancellor Dubois championed the extension beginning in 2005; he worked with Mayor Pat McCrory and other local, state and federal officials to realize light rail as a way to strengthen industry ties to UNC Charlotte research and academic programs, reduce increasing demand for parking, and spur economic development and enhanced quality of life along the line.

LIGHT RAIL CONNECTS TO OTHER MODES OF CAMPUS TRANSPORTATION

In 2007, CATS and the University brought weekday commuter service to campus, utilizing Gold Rush buses. The University launched NinerTransit in August 2017, shifting to Academy Bus to provide three bus routes for shuttling students, faculty and staff around campus.

The Parking and Transportation Office, in coordination with the Office of Disability Services, offers Niner Paratransit, scheduled and on-demand disability transport for individuals with mobility impairments; its origins trace to 2009 when it began as SafeRide.

2019

referendum, championed by Chancellor Dubois and others.

On April 30, sadness, shock and grief grip the campus after a shooting at 5:40 p.m. in a Kennedy Building classroom leaves two students dead and four others wounded. The next day, 7,000 students, faculty, staff and visitors participate in a student-organized vigil, filling Halton Arena nearly to capacity. The University breaks ground on May 31 for a new science building, made possible through voter approval of the 2016 Connect NC infrastructure bond 34

On Aug. 14, the Lucius G. Gage Jr. Undergraduate Admissions Center is dedicated; this new addition welcomes and assists prospective 49ers and their families as they apply to the University.

2020

In January, the University launches the Carolinas’ first School of Data Science, a collaboration among CCI, the Belk College of Business, the College of Health and Human Services and the

Charlotte Wheels, a campus bike-share program using Gotcha Bikes, began in fall 2017. Now called Gotcha Powered by Bolt, the program includes the rental of E-scooters.

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. The school evolved from the Data Science Initiative, developed in 2013 and funded by the North Carolina General Assembly and the UNC Board of Governors. Students could enroll in the new Bachelor of Science in Data Science with the fall semester.

WADE BRUTON

The University Recreation Center (UREC) opens on Jan. 8. The 148,000-squarefoot facility is the only campus space dedicated solely to health and recreation, offering multiple levels of fitness space designed to encourage healthy lifestyle habits. On April 28, Bill Roper, interim president of the UNC System, names Sharon L. Gaber the University’s fifth chancellor; she arrives on July 20 from the University of Toledo. In July, the Athletics Department

announces inaugural inductees to the Charlotte 49ers Hall of Fame: Jon Busch, men’s soccer; philanthropist Dale Halton; Cedric Maxwell, men’s basketball; Corey Nagy, men's golf; Shareese Woods Hicks, track and field; Judy Rose, retired athletics director; and Lee Rose, former men’s basketball head coach. 35

CELEBRATING

YEARS

Following a student-led memorial service in Halton Arena, thousands gathered outside for a candlelight vigil. In the days following the tragedy, the UNC Charlotte community gathered to mourn and place memorials on the steps of the Kennedy Building.

‘The saddest day in UNC Charlotte history’

pril 30, 2019, forever will be linked with tragedy, as the date of a campus shooting in a Kennedy Building classroom that took the lives of students Riley Howell and Reed Parlier and wounded Rami Alradmadhan, Sean DeHart, Emily Houpt and Drew Pescaro. In the immediate aftermath, an overwhelming swell of solidarity poured in from supporters city- and statewide and from across the nation, embracing the campus community with the sentiment, “We are all Niners.” Chancellor Dubois, who described April 30 as “the saddest day in UNC Charlotte history,” stated that Niner Nation would not be defined by the incident but by the strength of the campus’ collective response. He formed the Niner Nation Remembrance Commission, charged with memorializing the victims and honoring the survivors. Two years later, the University unveiled the conceptual design of the UNC Charlotte Remembrance Memorial, with groundbreaking scheduled for April 30, 2022.

Memorial wreaths and photos of Reed Parlier and Riley Howell were placed on the steps of the Kennedy Building during a remembrance service on April 30, 2021.

counselors and school leaders. In October, the college received a $20 million grant, the largest in University history, to improve employment, education and community integration for students and youth with disabilities. Niner University Elementary at Amay James (NUE), staffed and operated by the University, opens in response to the North Carolina General Assembly’s UNC Laboratory School Initiative. NUE provides Cato College of Education an additional opportunity to train teachers, 36

On Oct. 20, Chancellor Gaber announces the launch of a strategic planning process to guide UNC Charlotte’s direction, starting in 2021. A 22-member Strategic Planning Committee, cochaired by faculty members George Banks and Pinku Mukherjee, would

assess strengths and opportunities, lead a campus engagement process, analyze data and develop recommendations for the strategic plan. The committee’s recommendation, “Shaping What’s Next,” provides a framework that outlines the institution’s strategic focus on academic excellence; research; problem-solving; and diversity, equity and inclusion.

2021

The UNC Charlotte Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, part of the University’s 1995 Campus Master

Global pandemic forces a shift U niversity leaders, monitoring news of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in China in late 2019, began planning a response should the virus’ spread overwhelm health care systems. By mid-March 2020, in advance of governmental shelter-in-place orders, UNC Charlotte shifted to remote instruction and teleworking. Due to the prominence of the virus’ highly contagious delta variant, most of the campus COVID-19 protocols remained in place for the start of the 2021-22 academic year, which began with students moving on to campus either with proof of vaccination or complying with weekly mitigation testing. • In 2020-21, classes started online and a limited student move-in was delayed, granting time to implement, with the Mecklenburg County Health Department, a plan of action that was coordinated predominantly by the University’s Office of Emergency Management. • Wastewater testing, implemented by faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from several academic disciplines, served as an early-warning system to locate the presence of COVID-19 and signal the emergence of potential

clusters of coronavirus. The team’s effort was reported by the New York Times in a front page article on Aug. 30, 2020.

• Niner Health Check, a daily survey tool developed by the Office of OneIT, enabled students, faculty and staff to begin reporting COVID-19 symptoms/exposure. A dedicated campus lab still processes COVID-19 tests, and a team of University contact tracers, specially trained graduate students in public health, pinpoints the close contacts of those infected. In spring 2021, the University partnered with Atrium Health to host campus vaccination clinics for faculty, staff and students. By fall, booster shots became available for the campus population. • An online dashboard provides information updated daily to the wider community about the institution’s COVID-19 status. Niner Nation Cares, a comprehensive website offers information about COVID-19 safety efforts and academic and administrative protocols. And the Office of University Communications spearheaded the creation of “The New Norm,” an educational campaign with safety information to protect the campus community.

location for academic symposia and a touchstone for alumni returning to their alma mater, is a 490-piece art collection showcasing original works by faculty, students and alumni of the College of Arts + Architecture. Plan, opens on J.W. Clay Boulevard on March 31. Owned by the UNC Charlotte Endowment Fund and financed by the UNC Charlotte Foundation, the center is operated by Sage Hotel Management. A distinguishing feature of the hotel, which provides the University a

On. Aug. 5, Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society, approves a chapter for UNC Charlotte. The University joins an elite group of just 10% of U.S. colleges and universities with a PBK chapter.

In recognition of its COVID-19 response, the University receives a 2021 Excellence and Innovation Award from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Coronavirusrelated efforts included wastewater testing and quarantine procedures; dedicated remote learning, student life and remote work plans; mitigation and vaccination plans; and coordinated communication to internal and external audiences.

Larken Egleston, Charlotte City Council District 1 representative; Will Healy, head coach, Charlotte 49ers football; George Dunlap ’91, ’03, chairman of the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners; Norm the Niner; Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber; and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, attended the Uptown Pep Rally to kick off Niner Nation Week.

A new tradition — Niner Nation Week — combined the excitement of Homecoming and Family Weekend with celebrations that included the entire city of Charlotte. From Oct. 31 to Nov. 7, students, alumni, faculty and staff shared their Niner Pride through events on campus and Uptown, culminating in a 31-24 overtime Homecoming football victory against Rice. 38

An ecstatic Ryen Boleware celebrates being named the first-ever Golden Niner for Homecoming 2021.

The inaugural Niner 9, formerly the Homecoming Court, exemplify the values and spirit of Niner Nation, an inclusive and welcoming environment. In a new tradition, the University retired the titles "Homecoming King and Queen."

Hundreds of yard signs were distributed to 49ers fans to display at their homes to demonstrate their pride for Charlotte. Tailgate festivities at Hauser Pavilion prior to the Homecoming football game featured a performance by the Pride of Niner Nation Marching Band.

Homecoming Friday Fest offered an evening of games, food, music and more prior to Saturday's football game.

The fraternities and sororities of the National Pan-Hellenic Council contended at the annual Homecoming Stroll competition. UNC Charlotte's beautiful campus, from Dickson Gate to the "49er Miner," was awash in green through all of Niner Nation Week.

PHOTOS BY WADE BRUTON, KAT LAWRENCE AND RYAN HONEYMAN

Alumni Association President Frenchie Brown ’91 energized the crowd at the Uptown Pep Rally to kick off Niner Nation Week. 39

CELEBRATING

YEARS

What’s next

for the Charlotte 49ers? U

NC Charlotte is set to join The American Athletic Conference (The American). The move, announced on Oct. 21, will take place at a date to be determined by league officials. "Since UNC Charlotte’s founding just 75 years ago, we have had many transformative milestones, and this is certainly one of those moments," said Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber with the announcement.

This invitation by The American not only recognizes the accomplishments of our University and athletics program to date, it demonstrates belief in our rising trajectory. We are a university on the move, shaping what's next for our city, our region and beyond.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEMBERS

Charlotte

East Carolina University

Florida Atlantic University

Rice University

Southern Methodist University

Temple University

Tulane University

U.S. Naval Academy

University of Memphis

University of South Florida

University of Tulsa

University of Alabama at Birmingham

University of North Texas

University of Texas at San Antonio

Wichita State University

Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber

Charlotte’s growing success academically and athletically include record-breaking fundraising efforts and enrollment growth. Additionally, Charlotte was recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a national leader in innovation and social mobility and saw its research expenditures double over the last five years. "This is a moment of celebration for Niner Nation and the culmination of years of hard, strategic work to position us for championship-level success,” said Director of Athletics Mike Hill. “The 49ers are Charlotte’s hometown team, and our membership in The American will provide an incredible platform to grow our program and the remarkable story of our extraordinary institution and city. We are extremely grateful to our colleagues in Conference USA for providing us such a wonderful home over the years.” 40

*Invited to join the The American in October 2021

IN 2020-21, THE CHARLOTTE 49ERS SET RECORDS ON THE COURTS AND FIELDS, AND IN THE CLASSROOM: • Four programs participated in NCAA postseason tournaments • League champions in men’s cross country, baseball, men’s indoor track and field and men’s outdoor track and field • Posted runner-up finishes in men’s soccer, women’s cross country, women’s indoor track and field and women’s soccer • 3.53 average league finish best in C-USA in the 49ers’ 18 sports • Top 100 finish in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics’ Directors’ Cup, best since 2007 • Led Conference USA in academic honors with 109 earning Commissioner’s Medals (3.75 GPA) and 333 being named to the Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll (3.0 GPA)

RYAN HONEYMAN

In a nail-biting home opener, the 49ers scored a historic 31-28 victory over the Duke Blue Devils. The win marked the football program’s first-ever triumph against a Power Five conference opponent.

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Charlotte, NC Permit No 949 9201 University Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28223-0001

During the week of Founders Day, UNC Charlotte displayed its updated logo — the All-in-C — projected onto The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City in honor of the University’s 75th anniversary.

RYAN HONEYMAN

UNC Charlotte Magazine - Winter 2022

Articles inside

UNC Charlotte Magazine - Winter 2022

The Unmistakeable Spirit of Niner Nation

A Permanent Campus

Bonnie Cone: Charlotte's Guiding Star

A Celebration 75 Years in the Making