UNCW Magazine: Fall/Winter 2017

S P E C I A L S E C T I O N:

Celebrating UNCW’s 70th Anniversary

Fall/Winter 2017

Volume 27 Number 2

FROM THE CHANCELLOR’S DESK SEAHAWKS FLYING HIGH UNCW’s latest rankings

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SEAHAWK SNIPPETS Short stories with big impact

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BUILDING AND BELIEVING New women’s basketball head coach Karen Barefoot has big plans for the program

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FEATURES PEACE OF MIND

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UNCW’s brainpower is helping revolutionize concussion management

ANTHROPOLOGY IN ACTION UNCW alumni and faculty are hard at work even deep in the African jungle

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CHANGE Sally MacKain seeks to serve the underserved

CELEBRATING UNCW’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY

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UNCW: Then and Now Book Excerpt: Giving Flight to Imagination: 70 Years of Excellence Seahawks Who Served A Seahawk of Significance: James Cook

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SILENT NO MORE In these documentary films, culture and identity speak loud and clear

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NATIVE SONS AND DAUGHTERS Students appreciate an immersive experience in Oaxacan culture

CLASS NOTES

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DEAR SEAHAWK COMMUNITY, Produced by the Office of University Relations

CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Janine Iamunno EDITOR Jennifer Glatt GRAPHIC DESIGN Shirl Modlin New ADDITIONAL DESIGN Thomas Cone Kyle Prey PHOTOGRAPHY Jeff Janowski CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS River Bondurant Marina Herbst Leslie E. Kossoff Krista McKinney Bradley Pearce Maria Vandebovenkamp Michael Wadkins White Wall Photos Erin Whittle COPY EDITORS Marybeth Bianchi Lane Fullagar CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joe Browning Caroline Cropp ’99, ’06M Susan Finley Venita Jenkins Caitlin Taylor ’18M Tricia Vance Andrea Monroe Weaver WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO Susannah Benedetti Bill Kawczynski Lindsay A. T. LeRoy Adina Riggins UNCW Athletics UNCW Office of Facilities CLASS NOTES Caroline Cropp ’99, ’06M EDITORIAL ADVISORS Missy A. Kennedy ’01 Eddie Stuart ’05M

UNCW Magazine is published for alumni and friends of the university by the Office of University Relations, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington, North Carolina 28403. Correspondence may be directed to uncwmagazine@uncw.edu.

UNC Wilmington is committed to and will provide equal educational and employment opportunity. Questions regarding program access may be directed to the Compliance Officer, UNCW Chancellor’s Office, 910.962.3000, Fax 910.962.3483. UNCW does not discriminate on the basis of sex. Questions regarding UNCW’s Title IX compliance should be directed to TitleIXCoordinator@UNCW.edu. 87,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $39,894 or $0.458 per copy (G.S. 143-170.1).

Printed by PBM Graphics.

From start to finish, this edition of UNCW Magazine focuses on the contributions that our students, faculty, staff, and alumni make to communities great and small, locally and internationally. Making the world a better place and helping enhance life for our fellow citizens is a UNCW tradition, dating back to the very purpose for our founding: to support returning soldiers in their quest for an education. We have given so much, and we have been given so much; we owe a debt of gratitude to the Seahawks who came before us – the community leaders who formed Wilmington College and later UNCW; the State of North Carolina and the UNC System partners who have invested in our efforts; and the alumni, friends and donors who have nurtured our campus for decades. And there would be no campus without the faculty and staff who have built, literally and figuratively, a robust and remarkable institution of higher learning, and there would be no inspiration without the students who have made us proud since 1947.

During this season of gratitude, I particularly want to thank the graduating class for their participation in the Senior Class Giving Campaign. By making the connection between their support and the success of future Seahawks, they have joined a growing network of alumni donors who understand the importance of investing in applied learning opportunities, research, study abroad experiences, athletics, and cultural enrichment of all kinds. The senior class campaign runs through the end of the year, and I am eager to see what the final tally is, once I have matched their gifts. As we close out the year, I encourage you, too, to support the areas of campus that mean the most to you, and stay engaged to learn about how your generosity is making a difference.

We are looking toward the new year with continued hope, optimism and ambition. As we celebrate a bright and shining future of growth and achievement, we are fortunate to be able to also reflect on a vibrant, progressive past. The University of North Carolina Wilmington stands atop a strong foundation 70 years in the making, and I thank you for your continued dedication to our success.

Sincerely yours,

Jose V. Sartarelli Chancellor

Seahawks Flying High

Throughout 2017, UNCW continued to earn recognition from national publications and websites, based on academic excellence, affordability and student-centered programs.

UNCW ranked

6th best public regional university (South)

Rated a

UNCW named

Best College Value Best Southeastern for 2017 and ranked among top College 100 public universities

U.S. News and World Report

2018

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

The Princeton Review

UNCW ranked

1st top four-year college for military-affiliated students in NC (40th nationally)

Watson College of Education’s online Master of Science in Instructional Technology ranked

UNCW ranked

14th

most affordable in the nation

among 2018 Best Regional Universities (South), up 2 slots from the previous year

AffordableColleges.com

U.S. News and World Report

10th

Military Times Best: Colleges 2018

UNCW recognized as one of the nation’s

Best and Most Interesting Colleges and Universities

College of Arts and Sciences’ online Master of Arts in History program ranked

Fiske Guide to Colleges 2018

1st nationally BestColleges.com and GradSource

www.uncw.edu/rankings compiled by Tricia Vance

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SEAHAWK SNIPPETS Ahead of Their Class The Watson College of Education and New Hanover County Schools are teaming up to address North Carolina’s teacher shortage. The Future Teachers Career Academy, a joint initiative slated to begin in fall 2018 at Isaac Bear Early College High School, will give participating high schoolers a leg up on a teaching career.

The unique program will offer students a look at what it’s like to be at the front of the classroom. Enrollees will be immersed in the teaching experience early in their high school career with mentoring by UNCW professionals and student leaders and by visiting schools around the state and nation. FTCA students will also receive priority consideration for acceptance into WCE, as well as for future employment in New Hanover County schools.

Participants will receive advisor support as early as ninth grade to direct their preparation for a career in teaching.

“It is not often the case that students are aware of pathways and career options at that stage of high school,” said Brian Brinkley, director of the Betty Holden Stike Education Lab in the WCE. “The academy is designed to help each student navigate the early college high school experience and university coursework to maximize preparation to become a teacher.”

Recruitment for the inaugural group began in October 2017, and applications will be accepted beginning in January 2018.

– Caroline Cropp ’99,’06M

Full STEM Ahead In the past, a student enrolled in a chemistry course learned a lot about chemistry and a little about biology. Modern educators feel technology, engineering and mathematics should be part of the mix as well.

An Integrated STEM post-baccalaureate certificate (iSTEM), one of the first of its kind in the country, is now available thanks to collaborative efforts of UNCW’s Watson College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences.

“As a team, we worked on several large-scale STEM-funded projects, and our research showed that, despite attempts, the integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics was still largely done in silos, both at universities and in K-12 education,” said Mahnaz Moallem, professor of instructional technology and research and grant coordinator in WCE.

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The fragmented curriculum resulted in students being unable to integrate their STEM knowledge when confronted with problems in the classroom and in the workplace. iSTEM is built on the premise that there is a need for teachers who have learned integrated STEM themselves and have the ability to provide that environment for their students.

UNCW’s programs will benefit STEM teachers and freshmen pursuing a major in a STEM discipline. Moallem emphasizes that while the main purpose of the graduate iSTEM certificate program is for master teachers who currently have or are eligible for a secondary science, technology, engineering or mathematics teaching license, the program is open to applicants nationally.

Learn more at www.uncw.edu/iSTEM. – C.C.

Board of Governors Visit UNC System President Margaret Spellings, UNC Board of Governors Chair W. Louis Bissette Jr., BOG member Robert Bryan, BOG member Harry L. Smith Jr. and other BOG members learned about UNCW’s strategic goals during a campus tour on Oct. 24, 2017. The visit was part of a statewide tour of UNC System institutions designed especially for the benefit of new BOG members.

One recent BOG appointee in attendance was Wendy Murphy ’93, a past chair of the UNCW Board of Trustees and co-chair of the search committee that brought Chancellor Sartarelli to the university.

Keep Calm and Tutor On Serving as peer tutors, a rising number of UNCW students are teaching as they learn.

Those seeking help usually arrive at the University Learning Center with a particular problem in a particular class. But peer tutors take the long view: Can they help fellow students develop knowledge and skills for later success in all their coursework?

For tutors, this approach pushes them to think more critically about their strategies for success. Those who work as writing tutors report their own writing skills improve because they learn to pay better attention to their own work.

“Peer tutoring is collaborative,” said Will Wilkinson, director of the ULC. “One of the primary goals is to help students learn how to work cooperatively with others, which we know from our colleagues in the Career Center is one of the top skills employers look for.”

The demand for tutoring has increased as the level of support the center provides has increased. For the last several years, the ULC has supported more than 30 percent of the student body each year and, on average, we support 50 percent of first-year students, Wilkinson added.

ULC tutors are certified nationally through the College Reading and Learning Association, which offers three levels of certification: regular, advanced and master. UNCW’s training program is certified at all three levels. Tutors must have achieved sophomore status or higher and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. In addition to helping others tackle their academic work, peer tutors learn how to work with diverse populations and participate in training and research, written reflection and observation.

Like all Seahawks, these tutors do indeed rise – or rather, soar – by lifting others. – C.C.

SEAHAWK SNIPPETS

Taking Root The bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 led to Japan’s surrender in World War II. In September 1947, Wilmington College opened its doors primarily for the American soldiers returning from fighting in that war. Now, the two events are forever linked with the planting of a sapling from one of the gingko trees that survived the bombing.

UNCW Japan Club’s advisor and senior lecturer Yoko Kano and Kathleen Burkinshaw, whose mother was a survivor of Hiroshima, worked with the Green Legacy Hiroshima Initiative to have the sapling brought to campus. Burkinshaw’s daughter, Sara ’19, is a Seahawk minoring in Japanese.

North Carolina is now one of seven states with a descendant of a Hibakujumoku (survivor tree) in its soil. It’s Burkinshaw’s hope that the tree, located outside of Morton Hall, will serve as a symbol of peace inspiring those who pass by and read the plaque that explains its origin.

A formal dedication ceremony was held on Sept. 30, 2017. – C.C.

Yoko Kano (second from left) and Japan Club students gather for the sapling’s planting.

Cameron Career Success Spanish Students Excel in Applied Learning For Amanda Boomershine, associate professor of Spanish, applied learning is not merely a degree requirement, but an invaluable opportunity with far-reaching implications.

Though it may seem taxing for students balancing full-time school hours, part-time jobs and other responsibilities, Boomershine knows that it fosters intelligent, respectful and competent future leaders.

“It’s wonderful to see students bond with the people in the community they’re helping, be it children, a family or their colleagues,” Boomershine said. “We always get letters from community partners thanking us for how helpful our students are. That’s when you know everyone is benefitting from the experience.”

From studying abroad in Argentina, Mexico, Chile, the Dominican Republic and Spain to offering interpreter services in UNCW’s passport office, students can choose how and where to engage. The UNCW Spanish program has connected students with local law firms, elementary through high school mentorship programs, the Interfaith Refugee Ministry and many other organizations.

Honors student Amber Llanes ’18 is double majoring in nursing and Spanish and interned for Coastal Horizons, a local behavioral health agency.

This internship provided Llanes with experience in both her major courses of study – exactly the kind of career preparation Boomershine wants for her students.

“Before I interned with Clinica Latina at Coastal Horizons,” said Llanes, “I had never stopped to consider the limited number of mental health services available to the Hispanic population given the language barrier. My time with Clinica Latina opened my eyes to yet another battle facing immigrants entering the U.S. Clinica Latina has instilled in me a new passion for mental health and a desire to be an advocate for people who have been conditioned to suffer in silence. This opportunity has helped me find the population I want to serve after graduation.”

Students are frequently hired by the nonprofits and businesses they worked with while in school. For Boomershine, though, it’s more about the connections students make and how those connections inspire them to continue serving.

“When students do an internship for credit, they do the hours because it’s part of their academic requirements,” she said. “But nine times out of 10, they come back and want to volunteer the next semester. Our students are young, but so mature. They really give of themselves in a way they don’t have to.

We’ve created a culture of service to and engagement with the community through Spanish, and that’s remarkable.”

– Caitlin Taylor ’18M

The Cameron School of Business provides students with the skills, knowledge and practice to lead fundamental change in the business world. The numbers speak for themselves.

81%

of students are employed after graduation

14%

of students go to graduate school after graduation

93%

placement rate after graduation (employment and/or graduate school)

206

65%

students completed internships in the 2015-16 year

of graduates have completed internships

250 400 mentees in the

active mentors and

Cameron Executive Network

20+

courses offered for executive advancement through the Swain Center Catch up on the latest news via the CSB blog at blog.csb.uncw.edu.

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SEAHAWK SNIPPETS

art Kindhearted

Following the deadly incident in Charlottesville, VA, over the summer, Watson College of Education faculty members Daisy Barreto, Donna DeGennaro, Marta Sánchez, Dana Stachowiak and Candace Thompson introduced a community engagement art project:

“Radical Love Artmaking: To Charlottesville with Love.”

Campus and community members participated in forums and creative outlets to explore issues related to race, racism, diversity and social justice.

Over the course of two weeks, more than 250 people from across campus participated in the creation of a mural that now hangs in UNCW’s Warwick Center. Six other murals were created involving the campus community and more than 70 students at neighboring K-12 schools and after-school programs. The murals were painted in communal commitment to stand against bigotry of any kind and in solidarity with the UVA and Charlottesville communities.

“My hope is that this project encourages reflection and dialogue about our shared values at UNCW and helps students imagine the various ways they can be part of difficult conversations,” said Marta Sánchez, an assistant professor in Watson. “It was amazing to see student after student invest time in finding the right thing to write or paint on each canvas. In some cases, they consulted with each other; in others, they searched for a great quote on the internet. In other instances, they painted images of unity, love and strength.”

Three murals will be delivered to Charlottesville High School (whose principal, Eric Irizarry ’02, ’09M, ’14Ph.D., is a WCE alum) and to the School of Education at UVA during the spring semester. Thompson and her colleagues hope to offer a “Radical Love” lecture series and additional student-centered experiences in the classroom and the community in the future.

– Venita Jenkins and Susan Finley

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SEAHAWK SNIPPETS

Construction Ahead An update on some of the projects underway on campus

Batter up! The new 20,126

square-foot baseball and softball indoor hitting facility will feature a practice area with up to six individual hitting lanes. Also included are an umpire locker room, a shower area, restrooms and storage areas.

Anticipated completion: spring 2018.

The softball field’s new Boseman Press Box features a lowerlevel clubhouse with room for coaches’ offices. Two separate radio rooms for home and visitor teams are housed in the upper level; each level is 988 square feet. Grandstand-style seating ensures a hawk’s-eye view for all. Anticipated completion: late 2017.

Greene Track: Runners rejoice! The resurfacing of the track is expected to be complete in spring 2018.

Intramural Fields: Growing and glowing! The grass has never been greener on this side of campus. Synthetic turf fields were constructed and drainage improvements were added to the natural turf fields. New LED lights make the field lighting brighter and more efficient and a brick entry building has been erected.

Restrooms were also added, with one more slated for completion in 2018.

Facts compiled by the UNCW Office of Facilities

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Boseman Press Box

Thanks to funding from the $2 billion Connect NC bond referendum approved in March 2016, the new Allied Health/ will be under construction soon.

The buildings will house administrative offices for the College of Health and Human Services and the College of Arts and Sciences; faculty that support existing academic programs in Health and Applied Human Sciences; space for academic programs in the planning and development stages; support space for military-affiliated students and related labs; and classrooms critical to UNCW’s ability to produce more health care professionals and expand services to the rural areas of the region. The facility is estimated to be completed by 2020.

Chancellor Sartarelli and CHHS Dean Charles Hardy

Photo by Michael Wadkins

Human Sciences Building

SEAHAWK SNIPPETS MEN’S TENNIS Sarah Davis ’18

The men’s team captured the program’s fifth CAA tennis championship and faced national No. 1-seed Wake Forest in the NCAA regionals in Winston-Salem. Mait DuBois was named CAA Coach of the Year for the fifth time.

WOMEN’S TENNIS Junior Madara Straume helped the women’s tennis team advance to the CAA finals for the second time. Straume was selected Most Outstanding Performer at the CAA tournament, only the second player ever from UNCW to earn the recognition.

TRACK & FIELD Junior Moe Holmes scored 36 points with three gold medals and one bronze at the CAA meet. Dan Caffrey (javelin) and Matt Foster (110 hurdles) won first place in their respective events, and freshman Jahnae Bowman and sophomore Courtney Cefalo collected All-CAA honors in the 100 meters and long jump. Caffrey went on to compete in the NCAA preliminary round.

Athletics Spring Highlights

SOFTBALL

UNCW men’s basketball captured its sixth CAA championship.

The Seahawks set 63 school records and finished with a 29-6 overall record. Chris Flemmings and C.J. Bryce were selected First-Team All-Conference.

The softball team, 35-20-1, turned in a historic season by setting a school record for victories, qualifying for the CAA tournament for the first time since 2007 and earning its first postseason appearance.

Junior shortstop Kelsey Bryan became the first Seahawk to be named CAA Defensive Player of the Year after the Seahawks set a record for fielding percentage. Senior pitcher Peyton Jordan was selected First-Team All-CAA.

SWIMMING & DIVING

BASEBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Senior Tad Spence captured the CAA title in the men’s 100 meter backstroke at the CAA swimming and diving championships. Junior Allen Crosby earned All-CAA honors for the second straight season by winning the gold medal on the 1-meter and bronze on the 3-meter board en route to sharing CAA Diver of the Year honors.

MEN’S GOLF Juniors Thomas Eldridge and Patrick Cover each won tournaments during the regular season and earned invitations to compete in the NCAA regionals for the second straight year. Freshman Reese McFarlane finished second overall, earning the Seahawks second place in the CAA championships.

WOMEN’S GOLF Lyberty Anderson became the third Seahawk to earn medalist honors at the CAA championships and paced Cindy Ho’s club to third place in the event.

The Seahawks finished second during the regular season and reached the championship round of the CAA tournament. Senior Casey Golden was named CAA Player of the Year and sophomore Alex Royalty was selected CAA Pitcher of the Year. The Seahawks remained the only team in the 32-year history of the CAA tournament to compete in every tournament.

SCHOLAR ATHLETES Lauren Moore (softball) and Thomas Eldridge (men’s golf) were named CAA Scholar-Athletes of the Year in their respective sports.

Ten student athletes were selected as Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars

by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education For spring 2017, UNCW teams had the highest GPA of any constituent institution in the UNC system.

UNCW teams compiled a 3.25 cumulative GPA. Compiled by UNCW Athletics

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Building and Believing Karen Barefoot first shot a basketball when she was six years old. She’s been in love with the game ever since.

Her passion for the sport led to a successful career as a star player at the high school and collegiate levels and ultimately as a head coach. Barefoot, who was named UNCW Women’s Basketball head coach in May 2017, is known for creating championship teams. She plans to continue her winning streak at UNCW. Barefoot has led five successful programs, including Old Dominion University, where she guided the Lady Monarchs to a 103-93 record, five winning seasons and three postseason appearances.

“I always thought I would be a coach one day,” said Barefoot. “Everything fell into place when I was 22 years old. A college athletic director asked me if I wanted to build a program from scratch. I had no college coaching experience. The program that I built went on to win a national championship.”

For the past few months, Barefoot has been building relationships with her players and having the Seahawks focus on playing solid, fundamental basketball.

Learn every day.

Overcome adversity.

Visualize.

Expect nothing, Give everything.

Her Hanover Hall office is filled with championship trophies, photos and memorabilia. A basketball covered with handwriting sits in the corner near Barefoot’s desk. Each word was written by a team member to describe who the player is, Barefoot explained.

“My word is ‘believe’,” Barefoot said, as she held the ball in her hand. “I believe in myself, and I want them to believe. When I first got here, it felt like they didn’t believe in themselves. We bring this ball to the basketball court every day to remind everyone to own their word and to bring out that attribute in others.”

Barefoot has also incorporated her philosophy into the program: Learn every day. Overcome adversity.

Visualize. Expect nothing, give everything.

The team has embraced her philosophy.

“I didn’t realize when I put my philosophy together that the first letter of each word spelled ‘love,’” she said. “I am passionate about teaching the game because I am teaching life lessons through an orange ball.” – V.J.

New Era, Next Flight Barefoot isn’t the only new face of Seahawk basketball. C.B. McGrath took over the helm of UNCW Men’s Basketball in April 2017. McGrath spent his first six months building his staff and developing a system that fits the exciting, up-tempo style of play that has brought the Seahawks much success. As mentioned in a Spring/Summer 2017 UNCW Magazine article, his goal is to return the Seahawks to the NCAA Tournament.

“That’s the biggest stage and I want our program to be known as a national one,” McGrath said. “I’m looking forward to putting my stamp on it.”

Peace of Mind

UNCW’s brainpower is helping revolutionize concussion management

by Venita Jenkins and Jennifer Glatt

“It’s a nice merger of research and applied utility.”

– Len Lecci

How can doctors diagnose an injury they cannot see?

The answer is one step at a time – literally, thanks to a new platform and UNCW researchers.

Concussions – a type of traumatic brain injury – are dangerous and occur more often than one might think, particularly in high school athletes, whose brains are more vulnerable. The Centers for Disease Control indicates that Americans sustain approximately 3.8 million concussions annually from sports and other recreational activities, and those are just the incidents that are reported. The reality: The numbers are likely much higher, and the effects of the trauma can be lifelong.

SportGait created a smartphone app to help parents assess signs of concussion, which allows them to determine the next course of action. It has also developed an app for medical professionals to gather data and information about the patient. The apps enable the parent and the medical provider to interface during the treatment. As research continues, more data is collected, which informs the concussion protocols. As protocols are tweaked, predictions improve, as do the outcomes.

“What you do in the first minutes, hours or days after a concussion makes a big difference on how well the recovery goes,” said Julian Keith, professor and chair of the UNCW Department of Psychology. Brain injuries present in a number of subtle ways, such as reaction time, balance and gait – the swing of the foot, the impact of the foot on the ground, and how much sway there is when a person is standing and trying to balance, he explained.

“It’s a nice merger of research and applied utility,” said Len Lecci, a clinical psychologist with expertise in assessment and a psychology professor at UNCW. “Sports are certainly not the only place concussions occur, but there are requirements in some sports to have baseline testing before the season starts so they have comparison points. This is the perfect place to introduce the best system that is available.” Lecci noted that though the collaboration originally started as a consultation opportunity, “the initiative has now become a central piece of our research.”

SportGait, a Wilmington-based company and UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship tenant, is addressing head trauma “head-on.”

The company originally sought the help of UNCW’s psychology department to help develop a concussion management platform, with a focus on young athletes. SportGait wanted to collect standardized, objective data, provided through highly sensitive sensors placed on a patient’s ankles, lower back and wrist.

“The psychology department UNCW is world-class and is especially competent in neuropsychology, which is currently the only method of determining the effect of concussions,” said Tobin Geatz, cofounder and general partner of Seahawk Innovation, a CIE tenant geared toward in-house venture funding and mentorships. “These technical resources are enabling us to provide analytical results that will protect our youth athletes and enable them to enjoy the benefits of sports.”

“Our research is helping to drive the evolution of this instrument,” Keith said. “We looked at the best tests available for assessing people with concussions – tests that had the best reliability and the best sensitivity – and there was a lot of room for improvement.”

The collaboration is identifying and sourcing professional-grade, validated medical tests that can be incorporated into SportGait’s platform to diagnose concussions and predict associated cognitive and neurobehavioral problems.

“There was a tremendous problem in the market – the [unintentional] mishandling of concussion by parents, schools, athletic trainers, and even medical facilities, which are compromising the lives of our 36 million youth athletes. If we can lower the amount of confusion in the market and provide tools to educate and assist, we’ll make a difference,” said Chris Newton, SportGait president/CEO and a parent of two athletes himself.

The research team includes faculty, undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Health and Human Services. Cameron School of Business students are involved in the project through the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

“SportGait is taking advantage of the capital that’s here – the brainpower and the energy of the students and faculty,” Lecci said. “It’s exciting having students involved in this. They’re getting research experience on a cutting-edge topic.”

Graduate student Kevin Keller, a clinical research fellow in the College of Health and Human Services, is designing a database that documents the research in ways that can be audited and confirmed. Blair Posey, a graduate student in the Master of Social Work program, is exploring mental health conditions that develop because of undiagnosed concussions. Psychology graduate student John Hollander researched tests and evaluated their strengths and weaknesses.

“It’s a rare opportunity to be on the more applied side of things as opposed to the fundamental testing of a psychological concept,” Hollander said. “It’s cool to see tangible innovation.”

Plans to expand the research across campus will include the student health center, UNCW athletics and club sports. The concussion management platform will also be integrated into the health assessment of students brought in for evaluation.

“This is such fertile ground,” said Lecci. “Students will benefit from this program. They can do their honors projects, Master’s theses and doctoral dissertations on these topics.

Experts are being cultivated. The fact is that we can bring them all together where they learn and eventually become leaders in their fields.”

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anthropology in action

by Venita Jenkins

UNCW alumni and faculty are hard at work, even deep in the African jungle When Erik Whitestone ’96 and Jerry Ricciotti ’07 stepped off a plane on a narrow dirt airstrip in a remote area of the Central African Republic, they did not expect to be greeted by a fellow Seahawk.

“It was kind of jaw-dropping,” said Whitestone, a sound recordist. “We traveled around the world to the most remote part of the jungle on the border of the Congo and ran into a UNCW professor.”

Whitestone and Ricciotti flew to Central African Republic in June 2017 to film a segment for HBO’s VICE, a newsmagazine series focusing on global issues. The logistics of working, traveling and surviving in the isolated area fell to UNCW assistant professor of anthropology Carolyn Jost Robinson, who has been working in the CAR since 2008 as a member of a team researching the livelihoods of BaAka, a group of hunter-gatherers who inhabit the Central African rainforest.

The environment in the Central African Republic can be brutal for people who are not used to the conditions. “She assisted with almost every aspect of living in the jungle for several days,” said Whitestone. Robinson also served as the translator and resident anthropologist for the project.

The VICE segment follows the study of the scientific importance and evolution of the human microbiome, the microorganism living in our bodies that plays a role in health and disease. Researchers are studying the microbiome of the hunter-gatherers and agriculturalists in the area.

“The microbiome of foragers is adapted to the environment in which they live, and [the BaAka] have been living in this environment a lot longer than most of us have been anywhere else,” said Robinson, who teaches biological anthropology. “Their bodies respond to diseases and dietary change in different ways; their immune systems are tied to the different levels of the microbiome that are ultimately tied to food.”

Hunter-gatherers of the Central African Republic have had less exposure to western medicine or antibiotics, so their microbiome is pure, said Whitestone. The research in Africa can help scientists better understand the benefits of microbiome in combating disease.

“The science we rely on to promote advances in disease and our approaches to engaging with the human body are drawing on knowledge of people all over the world,” said Robinson. “It’s not just happening in a lab.”

Whitestone and Ricciotti, VICE director of photography, praised Robinson’s support of the BaAka people and her desire to make sure the indigenous communities were properly represented.

“I’ve never seen a group of people be as welcoming to cameras as the BaAka people were to us. That has everything to do with Carolyn and the relationship she and her team have made with the BaAka over many years and long, grueling months in the jungle,” Ricciotti said. “As an anthropologist, her commitment to the people she’s studying and her work was above and beyond any I’ve seen in other films I’ve made.”

For Robinson, the experience was a teachable moment she brought back to her students.

“It was awesome to spend time with UNCW alums who have been incredibly successful,” she said, “and equally rewarding to tell my students about it. It makes the world even smaller; especially when you are on the other side of it, deep in the middle of the forest.”

“The science we rely on to promote advances in disease are drawing on knowledge of people all over the world.”

– Carolyn Jost Robinson Erik Whitestone ’96, Carolyn Jost Robinson and Jerry Ricciotti ’07 Above: Carolyn Jost Robinson walks in the jungle with her BaAkan namesake, Carolyn.

Previous page: BaAkan children

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the

Psychology of Change Sally MacKain seeks to serve the underserved

by Tricia Vance

Sally MacKain engages with students during class

T

o UNCW psychology professor Sally MacKain, teaching and clinical experience are intertwined.

Her students expect to be challenged to apply their knowledge to research that reaches beyond classroom walls.

MacKain’s dynamic approach to psychology education earned her the 2017 UNCW Board of Trustees Award for Teaching Excellence as well as a Distinguished Teaching Professorship. When she joined the UNCW faculty 27 years ago, MacKain was determined to remain connected to the mental health profession and find ways to serve. She is currently collaborating with the Brunswick County Drug Treatment Courts on a $1 million grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.

At the heart of the research, MacKain and graduate student Hailey Fasone ’18M are identifying factors most likely to motivate clients to successfully complete substance abuse and mental health treatment programs. They concluded that external forces, like the threat of prison, may compel a person to seek treatment, but only personal factors – a desire to be a better parent or hold a steady job, for example – can drive lasting change.

“It’s important for the courts to see the role of internal motivation,” MacKain said. “Punishment and sanctions are not going to bring about change as much as tapping into the values that resonate with each person.” Other grant objectives include maximizing program efficiency and addressing racial disparities. When the project began, 14 percent of clients were African American. That percentage has risen to 20 percent, MacKain said.

Fasone, who hopes to obtain a Ph.D. and become a mental health professional, said that one of the most satisfying aspects of the program is working with individuals in a system that addresses the broader issues of public safety and meting out justice.

“We are humanizing research,” said Fasone. “It’s important for clients to give their opinion of what influences their success.”

Senior Superior Court Judge Ola Lewis hugs Hailey Fasone

Brunswick County’s Drug Treatment Courts focus on three separate areas: driving while impaired, substance abuse and “co-occurring” conditions, such as when people struggle with substance abuse and mental illness simultaneously.

MacKain’s specialty is in serious mental illness. Working with the justice system, she has considerable experience in this area. Before coming to UNCW, MacKain worked in the California prison system. After moving to North Carolina, she worked with prison psychologists to help evaluate treatment programs for inmates with serious mental illness. UNCW students were often part of the projects.

The Brunswick treatment courts, championed by Senior Superior Court Judge Ola Lewis, support efforts to improve public safety and promote therapeutic change.

Research shows treatment is effective when it is available and accessible, and when the client wants results, Lewis said. “What we have found so far are big reductions in the number of days of incarceration and high-risk behaviors like drug use.”

The biggest obstacle to reducing the number of people with substance abuse and/or mental health issues who wind up in the criminal justice system is a lack of mental health resources, MacKain said. She and her UNCW colleagues hope to help increase available services with the addition of a Ph.D. program in psychology, which received its first cohort in fall 2017.

“As a clinical psychologist, I straddle the academic world and the outside world,” she added. “That’s what students want, too. These experiences form a foundation for them to be good citizens as well as good mental health professionals.”

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Wilmington College first opened its doors on Sept. 4, 1947, welcoming 238 students to enhance their lives through advanced education.

Seven decades later, UNCW has evolved into a nationally recognized institution serving nearly 16,500 students from across the United States and around the world.

Compiled by Caroline Cropp ’99, ’06M

1947 238

Students enrolled

17 Instructors 1

Diploma offered: Associate in Arts

14,000 1,800

Library volumes

Gym seating capacity

4-9 p.m.

Classes scheduled Monday-Friday

2017 16,487 936 81

Students enrolled

Instructors

Degrees offered

1,156,985 5,200

Library volumes

Trask Coliseum seating capacity

Online

All course information is available online. Students can take a virtual tour of campus from a mobile device. Some classes and degrees are offered exclusively online.

For more history and traditions, stories, then-and-now images and videos, visit

uncw.edu/70

To commemorate the university’s 70th anniversary, Chancellor Sartarelli commissioned a book honoring some of the pivotal moments and special memories that shaped Wilmington College and UNCW through the years.

Progress and Prosperity

for Wilmington’s “Seed of Higher Education” On March 31, 1960, Wilmington College students waited with rapt enthusiasm as the groundbreaking ceremonies for their new campus on N.C. Highway 132 drew near. For the vast majority of Wilmingtonians, the prospect of establishing a four-year university was one step closer to reality. As the college’s newspaper, The Seahawk, proclaimed, “The confidence that many friends of Wilmington College have had for the 13-year old institution must be greatly strengthened…now the turning of a spadeful of dirt seems to justify the faith we have had that the citizens of this area have wanted and will support Wilmington College.”

By 1960, nearly a quarter century had passed since Dr. John Hoggard first began to advocate for a college in Wilmington. The Great Depression had initially delayed funding, but World War II and the GI Bill had provided both the impetus and the finances to realize Hoggard’s dream. During the 1940s and 1950s, the small college had grown, received accreditation, and become an integral part of North Carolina’s community college system. As Wilmington College entered the 1960s, it was poised for even greater growth and expansion.

Hundreds of faculty, alumni, and supporters came to witness the new beginning. At 10 a.m., Wilmington College students, eager to join them, climbed on buses that waited in front of the Isaac Bear Building to take them to their new campus in the pine forest… President William Randall gave a brief history of the college, and as the morning sun warmed the audience, Governor Luther Hodges delivered an address honoring the event and placing the school’s origins into the broader context of North Carolina’s progress and prosperity. He

used a gold-painted shovel for the ceremonial turning of the first earth… New Hanover Board of Education member Emsley Laney noted that this was a “momentous occasion for a College” that served as an “important and integral factor in the educational and cultural life of our community and possesses a potential that cannot be measured or even imagined today.”

Celebration came with great responsibility, as recognized

by Wilmington College students. The Seahawk editor wrote when the campus opened, “The seed is planted, and with proper care and attention, growth will occur.

Wilmington College, founded in 1947, is the seed of higher education in this city. We, its students, have been entrusted with its development.”

It was a statement that would prove prescient because over the next 65 years, students would play an influential role in shaping the school’s future. The students, however, were guided by committed faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, presidents and chancellors, who over time worked tirelessly to nurture the small college into a nationally ranked research institution. Indeed, UNCW’s history is one of partnerships between its founders, leaders, faculty, staff and students. It is a story about philanthropic donors who have given time and money, and also of an entire community of supporters who voted time and again to tax themselves and through those taxes to make their own contribution to the university. Finally, UNCW’s past speaks to the democratization of education in the United States since World War II. This process that began with the GI Bill grew into a community college, and ultimately transitioned into a university dedicated to providing affordable and quality education and community service.

Excerpted from Giving Flight to Imagination: 70 Years of Excellence,

by Thomas R. Hart. It is available for purchase at the UNCW bookstore or online at uncw.edu/70thbook.

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SEAHAWKS WHO SERVED The University of North Carolina Wilmington was founded in 1947 as a way to help returning GIs pursue their education and transition back into civilian life. It was then that UNCW established one of its founding values: service to our military.

Veterans provided immediate leadership for Wilmington College. Four of the nine university presidents or chancellors who have served UNCW have served.

Fifteen of the main academic or administrative buildings or roadways on the main campus are named after veterans.

As the university celebrates its 70th anniversary, take a look back at how the dedicated service of these former Seahawks helped shape the future of UNCW.

1949

1968

John Hoggard (1876–1965) served in the Spanish-

William H. Wagoner (1927–1999) served in the U.S.

American War attached to Teddy Roosevelt’s regiment in Cuba. He also completed a tour of duty during World War I. He held the position of chairman of the Board of E ducation in New Hanover County from 1935 to 1952 when Wilmington College emerged under its control. Dr. Hoggard served as the second president of Wilmington College from 1949 to 1958 and established the Hoggard Medal of Achievement Award, given to the student who shows the most improvement during their years at UNCW. One of the three original buildings on the College Road campus is named in his honor.

Navy from 1945 to 1946. He earned degrees from Wake Forest University, East Carolina University and UNC Chapel Hill.

He arrived in Wilmington in 1961 to become superintendent of New Hanover County Schools. In 1968, he accepted the position of president at Wilmington College, and when it became part of the UNC system, he was elevated to the position of chancellor. During his tenure (1969–90), Wilmington College officially became UNCW, the basic organizational structure of the university was established and the foundation was laid for UNCW’s pre-eminence in marine science. Wagoner Drive and Wagoner Hall are tributes to his accomplishments during his 40-year career.

1959 William Madison Randall (1899–1984) was the third president of Wilmington College (1958–68). During World War II, he was attached to the War Department, stationed in Cairo, Egypt. Randall became part of the growing Wilmington College, first as a dean and then as chief administrator. He is credited with the development of the university’s seal and motto (discere aude), which is still u sed today. The campus library is named in his honor.

1963 During World War II, William DeLoach (1910–1999) served as a first lieutenant with the U.S. Public Health Services. He arrived at Wilmington College in 1963 as its first doctoral-holding chemistry professor. Through his generous financial support, UNCW awards a scholarship to an outstanding student in chemistry as well as the Will S. DeLoach Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Chair. His legacy of academic commitment remains in the building that bears his name.

1969 John Jay Burney Jr. (1924–2010) served as a staff sergeant i n the 254th Infantry, Company A, 63rd Division of the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945. For his service in Europe he received the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf and the Bronze Star, along with several French Decorations. He went on to become the solicitor (district attorney) of the 8th District from 1953 to 1962. Later, as a North Carolina State Senator (1967–72), he i ntroduced the bill to the General Assembly (1969) authorizing Wilmington College to become part of the University of North Carolina system. Because of his dedication as an outstanding citizen, attorney and advocate of UNCW, the Student Support Center was named in his honor.

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1947

1949

1939-45

1959 1950-53

1963

1968 1955-75

1969

1974

1978 1984 UNCW U.S. Army ROTC Program begins

1974

1984

William C. Friday (1920–2012)

UNCW U.S. Army ROTC Program Begins

served as a lieutenant in the U .S. Naval Reserves during World War II. He served as president of the university system for 30 years, from 1956 to 1986. During his tenure, he championed UNCW’s role in marine science. Friday Hall is named in honor of this President Emeritus.

1978 The Honorable Addison Hewlett (1912–89) was born in the Masonboro Sound area, the seventh generation of his family raised there. He was a veteran of World War II, and carried a small pouch of Masonboro Sound soil with him to Europe.

Hewlett, a graduate of Wake Forest College and Law School, served as a member of the State House of Representatives (1951–59) and as speaker of the house in 1959. In the 1960s, it was with his persuasion that the State Budget Committee included funding for Wilmington College. Hewlett was a member of the Wilmington College (1963–67) and UNCW Board of Trustees (1973–81). He is the first person to receive the Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from UNCW. Because of his ardent support over the years, Hewlett Hall is named in his honor.

1988 William J. “Bill” Brooks (1922–2010), a native of Wilson, NC, was a veteran of World War II. He began working at Wilmington College in 1951, serving as its first athletic director, head baseball coach, head basketball coach, and chair of the health and physical education department. He is widely credited with the establishment of the athletic program at the university, taking the Seahawks from their early junior college beginnings to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and, finally, to NCAA Division I status. Brooks Field honors his dedication.

Bruce Barclay Cameron (1917–2013) graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1938. He volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1941, then served as a general’s aide in Fort Bliss, Texas, before being posted in New Guinea during World War II. He left the service with the rank of major. When he returned to Wilmington, he became president of McMillian and Cameron and continued a lifetime of work in real estate and civic affairs.

Daniel David Cameron (1921–2005) graduated from Virginia Military Institute in 1942 with a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He served in the European Theater during World War II, arriving at Normandy Beach on D-Day+3. He left the service with the rank of major. When he returned to Wilmington, he became involved in civic life, serving as mayor, and helped form the Wilmington Industrial Development to encourage economic development.

Cameron School of Business was named for Dan and his brother, Bruce, in 1979, and Cameron Hall was named in their honor in 1988.

Harold Greene (1914–97) was born in Rhode Island, and came to North Carolina after serving in World War II. Greene became a business leader through his hotel ownership along the eastern seaboard. As a real estate entrepreneur, he contributed to Brunswick County’s growth by developing Boiling Springs Lakes and serving as the town’s first mayor. Greene also held membership on the Committee of 100 and the Wilmington Executive Board.

The Greene Track and Field Complex opened in 1988.

UNCW alumna Lt. Phoebe Jeter ’87 is the only female to lead a platoon that destroyed SCUD missiles during Desert Storm in Iraq.

1988

1989

1990 1990-91

1994 1991

1989

1991

James Marshall Crews (1919–2010)

UNCW alumna Lt. Phoebe Jeter ’87

was born in McKenzie, TN, and graduated from Bethel College in 1942. He was stationed at Camp Davis in Onslow County then was assigned to the Pacific Theater during World War II. In 1948, he became one of the first faculty members at the newly formed Wilmington College.

Over the years, he held several positions – registrar, assistant dean, admissions director, academic dean – but served longest as dean of students. In 1984, he wrote the first history of the college, From These Beginnings; Wilmington College, 1946–1969. Crews Drive was named for him in 1989. He was an integral part of the Wilmington College Alumni Chapter and was the first faculty member recognized by the UNCW Alumni Association Past Chairs’ Council, which named the J. Marshall Crews Distinguished Faculty Award in his honor.

is the only female to lead a platoon that destroyed SCUD missiles during Desert Storm in Iraq.

1990

who served in the Coast Guard, attended Wilmington College in 1950. He and his brother, Gabriel William “Bill” Dobo, established two private water and sewer companies, which contributed to the growth of New Hanover County. Bob and his wife, D orothy Gray Dobo, established the Dobo Endowment with a $2.5 million contribution. Dobo Hall, a science building on campus, is named in the honor of the couple as well as his brother and his wife, Barbara Beckwith Dobo.

James Leutze is Chancellor Emeritus of UNC Wilmington (1990–2003). He served in the United States Air Force and attained the rank of captain. Leutze became the fifth administrator of UNCW since 1947.

Under his dynamic tenure the university documented a rapid rise in enrollment, increased endowments and numerous faculty additions, positioning UNCW as one of the top 10 universities in the South.

Leutze Hall stands in recognition of his 13 years of support and leadership for the university.

1996

1994 Donald R. Watson (1926–1994) served as a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Watson made significant fi nancial contributions to the university to advance the teaching profession and public education. To recognize his generosity and commitment to education in 1994, the university dedicated the Donald R. W atson College of Education.

The Watson Distinguished Professorship was established the same year.

1996 Robert “Bob” Ridgely Dobo (1929–2009), a World War II veteran

2000 2001-14

2003-11

Gabriel William “Bill” Dobo (1927–2013), a World War II veteran who served in the Coast Guard, graduated from Wilmington College in 1951. He was a successful business owner and inventor who developed one of the most innovative gem-cutting machines in the world. Beckwith Recital Hall in the Cultural Arts Building is named in honor of Bill’s wife, Barbara Beckwith Dobo. In 2013, the couple’s family established a $2.5 million endowment in their honor.

2000 Dr. James D. Hundley, an orthopedic specialist, lends his name to the Student Education Resource Center in the Student Recreation Center. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1973 to 1975. After returning to southeastern North Carolina, he became the UNC Wilmington athletic team physician (1976–98). Dr. Hundley is also an adjunct professor with the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at UNCW.

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a seahawk of significance Meet James Cook, UNCW’s first Distinguished Alumnus of the Year

Returning to college took some adjustment. “In the 1960s, there were 20 or 30 people in class,” Cook said. “When I started here in 1974, some of the classes had maybe 100 people.” He was also older than many of his classmates. But he was in good company: Doris had been attending for several years, balancing a job, school and raising two young children from her first marriage. They befriended other nontraditional students like themselves.

On the day after Christmas 1972, Senior Master Sgt. James Cook was the substitute tail gunner on a B-52 headed for a night bombing mission over Hanoi, Vietnam.

Cook was pleasantly surprised to learn that some things hadn’t changed. “A lot of professors I knew from my Wilmington College days were still here, and I got to take classes with them again,” he said. He graduated with a B.S. in chemistry in 1978. “Somehow, they saw fit to give me the Hoggard Medal,” he said. The award recognizes the graduating senior who has shown the greatest improvement. In 1976, two years before he graduated for the second time, the UNCW Alumni Association awarded the first Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award to Cook.

by Tricia Vance

They had just about reached their target when the plane was fired upon. “I was still in the aircraft when it blew up, and it blew me out,” said Cook ’62, ’78 and UNCW’s first Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. He suffered serious injuries and was captured by the North Vietnamese.

Cook spent nearly two months flat on his back in a prison camp derisively dubbed “the Hanoi Hilton,” where he received virtually no medical treatment. His weakened condition left him unable to eat properly, and his weight – once a solid 170 pounds – dropped to just 90 pounds.

After the signing of the Paris Peace Accords and the drawdown of troops began, plans were made to release American POWs. Cook, on a stretcher, was on the first plane out of Hanoi on Feb. 12, 1973.

He spent 16 months in an Army hospital in Denver. Doctors could not save his badly damaged legs, which were amputated below the knee.

“They said he wouldn’t have lived another week,” said his wife Doris Cook ’77.

It was Doris who kept him going during the slow, difficult recovery, listening patiently via long-distance from Wilmington when he needed encouragement as he healed. They married on June 14, 1974, four years after they met through a mutual acquaintance. He never forgets their anniversary: “It’s Flag Day,” he said.

He enlisted in the Air Force after graduating from Wilmington College in 1962.

Cook intended to make a career of the Air Force, but his war injuries altered his plan. Once he got used to his prosthetic legs, Cook reenrolled at UNCW with the intention of earning a degree in marine biology. After discussions with trusted faculty members, he realized more local jobs were available for chemistry graduates and changed majors.

The couple moved to Hampstead and raised five children from previous marriages, as well as an adopted niece and two grandchildren, both of whom also became Seahawks. Two daughters, Dana M. Cook ’89 and Janet Cook Turner ’90, and granddaughter Hannah Giezentanner-Stott ’14 are UNCW legacy alumnae.

James Cook worked at a local chemical manufacturer for 22 years, before retiring in 2001. Doris Cook became a social worker and worked for local departments of social services as well as New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

Their days are more leisure-oriented now. They enjoy coming to UNCW alumni events and taking cruises with friends. The couple think their next trip may take them to the Far East, and maybe even a visit to Hanoi.

The UNCW Alumni Association continues to give the Distinguished Alumni Awards each year, announced during Homecoming.

Homecoming 2018 will be held Feb. 9-11.

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“The project opens a space for indigenous youth to unlock a history that has been silenced far too long.”– –– – Tiffany Locklear

Unlocking Silent Histories provides indigenous youth ages 12 to 22 an opportunity to preserve their culture through documentaries.

Carmen Tzoc Portillo, 22, USH Guatemala program leader, Chuaxajil

Silent No More IN THESE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, CULTURE AND IDENTITY SPEAK LOUD AND CLEAR by Venita Jenkins

Donna DeGennaro moved to Guatemala in 2012 to work with Maya youth to create unique learning environments that were more connected to their communities.

However, it was the students who formed the project’s vision to preserve culture, knowledge and language through short documentaries.

“Young people have the ability and capacity to tell their own stories,” said DeGennaro, a professor in Watson College of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership.

“Traditionally, we think we need to help define themes for them, guide their stories or help them determine the building blocks of telling those stories. What I’ve learned is when we listen more, we are able to understand the cultural connections that we didn’t see before because of our own ingrained lens, influenced by our own history.”

DeGennaro founded Unlocking Silent Histories to provide indigenous youth a way to express themselves, directly and authoritatively speaking about their identities and cultures.

“What I noticed was that the kids were capturing indigenous languages that we know are quickly disappearing, so I shifted my focus to indigenous populations rather than the broad umbrella of marginalized and underrepresented communities,” she said.

Before filming, students engage in critical analysis and discussion about culture and how they are represented in the media. With each other, they share how these depictions have shaped their lives. Then the students write, film and edit their productions. The films focus on cultural connections and concerns in the community; a public screening of the film often follows.

“Many of the films end with a call to action, reminding their peers to stay connected to their languages and traditions, which are important aspects of identities,” DeGennaro said.

Chema Vasquez, 22, USH Guatemala program leader in San Juan la Laguna

Films from both indigenous communities were part of an exhibition in November 2017 at Art in Bloom, a gallery in Downtown Wilmington.

UNCW graduate student Tiffany Locklear, who was involved in the Lumbee Tribe chapter, saw the project as an opportunity for the Lumbee community to build connections between culture and learning.

“The project opens a space for indigenous youth to unlock a history that has been silenced far too long,” she said. “The films that evolve as part of the project preserve our culture; the documentaries become an artifact of the indigenous community.”

“Each of the communities that we enter will be different,” DeGennaro said. “No matter what, we will come back to the kids for direction.”

The collaboration between DeGennaro and the Maya youth led to the development of a model where students became program leaders. They eventually took on the responsibility of teaching new groups of students.

In September 2016, DeGennaro and several Maya youth presented the films as part of Hispanic Heritage Month at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. and New York.

That same year, DeGennaro expanded Unlocking Silent Histories to the U.S. to focus on the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, the largest American Indian tribe east of the Mississippi. The Lumbee films explored cultural stereotyping, Lumbee art and what it means to be a Native American. Six Lumbee documentaries were presented to the community in July 2017 at UNC Pembroke. The university is located in the tribe’s home territory and was established in 1886 to train American Indian teachers.

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Native Sons and Daughters Students appreciate an immersive experience in Oaxacan culture by Venita Jenkins

“We were trying to see Oaxaca through their eyes.”

– Edelmira Segovia ’98, ’12Ed.D.

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Although cousins Sonia Lopez ’17 and Bruce Lopez Hernandez ’18 are of Oaxacan heritage, their study abroad trip to the Mexican region was an eye-opening experience that helped acquaint them with the country of their parents and grandparents.

“I haven’t been to Mexico since I was 8 years old,” said Lopez, a nursing major with a minor in Spanish. “It was definitely a culture shock for me.”

Lopez was exposed mostly to American culture growing up. The study abroad trip provided her an opportunity to learn about the indigenous people and the culture of her Oaxacan roots.

Hernandez, an exercise science major with a Spanish minor, has visited his home village in the past, but this was his first time experiencing other Oaxacan communities.

“My culture, indigenous language and identity are unique,” he said. “I definitely felt more confident as to who I am while roaming the streets of Oaxaca.

Lawren Mayo ’20 overlooks Monte Albán.

My pride will grow the more I get to explore Oaxaca and study other indigenous people to better understand my identity as an Oaxaqueño.”

Lopez and Hernandez were among 17 students who immersed themselves in the Oaxacan culture in May 2017. Centro Hispano director Edelmira Segovia ’98, ’12Ed.D. helped lead the short-term study abroad trip.

One of the primary goals of this program, and one that makes it different from other study abroad programs at UNCW, is that it allows students of Oaxacan, Mexican and Hispanic descent to learn about the cultures of Oaxaca from Oaxacans living in Wilmington, then to travel to Oaxaca and experience those cultures for themselves.

In Mexico, the students lived with Oaxacan families during their stay. Besides learning about the culture, students participated in a class at the Instituto Cultural Oaxaca on the

effects of immigration, including migration into Mexico as a route to the U.S. “North Carolina has a large population of Oaxacan immigrants.

It made sense to go there, to study where the community comes from and the reasons why they came to the U.S.,” said Segovia.

“For me, it was a very emotional trip. I have had students of Oaxacan heritage the 19 years I have worked at the university.

This was my first time being in their homeland.”

Prior to the trip, students met once a week to discuss the Mexican state’s political structure, geography and history. Students also met and interviewed N.C. residents of Oaxacan heritage.

“We were trying to see Oaxaca through their eyes,” Segovia said. “The interviews prepared us for the emotional topics that we were going to cover – why people migrate and leave the family and the country they love.”

classnotes 1960s

1980s

Donald E. Godwin ’69 made the 2018 “Best Lawyers in America” list for the seventh consecutive year. He was also selected as a recognized practitioner in the field of commercial litigation in the 2017 Chambers USA Guide and made the 2017 Lawdragon “500 Leading Lawyers in America” list.

Joanne Macco Silvia ’82 retired after nearly 30 years as a counselor at Coastal Horizons Center in Wilmington. A writer and artist, she is publishing her first book, Trust the Timing.

1970s

Edward W. Timmons ’83, director of the Tarheel ChalleNGe Academy in Salemburg, NC, earned a Governor’s Award for Excellence in the category of Outstanding State Government Service.

Earl Vaughan ’76 was inducted into the 31st class of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Edward Higgins ’85M was elected 2016-18 chairman of the New Hanover County Board of Education.

Sheila Boles ’77, the first woman in North Carolina to coach a varsity boys’ basketball team and the former athletic director at John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington, was honored by having the newly built gymnasium at Hoggard named for her. She is a member of the UNCW Hall of Fame and the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame.

Cecilia Holden ’85 was hired as the North Carolina State Board of Education lobbyist. She was previously chief of staff to former Commerce Secretary John Skvarla.

Brenda (McKoy) Troy ’77 was named the 2017 Baldwin Branch Missionary Baptist Church (Elizabethtown, NC) Woman of the Year.

David S. Congdon ’78, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Old Dominion Freight Line Inc., opened the 2017-18 Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture Series at UNCW. Chris Fonvielle ’78, UNCW associate professor of history and Civil War historian, spoke at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site about the work of photographer Timothy O’Sullivan.

Bobbi B. Bell ’79 received Century 21 Sweyer and Associates’ David and Polly Sweyer Hall of Fame Award.

Dwight Campbell ’79, a 2017-18 UNCW Society and Clocktower Society member, was elected to a three-year term as an at-large member of the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Steven “Steve” Underwood ’79 joined the firm of Neel-Schaffer Inc. as its coastal program manager. He is based in the firm’s Baton Rouge, LA, office and will lead efforts to expand the firm’s coastal science and engineering discipline.

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Monty Graham ’86, director of the School of Ocean Science and Technology at the University of Southern Mississippi, was named chairman of the newly formed Ocean Task Force by Gov. Phil Bryant.

Kimberly McNeill ’86, ’97M, 2017-18 UNCW Society member, was elected to a three-year term as an at-large member of the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Col. Clement S. Coward Jr. ’88 was promoted to Director, Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Organization, J-8, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.

Lory Morrow ’89 was named the superintendent for Lincoln County Schools (NC). She previously served as the first female superintendent of Davidson County Schools and was recognized as the 2016 Regional Superintendent of the Year.

Wendy Murphy ’93, a 2017-18 UNCW Society and Clocktower Society member, and former chair of the UNCW Board of Trustees, was appointed to the UNC Board of Governors. Her family established the Wendy and Dell Murphy Professorship in Education at UNCW.

1990s

Richard “Rick” Vincent Civilly ’94 is the owner and founder of SurfBerry, a healthy snack and beach rentals establishment in Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Jon Mason ’90 is Wilmington Fire Department’s first deputy fire chief. Since joining the WFD in 1990, he has received two lifesaving awards and a distinguished service award.

Rev. Brian Brandt ’91 was featured on WTVD-TV (Raleigh) for his organ donor advocacy. A heart transplant recipient and former UNCW swimmer, he competed in the U.S. Transplant Games.

Joy Hewett ’91M had her book Blue Water White Sand published by Silk Hope Press. A freelance writer, she is a columnist for the Wilmington StarNews and has penned nature articles for Tidewater magazine and other publications.

Sue Whitehurst ’91 is the 2017 Onslow County Schools Counselor of the Year.

Marty Clyburn ’92, ’96 is a partner at Stroud and Company CPAs in Wilmington.

James E. Hickmon ’92 was appointed an adjunct professor of law at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, NC.

Bill Hall ’88 retired as a teacher and the head football coach from Northwood High School in Pittsboro, NC. He and his wife started BH43 BBQ Sauces and Meat Catering in 2015.

Valerie Melvin, ’92, ’93M, a mathematics instructor at Cape Fear Community College, received the Cape Fear Community College President’s Award for her outstanding efforts and contributions to the college.

John Messick ’88 joined PNC Bank as the Raleigh-based senior vice president and market manager of commercial banking for the Eastern Carolinas region.

Stuart Haste ’93, a sergeant with the Wilson Police Department, was elected president of the NC Internal Affairs Investigators Association.

Mathew Shanklin ’88 was promoted to associate athletic director of marketing at Louisiana State University.

Heather MacQueen Jones ’93 was the featured artist of the month at the Honeycomb Cafe in Daniel Island, SC.

Hunter Houck ’89 joined the Wilmington office of Marsh & McLennan Agency Mid-Atlantic as an employee benefits insurance producer.

Carole Mehle ’93 was awarded the 2017-18 Keihin Endowed Faculty Chair at Edgecombe Community College in Tarboro, NC.

Corrina Reece ’94 is head varsity softball coach at Pender High School in Burgaw, NC. Danny Shingleton ’94 is an account executive with the Greensboro Swarm, a professional basketball team of the NBA Gatorade League and an affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets. He retired from the Navy in 2015 with more than 30 years of service.

Thomas Smith ’94 was named principal of Southern Wayne High School in Dudley, NC. Amy Baker Williams ’94, academically or intellectually gifted coordinator with Wayne County Public Schools, was recognized by the NC Association for the Gifted and Talented with the Outstanding Administrator of the Gifted Award.

Michael Chapman ’95, ’08M is director of process safety management compliance and technological solutions at Stellar, a firm focused on design, engineering, construction and mechanical services, in Jacksonville, FL. Janet Gemmell ’96 made Business North Carolina’s 2017 “Legal Elite” list.

Brad Heath ’96, ’07M is chair of the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Karen Southerland ’96 and Jarrett Jackson ’92 were featured on an episode of UNC-TV’s My Home, NC program “Football Heroes.” They reside in Duplin County with their twin sons, Will and Zach.

Bob Bua ’97 was appointed athletic director at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School in Peabody, MA.

Kent Fonvielle ’97M has been named executive director of external affairs for Midcontinent Independent System Operator South Region. He is based at MISO’s South Region headquarters in Little Rock, AR. Lamont Franklin ’97 was named director of operations for the University of Miami basketball program. He came to Miami from Florida A&M in Tallahassee where he was an assistant coach.

Sheri Conklin ’98, ’08M was appointed Director of e-Learning at UNCW after serving as an instructional designer since 2009.

Craig A. Fishel ’98 is marketing director with Truliant Federal Credit Union, headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC. Steven Gaconnier ’98 is one of four owner-operators of Anne Bonny’s Bar and Grill, an outdoor dining spot in downtown Wilmington.

Lynn Whitesell ’97M, a 2017-18 UNCW Society and Clocktower Society member, is secretary of the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Ann M. Phelps ’98 is an otolaryngology (ENT) doctor at the Watson Clinic in Lakeland, FL.

Brandon Wesley Beane ’98 was named general manager of the Buffalo Bills. He spent 19 years with the Carolina Panthers, first as the team’s director of football operations and then as the assistant general manager.

Jonathan David Auten ’99 completed his pediatric emergency medicine fellowship at UC San Diego Children’s Hospital and was selected to serve as the associate emergency medicine residency program director at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (VA).

Ken Barrow ’99 joined the staff of St. Luke’s Hospital Pain Center in Columbus, NC, as a physician assistant.

Adrian James Powell ’99 is one of 86 metro Atlanta leaders selected to be a part of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2018.

Lisa Brooks ’99 was awarded the 2017 Children’s Champion from Smart Start of New Hanover County.

Jimmy Tate ’99, ’01M was appointed North Carolina Central University’s chief of staff.

Rolanda C. Burney ’99M was appointed chief of staff to Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

2000s

Billy Donlon ’99 joined the Northwestern University men’s basketball program as an assistant coach, following one season on the coaching staff at the University of Michigan.

Gina Goodenow ’99, ’00M, CPA, CFE, was elected by the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants as president of the society’s Westchester chapter, having previously served as vice president and a member of the chapter’s executive board.

Cedrick Barrett ’00 was elected treasurer of the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Stephania Bloodworth ’00 was appointed to a two-year term as president of the UNCW African American Graduate Association.

Sara Bridgman ’00 joined The Paul Vision Institute, an eyecare center, in Wilmington.

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Lori Moseley Elfaysal ’00 and her husband, Hassan, welcomed a baby boy, Asher James Elfaysal, on May 13, 2017.

He joins brother, Noah Ellis, and sister, Marianna “Mia” Charlotte.

Stephanie Lanier ’03, ’07M, a 2017-18 UNCW Society and Clocktower Society member, was elected vice-chair of the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Rebecca Knudson ’00, a 2017-18 Clocktower Society member, was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2018 as a personal injury litigation defender. She works at Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP’s Wilmington office.

Carol Magnabosco Merrit ’03 is a 2017 Cone Health Nursing Excellence recipient.

Nominated by supervisors and peers, the awardees represent the top one percent of nurses and nursing support staff from across the Cone Health System in Greensboro, NC.

Derek Nikitas ’00M serves as co-author and collaborator to bestselling author James Patterson.

David Hines ’01 was named head football coach at East Davidson High School in Thomasville, NC, where he teaches physical education.

Martin Jarmond ’01 was named Boston College’s William V. Campbell Director of Athletics.

Matt Lutz ’01 is the new artistic director of the Front Porch Theater at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts in Black Mountain, NC. Amber King Smith ’01, New Hanover County Senior Resource Center director, received the 2016 Area Agency on Aging Professional Excellence Award. The annual award, presented by the Cape Fear Council of Governments, recognizes an outstanding individual in the Cape Fear area.

Hannah Dela Cruz Abrams ’02, ’07M was elected to the WHQR Board of Directors of the Friends of Public Radio Inc., in Wilmington.

Daniel Faill ’02, serves on the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Foundation Board of Directors, and is a CAMPUSPEAK keynote speaker.

CAMPUSPEAK offers programming to educate and inspire students for success in their college years and beyond.

Lisa Meads ’02 opened her own business, The Lazzy Frog, in downtown Elizabeth City, NC. The store sells adult and children’s clothing, baby items and jewelry.

Chris Frederick ’03 was elected to a three-year term as an at-large member on the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors.

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April Memory Query ’03, ’06M, a 2017-18 Clocktower Society member, graduated from UNCW with her Doctorate in Education in May. She and her husband, John Query ’05, welcomed a son, Cash, on Dec. 18, 2016. She was also appointed to a two-year term as president of the UNCW Cape Fear Alumni Chapter.

Andrew “Andy” Richardson ’03 received the RE/MAX Hall of Fame Award, which honors successful agents who have earned more than $1 million in commissions during their careers with the company. He has been a Wilmington RE/MAX agent for more than six years and earned the Platinum Club team award for 2016 and the 100% Club award in 2014 and 2015.

Nicole Marschhauser Stewart ’03 won a seat on the Raleigh City Council.

Kari Wilkinson ’03 joined the Wilmington office of Coldwell Banker Commercial SunCoast as an accounting manager.

Alison Baringer ’04 was elected to a three-year term as an at-large member on the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Ryan M. Hohman ’04, and his husband, Brad Rathgeber, established the HohmanRathgeber Fund at UNCW. The first award will be used to assist student-athletes in the men’s track and field/cross country program, of which Ryan was a member.

Samuel Weston Reed ’04 released his debut novel The Fabulist on Amazon Kindle.

Tamara “Tammy” Schauf ’04 and her husband, Samuel “Carter” Schauf ’03, welcomed a son, Dawson Cameron, on Dec. 29, 2016. He joins sister Lyla Hart.

Chris Dayett ’05 wrote a musical that was accepted into the 2017 New York Musical Festival. Dorian Gray: The Musical, based on the novel by Oscar Wilde, ran July 12-16 at the Acorn Theatre on 42nd Street in NYC. Jessica Lynn Miller Lipscomb ’05 was named a 2017 WV Wonder Woman by WV Living Magazine and a 2017 40 Under 40 by the State Journal. Lipscomb, who owns a real estate company, was also voted 2016 Realtor of the Year by the Morgantown Board of Realtors and was appointed the 2017 secretary of the WV Association of Realtors.

Jason Thompson ’05M was named vice president of marketing for New York City-based SecurityScorecard, a provider of security ratings. He has more than 13 years experience working for venture capital backed startup and hyper-growth companies.

Melissa Fallis ’06, a 2017-18 UNCW Society and Clocktower Society member, was appointed director of sales marketing at The Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront. She served as chair of the 2016 New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation Pink Ribbon Project and the 2017 NC Azalea Festival Volunteer Appreciation Committee.

David Hoxie ’06 was appointed to a two-year term as president of the UNCW Triad Alumni Chapter.

Melissa Smith ’06 a scientific illustrator for the UNCW Center for Marine Science, was a 2017 UNCW Staff Award for Excellence nominee in the customer service category.

Jennifer Spivey ’06 was named principal at Highland Elementary School in Sanford, NC. Erika Rachel Burns ’07 joined Viamark Carolinas Advertising in their Wilmington office as a senior account manager.

Joseph Romano ’07M, his brother, Samuel Romano ’05 and a friend, Nathan King, founded Seaview Crab Company and launched Local Picks Pack, a seafood community-supported agriculture program in Wilmington.

Kendall Smith ’07 joined Southeastern Health Center Clarkton and Southeastern Medical Clinic White Lake as a family nurse practitioner. Before joining Southeastern Health, she worked as a

nursing laboratory manager at Fayetteville State University and as a registered nurse at Columbus Regional Healthcare System in Whiteville, NC. Wells Struble, ’07, his wife Kelly Struble ’08, and partner Rocco Quaranto ’08, owners of Tama Tea in Wilmington, have partnered with Thirst Project to help with the global water crisis.

Heather Burton Thorpe ’07 accepted a senior grants and contracts administrator position at Duke University. She has six years of experience in research administration, most recently as a contracts and grants manager at NC State University.

Nate Miner ’07, ’15M, UNCW’s assistant dean for finance and resource management, was awarded the 2017 Staff Award for Excellence.

Stacy J. Ankrum ’08M joined the United Way of Cape Fear Area Board of Directors.

Adrienne Eliades ’08, an artist based in Vancouver, WA, was awarded the Warren MacKenzie Advancement Award by the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, MN. Grant Emerson ’08, bass guitar player for the band Delta Rae, went on a 50-stop summer tour with the band, which has received national attention from NPR, Washington Post, The New York Times, and inclusion on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list.

Jason Howell ’08 was selected as an apprentice instructor to the National Park Service’s Historic Weapons Supervisory Safety course. A park ranger at Moores Creek National Battlefield in Currie, NC, Howell instructs other national and state park rangers and interpreters on the safe and proper handling and firing of 18th-century weapons.

Jada McDonald O’Malley ’08 and Michael Baker are the local franchise owners of Your Pie, a new Wilmington eatery which offers handcrafted pizza, salads, gelato and more.

Charles Bennett Chambers ’09 and Louise Reston Jones were married on March 4, 2017 in Wilmington.

Billy J. Edwards ’09 was promoted to chief financial officer of ROSS Companies, a leader in multifamily acquisitions, property management and renovation in the mid-Atlantic region. He is based in Bethesda, MD. Kayla Lee Faulk ’09, ’09C and Dan L. Gregg III were married on Nov. 5, 2016 in Burgaw, NC. Eva Elizabeth Hardy ’09 and Jeremy Dwayne Williams ’08 were married on April 22, 2017 in Manteo, NC. The couple met while attending UNCW. Shamiah Harvey ’09 was appointed girls’ basketball coach at Eastern Guilford High School in Gibsonville, NC. Christopher Edward Jones ’09 and Alexandra Elizabeth Utsey were married on April 8, 2017, in Charleston, SC. In August, Christopher joined the National Grocers Association as vice president and counsel of the government relations department.

Rebecca Susan Price ’09 and Nicholas Edward Herring were married on Oct. 22, 2016 in Wilmington.

Justin Sykes ’09 proposed to Bridget Haley ’10 on the White House’s North Lawn. The proposal was featured in the USA Today article “This Marriage Proposal Makes Yours Seem Lame.”

John Brantley Zachary ’09 was promoted to associate wealth advisor at Pathfinder Wealth Consulting in Wilmington.

2010s Katelyn (Sally) Babson ’10 joined Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP in the Raleigh office as an associate attorney with the Workers’ Compensation Practice Group. Prior to joining CSH Law, she practiced law at a Charlotte firm defending insurance carriers and employers throughout NC. Brandon Gregory Bell ’10, ’14M is the assistant director of Elon University’s Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education.

Stephanie Celenza ’10 joined LANE, a Finn Partners Company, in their Portland, OR, office as associate vice president.

She brings more than six years of experience leading integrated campaigns for national and international consumerlifestyle brands.

Seth Frankoff ’10, a former UNCW pitcher, signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs.

Scott Ryan Burgess ’11 was appointed marketing manager for Golden Sands General Contractors in Miami, FL.

Ashley Heffernan ’10, ’10C joined the staff of Tri-County Cradle to Career as the director of communication and administration. TCCC is a tri-county collaborative in South Carolina focused on community efforts for improving educational outcomes.

Gabrielle “Gabby” Nicole Follett ’11 and Jessica Dyan Sumney ’13 were married on July 15, 2017 in Wilmington.

Jeffrey Neil Lesley ’10M was honored

by Century 21 Sweyer & Associates for being a top-producing agent, top sales agent, top listing agent (volume and units) and was named to the agency’s Hall of Fame.

Robbie Monday ’10 was hired as an assistant coach for Winthrop University’s baseball team. He joins the Eagles after serving as a volunteer coach at UNCW for five seasons.

Bernadette Kathleen O’Neill ’10 and Jeffrey Louis Naro ’10 were married on April 29, 2017.

Christina Haley O’Neal ’10 joined the Greater Wilmington Business Journal as a reporter on regional topics.

Michael Powell ’10 and his brother Ben ’11 celebrated the opening of Drift Coffee and Kitchen in Wilmington.

Brittany Cox Ricks ’10 and her husband, Ryan Ricks ’10, co-produced One More Round, which was accepted into the 2017 Seattle International Film Festival. Brittany played the female lead and Ryan was the music composer.

Anna Robuck ’10, ’15M, ’15C is one of three national recipients of the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program, a leading science organization that supports women in the ocean sciences.

Sterling Scott ’10 was named to the Charlotte Agenda “30 Under 30” class of 2017.

Candace Walker ’10 is head coach of women’s basketball at St. Thomas University in Florida.

Derek Lamar Bowens ’11 was named the Durham County Board of Elections’ Director of Elections. He previously served as interim elections director and as director of elections for New Hanover County.

Maria Johnson ’11, kindergarten teacher at Banks Elementary School, was named Lenoir County (NC) 2017-18 Teacher of the Year.

Ian McMichael ’11M was named Barton College’s new men’s soccer coach in Wilson, NC. Yosef Shirazi ’11M joined Cardno Americas as a project economist in the company’s Wilmington, DE, office.

Alex Wetherell ’11, former UNCW men’s tennis standout and current assistant coach, was named the Carolina Region Assistant Coach of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

Chad Graves ’12 established the Reunion Marketing Scholarship at UNCW to provide support for students pursuing a degree offered by the Department of Communication Studies. He is the vice president of sales and co-founder of Reunion Marketing.

Brandy Nicole Lawson (Burnette) ’12 founded High Cotton Events by Designs, LLC, servicing weddings, nonprofits, small business/corporate and social celebrations throughout NC. Lauren Henderson ’12M was elected to a three-year term on the Good Shepherd Center Board of Directors in Wilmington.

LaCie Jacobs ’12, ’13M joined the staff of Bladen Community College in NC as a financial controller.

Courtney Closson Lewis ’12 and Ronnie Norris were married on July 1, 2017, in Charlotte, NC. Caroline Merrill ’12 was promoted to managing director of accounts and projects at The Forte Institute in Wilmington.

William Arrington Pully II ’12 joined the law firm of Battle, Winslow, Scott & Wiley in Rocky Mount, NC, as an associate attorney. He primarily practices in the firm’s business section and also works in the real estate, local government, civil litigation and criminal defense areas. He has served on the U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship Commission since 2012.

Katelyn Irene Schumacher ’12M was among a group of researchers to discover a new flying squirrel species. The group was led by UNCW Associate Professor of Biology Brian Arbogast.

Dana Abudayeh ’13, military caregiver and United States Marine Corps veteran, was named a recipient of The Vigiano Family Hope and Courage award at the eighth annual Hope for The Warriors’ “Got Heart Give Hope” gala in Arlington, VA. Kelly Crowley ’13M was elected to a three-year term as an at-large member on the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Jesse Kale ’13 was promoted from associate producer/editor to weekend producer at Fox 46 Charlotte.

Jacob Kreider ’13 and Lindsey Caruso were married June 19, 2016, in Elizabethtown, PA. Natalie LaHaie ’13 was promoted to marketing manager at Collins Cooper Carusi Architects in Atlanta, GA. Nicole Martin ’13M, a biology and AP environmental science teacher at Northside High School, was named the 2017-18 Onslow County (NC) Teacher of the Year.

Jennifer Rettew McCall’s ’13M company, SeaTox Research Inc., received a $1.47 million Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer grant (in collaboration with UNCW) from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to further develop toxin tests for seafood.

Molly Jacques ’13 was hired as the design and media coordinator for both the Greater Wilmington Business Journal and its sister publication, WILMA magazine.

Livingston Sheats ’13M, a 2017-18 Clocktower Society member, was appointed to a two-year term as president of the Cameron School of Business Alumni Chapter.

Stephanie Titzel ’13M, a science teacher at Roland Grise Middle School, received the 2017 NC Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year Award.

The Class Notes are compiled by the Division for University Advancement.

Share your news at uncw.edu/alumniupdate.

classnotes

2017-18 donor and giving society recognition reflective of 7.1.17-9.30.17

In Memoriam ALUMNI Lester LaSure ’57

Margaret Brown ’79, ’92M

Peter Buis ’59

Rocky Wittman ’83

Stacy Parker ’59

William McClain ’84

Eugene Zeznock ’59

Catherine Upton ’85

Kenneth Stanley ’62

David Wagoner ’87M

John Phillips ’70

William Reppert ’94

Harry Borneman ’73

Robert Collins ’95

Ken Hales ’73

Debra Nipper ’96

Marguerite Ainsworth ’76

Thomas Moorefield ’07

Clark Robichaux ’78

Brian Davis ’17

Kay Austell ’79

FRIENDS Mary Peacock Andrews

Jerry D. Harrison

Nancy Grochow Barkalow

Ray N. Joens

Herbert Eugene Barnes

Russell J. Lanier Jr.

Janet Bebb

Billie Sidbury Little

Leilia Birrell

William Franklin Lowe Jr. (UNCW faculty)

Thomas P. Brown Sr. Mamie Newsome Bryan Paul G. Burton Robin Pinzari Cameron Alfred “AP” P. Carlton Jr. Larry D. Cook (UNCW faculty)

William “Bill” Joseph McCarthy (UNCW faculty) Michael J. McKenna Edward J. Miastkowski William Frederick Mintzell Patricia Duncan Nance

John E. Craig

Suzanne Smith Nash

Norman E. Davis Jr.

Rolla Clayborne Nelson (UNCW faculty)

Richard Manson Dillaman Luther Dishman Charles I. Duncan Russell Erling Dybvik Jay F. Ebersole Edward “Bryan” English Vernon Fash

Pattie Whitfield Nelson Lillian “Lil” Dixon Newton Larry “Dean” Ripa Wendy Smith (UNCW staff) Connie L. Tate

John H. Finocchiaro

Paul A. Thayer (UNCW faculty)

Fredrick Foy

Portia M. Tillman

Jerre R. Garnett (UNCW faculty)

Dorothy “Dottie” Rodgers Werk

Betty Ann Gesser

Betty Sue Westbrook (UNCW faculty)

Robert Herman Goslee Sr.

June Deer Williams

James Linwood Guthrie

Stanley “Stan” Edward Willner

Peter Hajzak

Roberta Goldfarb Zimmer

Alan Hall

Victoria Flanagan ’14 received the 2017 Thomas B. Gay Graduate Poetry Award and the Joan Byrne Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets. She is lead associate editor of Blackbird, Virginia Commonwealth University’s online journal of literature and the arts.

Whitnee Roberts Salazar ’15M joined TruCare Family Practice in Lumberton, NC, as a certified family nurse practitioner.

Christina Clark ’16MF received the 2017 James Applewhite Poetry Prize for her poem “Adrift in the Port City,” published in the North Carolina Literary Review.

Melissa Genazzio ’14M joins the National Ecological Observatory Network team as the staff scientist for SAVI-CoopEUS in Boulder, CO.

Dennis Doering ’16 was recognized with a Nurse Excellence Award by Wayne UNC Heath Care in Goldsboro, NC.

Sarah Elizabeth Gibbs ’14 is the financial development and marketing director of the YMCA of Southeastern NC.

Justin Lucas ’16M joined Novant Health Oceanside Family Medicine and Convenient Care in Shallotte, NC, as a board-certified family nurse practitioner.

Jessica Halso ’14 launched the mobile app Foode, which organizes restaurant menu options by photo and provides basic business information.

Anna Phillips ’14 is working as a news anchor of WITN “News at Sunrise” in Greenville, NC. Anna has been with WITN for more than a year, as anchor of the weekend evening shows and as a reporter during the week.

Cody Scrufari ’14 was honored as the Beginning Teacher of the Year by Wayne County (NC) Public Schools.

Kenneth “Ryan” Spencer ’14 is head baseball coach at Trinity High School in Trinity, NC, where he teaches health and physical education.

Haley Sink ’16M, a Clocktower Society member, is the executive director of ACCESS of Wilmington Inc., operators of the Miracle League of Wilmington.

Jenna Leigh Stack ’16 was selected by the NBCC Foundation for the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program-Addictions Counselors. She will receive funding and training to support her education and facilitate her addictions counseling services to underserved minority transition-age youth.

Daniel Walsh ’16 joined Proclaim Interactive, a Wilmington-based digital marketing agency, as a search engine marketing specialist.

Mary Elizabeth Whitt ’14 and Matthew G. Larson were married Nov. 5, 2016, in Wilmington.

Kennard McDowell ’17, a former UNCW baseball player, signed a minor league free agent contract with the Colorado Rockies organization.

Samantha Black ’15, digital marketing coordinator for the Blockade Runner Beach Resort, Wrightsville Beach, was selected by the Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen to serve a two-year term on the town’s marketing committee.

Lauren Moore ’17 and Amber Reeves ’17 were nominees for the 27th Annual NCAA Woman of the Year Award which honors graduating female athletes who have distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

Joseph Lowe ’15, ’15C joined Intrepid Marketing Group in Raleigh as an account executive. He manages creative, public relations and social media projects for Park West Village, New Balance and the REX Hospital Open, among others.

Seth Regan ’17 joined Plan A Advertising in Wilmington as an account coordinator after interning there during his last semester of college.

Linda Farris Smith ’17 is a UNC General Administration 2017-18 Presidential Scholar.

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