WITH WATER
“The Showboat” Shoreline
The USS North Carolina is a decommissioned World War II battleship, moored as a National Historic Landmark and State Historic Site in Wilmington on the Cape Fear River. Weighing 36,000 tons and stretching 728 feet long, the battleship commemorates the heroism of U.S. servicemembers from North Carolina in World War II. UNCW is collaborating on a transformational floodwater mitigation project that will not only protect the surrounding property from overwhelming high tides but will also provide a living laboratory for coastal resiliency education and planning. The “Living with Water” project will ensure access to this national treasure for future generations. Learn more on page 16.
Cover and inside cover photos: Jeff Janowski/UNCW
Editor
Krissy Vick
Design KLP Designs
Art Director Shirl New
Photography
Jeff Janowski
Contributing Writers
Tatiana Bell ’24
Caroline Cropp ’99, ’06M
Sarah Fetters
Susan Finley
Stacie Greene Hidek
Venita Jenkins ’24M
Missy Kennedy ’01
Amy Mangus
Amelia McNeese ’24
Tom Riordan
Krissy Vick
Contributing Photographers
Battleship North Carolina
Terry DeMeo
Alan Holmes/NASA
Jim Agnew/W&M Athletics
Aaron King
SaJorden Miller
Bradley Pearce
Tommy Quarles
Michael Spencer
UNCW Athletics
UVA Athletics
Digital Content Producers
Jesse Bradley
Kathryn Ippolito
Bradley Pearce
Editorial Advisors
Missy A. Kennedy ’01
Andrea Monroe Weaver
Business Manager
Kelly Baker
Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
Andrea Monroe Weaver
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
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Dear Seahawk Community,
I am proud to share with you some of the incredible collaborations, focused on regionally relevant and globally important issues, that are highlighted in this edition of UNCW Magazine. Our coastal communities, including Wilmington’s legendary Battleship North Carolina, face the increasing threat of shifting shorelines, and we are using innovative research to address this challenge (page 16), highlighting our commitment to providing unparalleled opportunities for sustainable solutions.
We are also developing crucial partnerships with K-12, community college and local leaders to strengthen our healthcare workforce pipelines (page 20), demonstrating the power of community engagement to address critical needs. Within our own institution, we are elevating student-alumni networking to support mentoring and foster connections, further emphasizing the importance of bringing generations of Seahawks together (page 24). A future welcome center, a feature of our forthcoming master plan, will provide a dedicated space to serve as a gateway between the campus and the community.
UNCW marked a major milestone in June with the conclusion of the largest philanthropic campaign in university history. We revel in this historic achievement, which surpassed $134.2 million, because we have already seen its impact on the lives of our students and in the life of our university (page 28). From the heart of Seahawk country, I thank each donor who contributed to this campus-wide effort.
Please join me in celebrating the latest successes of our student-athletes. As of press time, the Seahawks had won Coastal Athletic Association Championships in men's and women's swimming and diving, men's tennis, softball and baseball! Their dedication and skill are an inspiration to us all, embodying the spirit of excellence that permeates our institution (page 14). Finally, take a look at our “Bird’s Eye View,” a new feature in the back of the magazine that we will use to highlight a university that will always be like no other.
Yours in Seahawk Spirit,
Aswani K. Volety Chancellor
In Step
New
leaders Christine Reed Davis and Skyler Stein ’26 want students to share their voices.
BY: TATIANA BELL ’24 AND VENITA JENKINS ’24M PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JEFF JANOWSKI
UNCW’s new Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Christine Reed Davis and recently elected Student Body President Skyler Stein ’26 have something in common—a passion for putting students first. Stein was elected the new student body president in March 2024, and Davis was named the new vice chancellor in January 2024. They sat down in the Golden Hawk Room and had a conversation about student engagement, their hopes while in their positions and life at UNCW.
Stein: What are some ways that you plan to collaborate to address student concerns?
Davis: I’m really interested in getting to know students and what their experiences are at UNCW—the things we’re doing great, the things that we can improve upon, and new ideas that they have. Already in the time that I’ve been here, I have hosted open office hours where students, faculty and staff can come by and chat with me.
Davis: What initiatives do you have in mind to support students at UNCW?
Stein: One big thing I want to accomplish is mental health days for students on campus, ensuring that students’ well-being and wellness is at the forefront for the university. In the platform that my vice president and I ran on, one of our pillars is balance. We really want to focus on that school-work-life balance and make sure that students have the best holistic experience that they can at UNCW.
Davis: I hear some themes between you and I about the student voice and making sure that we’re listening—opening the door to conversation and listening and acting on student voices. I’m excited about that. At the end of the day, that’s why we’re here.
Davis: What is your favorite tradition at UNCW? I think you and I have an agreement on this.
Stein: I think we’ve got to go with Teal Tuesday.
Davis: Teal Tuesday, definitely!
Watch more of the interview.
¿Cómo puedo ayudar? How can I help?
UNCW student Janelle Zarate works with Mexican American students at Bradley Creek Elementary School. Zarate’s passion for helping comes from her time as a child in an ESL program.
Difference-Makers
Bilingual Seahawks are breaking barriers for local youth.
Students in Spanish for Bilingual Speakers classes use their linguistic and cultural knowledge to mentor New Hanover County elementary students who may have limited English or need support. They also aid new community members who are learning English.
“I want my students to see what an asset it is to be native speakers of Spanish and English, and just as important, to possess an advanced cultural understanding of the local Latinx community,” said Spanish professor Amanda Boomershine.
“Our community and the students often overlook these skills, but they are invaluable assets that should be recognized and celebrated.”
Emily Rodriguez-Castillo ’25 and Catalina Nery-Gonzalez ’27 relate to the students’ struggles. Both grew up in Spanishspeaking homes and faced challenges related to the language barrier.
“As someone who has lived this experience, I feel better equipped to help children who are currently going through this.”
Emily Rodriguez-Castillo
Watch more about this program.
“It feels like it was lifetimes ago when I was a young, frustrated girl yelling at my teacher to help me in Spanish, at the brink of tears, because all she could do for me was shake her head to communicate that she had no idea what I needed,” said Rodriguez-Castillo.
Nery-Gonzalez said the experience has opened her eyes to the number of students in the community who need help.
“I think it’s important because the more help they receive, the more chances and opportunities they have to have a good career and be the next generation of leaders,” she said. –VJ
Photo: Jeff Janowski/UNCW
Movement is Medicine
Community dance workshop teaches youth resiliency.
Collage Dance Collective to Empower Youth Expression, a community dance workshop, provided Wilmington youth an outlet to express their emotions through movement and sparked their interest in classical and modern dance. About 10-15 children attended and learned dance combinations from experienced dancers from Collage Dance Collective, a Memphis-based ballet company. The company provided the free workshop to the community as part of their residency at UNCW.
UNCW students like Gabriella Billotti participated as dance teachers.
“It was so awesome to see these kids get excited about dancing and moving. I could tell that many of them truly had a joy around dancing, and it was just so heartwarming to see, as someone who has been dancing for about 10 years now,” Billotti said.
The workshop included a JUST US Project resiliency activity led by UNCW alum J’vanete Skiba ’03, director of the New Hanover County Task Force. UNCW's JUST US initiative combines art—in this case, the performing arts—with personal development skills to equip youth with tools for success.
The dance workshop was organized by NC Project LEAD, whose mission is to enrich the arts and humanities and economic development in underserved communities across the state. Executive Director Juanita Harper hopes the workshop experience transformed the children and inspired the community.
“Art can transform our lives. When we connect with art, we ultimately connect with our inner selves.”
Juanita Harper
“Art can enable us to look within, listen to ourselves and realize who we are and what we care about. It connects us to our thoughts, feelings, perceptions and outer realities and experiences,” said Harper.
The workshop was a collaboration between NC Project Lead, UNCW, Cameron Art Museum, North Carolina Arts Council, Landfall Foundation and the New Hanover County Resiliency Task Force.
–TB
“...5, 6, 7, 8!” UNCW dance student Gabriella Billotti participates in the JUST US resiliency project at the Cameron Art Museum.
Photos: Michael Spencer/UNCW
Watson Wednesdays at the Ed Lab
The Ed Lab, the only program of its kind in North Carolina, has been supporting students and the community for 40 years.
Watson College of Education students and their tutees have been celebrating Watson Wednesdays in the Ed Lab.
The Betty Stike Education Laboratory is a distinguishing feature of UNCW’s Teacher Education program. The Ed Lab gives future teachers an opportunity to teach children in a supervised setting on campus before beginning field placements in local school classrooms. AT&T gifted $40,000 to the lab in 2023, and it’s programming continues to be supported by UNCW’s philanthropic gifts through Like No Other: The Campaign for UNCW
Since 2017, more than 7,500 students, alumni and school partners have participated in #WatsonWednesdays, helping to promote the college and the teaching profession by wearing Watson t-shirts on Wednesdays. –SUSAN FINLEY
It’s a Win-Win.
Avery Chaucer, who plans to graduate in fall 2025 with a degree in elementary education, practices her teaching methods while tutoring local elementary student Vicky Silva at the Watson Ed Lab.
Photo: Bradley Pearce/UNCW
Heart Health Hubs
UNCW partnership with local barbershops aims to trim hypertension rates in underserved communities.
Barbershops in Wilmington are becoming more than just places for haircuts—they have evolved into hubs for health education and outreach.
A partnership between Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center, local barbershops and UNCW nursing faculty offers pop-up clinics in underserved communities. The program, established in 2017 by Novant Health and local barbers, provides multiple services to customers, including health screenings and physician referrals. Kevin Briggs, Novant Health senior director for laboratory and respiratory care services, health equity and inclusion, led the team that developed the program.
We knew that a big part of promoting equity in health was building stronger relationships in areas of our service area where there was opportunity. The partnership with local barbers, who serve as trusted guardians and resources for our community, was a great way to strengthen connections between our neighbors and all things health and wellness.”
Kevin Briggs
UNCW School of Nursing faculty Stephanie Turrise and Lisa Anne Bove joined the partnership in 2022 after receiving a $50,000 grant from the Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation. The grant-funded research project aimed to help reduce hypertension in African American and Hispanic/Latino American populations by tracking participants’ health information via an activity tracker. Later that year, Turrise received a $26,000 grant from the New Hanover Community Endowment to purchase blood pressure monitoring devices for people with a high blood pressure reading or a prior diagnosis of hypertension.
“We are meeting people where they are, where they live, work and play. This can alleviate the fear, trust and accessibility issues that sometimes hinder individuals from seeking care,” said Turrise. “It also helps us to build meaningful partnerships and reach people we may never engage with
Haircuts and Heart Monitors.
Top: Justin Dillard ’22, a regular at Just Cut It barbershop on Castle Street in Wilmington, gets his blood pressure checked by UNCW School of Nursing faculty member Stephanie Turrise. Bottom: The barbershop is partnering with Turrise to provide monitors to patrons with a risk or history of hypertension. Photos: Jeff Janowski/UNCW
until they need acute care, improving health outcomes so that together we can sustain the health and well-being of residents.”
Cedron Emerson Sr. ’14, owner of Just Cut It, saw the partnership as a way to give back to his community.
“I saw this as an opportunity for my clients to have access to services and information,” Emerson said. “They are getting valuable information that has made them more aware about their health. Even the barbers in my shop have taken advantage of the program. Hopefully, we can continue.” –VJ
See page 20 to learn about other UNCW programs and partnerships that aim to improve healthcare for all.
The Seahawk Celebrates 75!
Amelia McNeese ’24 reflects on st journalism past, present and future.
“As the editor for The Seahawk, celebrating 75 years of our publication’s existence is not just a milestone; it is a testament to the enduring spirit of journalism and community. Having a role that contributes to years of student journalism is both an honor and responsibility. There is a strong sense of pride in being part of a publication with such a rich history.
The Seahawk has been a voice of our university, recording its triumphs, challenges and evolution. Each issue builds a chapter in our institution’s story, and as editor, I am proud to have a role in shaping this chapter of our campus narrative.
As we celebrate our past, we must look forward to the future. Journalism is an ever-evolving field, shaped by technological advancement, shifts and trends in reader preferences, and societal changes. As editor, I strive to honor the past while embracing innovation, ensuring The Seahawk remains relevant and impactful for students.
Celebrating 75 years also provides a unique opportunity for reflection. We look back on the journalists who came before us, whose dedication and passion paved the way for our success. We remember the stories that resonated with readers, the investigations that sparked change, and the moments of community connection that define our publication.
But perhaps most importantly, celebrating 75 years of The Seahawk is a celebration of community. Journalism is ultimately about serving our readers, giving voice to the voiceless, and holding power to account. As editor, I am humbled by the trust our readers place in us. With our dedicated team of writers, editors, photographers, contributors and everyone behind the scenes who makes the work we do possible, we strive to give you thorough and researched articles to produce compelling stories that you will want to read.
At The Seahawk, we believe in the power of student journalism to foster understanding through inquisitive pursuits, offer each student a voice in their paper and tell the stories that unite our local and campus communities. No matter the story, we strive to represent what UNCW means to us.
“Amelia McNeese ’24 was The Seahawk’s spring 2024 editor-in-chief. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in English with a passion for science and medical writing.
The Seahawk Through the Years
One year after Wilmington College was founded, the first issue of The Seahawk was published on Sep. 27, 1948, featuring four-pages of typed articles with hand-drawn headlines. The Seahawk is likely one of the two oldest student organizations at UNCW still in existence— the other being the Student Government Association. Since its inception, The Seahawk has been entirely student-run. For most of those years, The Seahawk was published weekly in print. Similar to the newspaper industry at large, The Seahawk and its advertising were disrupted by the digital revolution, forcing it to cease its print edition in spring 2019. Its online edition debuted in November 2000. Today TheSeahawk.org is an award-winning, online news outlet with more readers than ever before.
Decades in the [Print]Making
Retiring Professor Donald Furst’s body of work on display
Art professor Donald Furst celebrated five decades of his work with a retrospective exhibition titled “Fifty Years of Printmaking” at UNCW’s Cultural Arts Building Art Gallery in March. Furst used various printmaking media, including engraving, etching, linoleum cut, lithography, mezzotint, screen printing, solarplate intaglio, vitreography and woodcut.
“The longer you live and the more experiences you have, the richer the image bank from which you draw new ideas,” said Furst, who retires this summer after 39 years teaching at UNCW.
Furst encouraged his students to learn to trust their inner convictions when creating their work. “No one person on the planet sees things quite the same way you do.” –VJ
Photo: Michael Spencer/UNCW
Men’s Tennis Continues CAA Winning Streak
The men’s tennis program captured its fourth straight conference title on April 21 with a 4-1 win over Elon, sending the Seahawks to the NCAA tournament for a 10th time, all under head coach Mait Dubois. UNCW, which has reached the championship match in eight consecutive seasons, became the first team to win four straight CAA men’s tennis titles since VCU reeled off nine in a row from 1996-2004.
UNCW swimmers, divers and coaches making waves
It was all teal at the 2024 Coastal Athletic Association Swimming and Diving Championships as UNCW swept the men’s and women’s championships for a second straight year. For the men, it was their third consecutive conference title and 16th overall and the fifth for the women.
Head coach and UNCW alum, Bobby Guntoro ’12 was honored as Coach of the Year for both the men and women. In his first year with the program, Gavrilo Blijden earned Men’s Diving Coach of the Year and Ethan Badrian, a sophomore, was honored as the Diver of the Meet.
Photo: Jim Agnew/W&M Athletics
Photo: UNCW Athletics
Diamond Hawks
Claim Two CAA Titles at Home
The UNCW softball team won its second Coastal Athletic Association Championship in three seasons with an epic seventh-inning comeback over Campbell University at Boseman Field. The Seahawks won four games in four days, including a pair of victories over top-seeded Campbell.
Soon after, the UNCW baseball team claimed its eighth CAA title overall and second straight following a 6-4 win over top-seeded College of Charleston at Brooks Field. With its eighth conference tournament championship, the Seahawk program passed ECU for the all-time lead. The championship was also UNCW's first at Brooks Field since 2006.
Men's Basketball Makes Hoops History
UNCW stunned the college basketball world with an 80-73 win over nationally ranked University of Kentucky in front of a sellout crowd in Rupp Arena in Lexington.
Leading the Wildcat program was Seahawk basketball alum and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member John Calipari, who was recently named head coach at Arkansas. Calipari attended UNCW from 1978 to 1980, lettering twice for the program under the direction of h ead coach Mel Gibson.
The Seahawks got out of the gate fast in a state known for horse racing, leading by nine points in the first five minutes and gradually building a 14-point advantage in the first half. Kentucky opened the second half with a blitz and tied the game with a little over 10 minutes left on the clock. The Seahawks, like they had done all game, used a three-pointer to grab the lead with just under 10 minutes to go and never trailed again. This was UNCW’s first win against a ranked opponent since 2002.
Trazarien White looks to score against Kentucky as UNCW leads early in the first half at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. Photo: Tommy Quarles
Photo: Michael Spencer/UNCW
LIVING WITH WATER
Sinking deep in mud. Heeding the warnings of gators. Hacking through invasive plants.
The toughest challenge in monitoring a local changing ecosystem is the environment itself.
“The marsh there is not the easiest place to work,” admitted Devon Eulie ’05, ’08M, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences. The marsh she refers to surrounds Battleship North Carolina, across the Cape Fear River from downtown Wilmington.
UNCW labs work with Battleship North Carolina to evaluate effect of groundbreaking flood mitigation efforts on surrounding ecosystem
BY: STACIE GREENE HIDEK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
JEFF JANOWSKI AND MICHAEL SPENCER
Eulie is the principal investigator on a project supporting a floodwater-mitigation project at the battleship site. Her Coastal and Estuarine Studies Lab is one of three UNCW labs responsible for physical and biological monitoring required to fulfill permit and funding requirements for the effort, called Living with Water.
Floodwaters often submerge both the entrance road and parking lot at the historic site, preventing visitors from easily accessing the state’s World War II memorial. Data from a tidal gauge by the neighboring Cape Fear Memorial Bridge shows flooding has increased more than 7,000% since the ship came to Wilmington in 1961.
Finding Solutions. Protecting Resources.
The Living with Water project will raise part of the parking area and return the rest to a more natural state, installing a wetland and tidal creek to redirect water. A living shoreline will help protect the area from wave and storm effects. Together, these are designed to create a more resilient landscape, and they make the project unique in both size and complexity when compared with others on the East Coast.
“It’s unusual to see resilience projects this large on public property,” Eulie said. Her lab primarily handles the water quality aspects of the monitoring and uses geospatial technology, such as drones and survey equipment, to map and track changes, such as in elevation.
UNCW’s Benthic Ecology Lab follows the health of the organisms that live at the bottom of the water. “Our part is the fish and crabs, and the small little things that they all eat that no one really cares about but form the base of the whole system,” said Martin Posey, professor of biology and marine biology.
“I think everybody cares about them,” said Troy Alphin, senior research associate with the lab. “They just don’t know that they care about them.”
The ecological side of things above water is the focus of Stacy Endriss and the Wetland Ecology and Management Lab. Her work focuses on invasive plant species. Much of the marsh area surrounding The battleship is home to phragmites, which form dense stands that quickly outcompete native vegetation for the necessary resources to thrive.
It’s unusual to see resilience projects this large on public property.”
Devon Eulie
What’s in the Water?
Troy Alphin, research associate with the UNCW Department of Biology and Marine Biology, fellow researchers and students from UNCW are monitoring the benthic ecosystem surrounding the battleship.
Creating a Living Laboratory
The three labs, along with Amy Long in UNCW’s Department of Environmental Sciences and Jenny Davis at NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science lab in Beaufort, NC, are part of what they all hope will be a long-term collaboration to help guide resilience projects in the future.
Our role is to go in and get the data to show what it is at the start of construction and how things are changing over time.”
Stacy Endriss
Getting that data can be a challenge. The site is home to wildlife, perhaps most famously alligators, as well as soupy mud, thanks to a site dominated by fine particulates, and those phragmites, which can take a machete to get through. The labs follow strong protocols to ensure safety. They rely on kayaks or other small boats to explore the marsh and on reporting devices installed within reach of the State Employees Credit Union Memorial Walkway that surrounds the ship.
Mitigating Risks.
The Living with Water Project includes four components: an intertidal estuarine living shoreline; a new wetland and tidal creek habitat to capture and direct water to the Cape Fear River; green infrastructure improvements and educational programs. Illustration: Waggonner & Ball Architects
Rising Floodwaters.
The increasing trend in tidal flooding at the battleship site threatens the entrance to the museum, parking area and only access road for visitors.
Photo: Terry DeMeo, September 22, 2020
“They have a very light footprint on the landscape, which we really appreciate,” said Terry DeMeo, development director for the battleship and coordinator of the Living with Water project. “Once they're gone, you would never have known that they were there.”
But their work still leaves an imprint. When a group of schoolchildren visiting the site wondered about the work being done at the site, they called up Posey, he said. “We put it on the speakerphone and did an impromptu 15-minute lesson for these elementary school kids and their parents right there on the boardwalk.”
Older students also get the benefit, as the labs put undergraduate and graduate students at UNCW in hands-on positions of collecting samples, evaluating data and training fellow students. The professors say they all have or plan to teach classes at the battleship site, which is particularly useful because of the short commute and the challenges it illustrates.
The monitoring is “an opportunity to help people understand what some of the current impacts are on the coast in terms of rising sea levels and increasing trends in coastal flooding, and what might be happening in their home or in their neighborhood or down their street,” DeMeo said.
To extend the partnership beyond the three years required after the construction now underway, both sides are planning to extend the current project into an ongoing “living laboratory” for other researchers to use and for the community to learn from.
“Our hope Is that it’ll be a template for other communities to take this work and do similar projects,” Eulie said. “Anywhere coastal is going to continue to have flooding issues and so this is going to become more and more important.”
Scan, Print, Paint, Repeat
The Randall Library Makerspace recreates missing ship parts using 3D printing
BY STACIE GREENE HIDEK
UNCW has taken a key role in using cutting-edge technology to put a World War II-era ship back together.
The USS North Carolina served in every major naval offensive in the Pacific and has seen millions of visitors walk her decks in the decades since taking her place in the Cape Fear River across from downtown Wilmington.
“Things fall off and disappear,” said Pete McWilliams, a volunteer for the battleship. “Visitors like to take souvenirs, and there were a lot of things missing from just when the ship was mothballed.” After the ship was decommissioned, it was used as something of a spare parts warehouse for ships still in service.
Volunteers such as McWilliams work with the battleship staff to ensure authentic restoration of the state’s World War II memorial. When adequate replacement parts can’t be found, they turn to more creative solutions.
Alyssa Wharton, the Randall Library Digital Makerspace coordinator, said the battleship reached out online to talk about the possibilities of 3D printing and scanning. “My goal is to provide people with realistic expectations,” Cole said. “A lot of people think that it's like Star Trek, and we're not quite there yet. But we still want to find ways to make it work.”
The volunteers and staff had already explored other possible ways to recreate missing parts. Some that need to stand up to daily handling by visitors must be cast from metal, and others need special handling because they are so large. But for smaller pieces that live out of reach of tour routes, 3D printing has been an ideal solution.
The volunteers worked with Cole to accurately scan examples of pieces that needed replacing (“It’s an art and a skill,” McWilliams said) and to evaluate printed samples in the tough ship environment. Although the battleship now is setting up its own makerspace where it can scan, print and paint replacement parts, Cole and Randall Library’s Digital Makerspace get much of the credit.
“That's really been the nice thing: having somebody that you can send an email to say, ‘What about this?’” McWilliams said about the collaboration. “Every visit we learned something more useful.”
More than $12 million in support for coastal and marine science programs and research initiatives has been contributed during Like No Other: The Campaign for UNCW.
Working Together.
Building a Healthcare Workforce Superhighway
A county-wide partnership is developing a roadmap for recruiting, training and retaining critical healthcare workers.
BY: VENITA JENKINS ’24M
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JEFF JANOWSKI AND MICHAEL SPENCER
Cape Fear Community College nursing students (navy blue) Matthew Stinson and Kaopua Sutton and UNCW School of Nursing students (teal) Cloie Osorio and Kris Mosher-Gomez finish up their daily rounds at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center where they have clinicals.
Healthcare is a vital component of any thriving community, and that's why UNCW, Cape Fear Community College, New Hanover County Schools and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce created a groundbreaking healthcare transformation superhighway. With a focus on support and retention programs, the collaboration aims to produce and retain highly skilled healthcare professionals who will bolster the local workforce.
The issue of retention in the local healthcare workforce is significant and is something educators and business leaders are keen to address. Data shows around 75% of students who complete UNCW’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing pre-licensure program choose to work elsewhere outside southeastern North Carolina, according to Chris Lantz, an associate dean in the UNCW College of Health and Human Services.
“What that means is we are essentially leveraging Wilmington’s limited resources to educate somebody else’s workforce,” he added.
Planning Routes
A solution came in the form of a collaboration with key education and business partners, with support from the Chamber of Commerce, to develop a more interconnected healthcare ecosystem. This effort aligns with the philanthropic priorities of Like No Other: The Campaign for UNCW to solve critical systemic issues.
“We had direct conversations about whether it was a production, retention or cultural problem,” said Lantz. “We recognized that it was a systemic problem, it's a complex problem, and it requires a systemsbased solution that involves many partners.”
The group crafted a grant proposal to reduce the shortage of nurses, nurses’ assistants, and other critical healthcare workers in New Hanover County. In December 2023, they were awarded $22.3 million in grants from the New Hanover Community Endowment to address critical healthcare workforce challenges in the county. The grant will help fund resources and much needed wrap-around support structures to break down barriers, such as transportation, childcare, test prep or financial. It will also fund pathway programs, holistic admissions and targeted recruiting, and improvements to facilities like the UNCW simulation learning lab, which has outgrown its space, said Lantz, a co-principal investigator for the project.
While the shortage of healthcare professionals is a systemic issue for communities throughout the U.S., many do not have the resources in place to address the issue, said Jack C. Watson, dean of the UNCW College of Health and Human Services and co-PI.
We recognized that it was a systemic problem, it's a complex problem, and it requires a systemsbased solution that involves many partners.” “
Chris Lantz
“
The endowment we have in New Hanover County provides us with some resources to do that.
We believe we will be able to keep a much larger percentage of our students in this county.”
Jack C. Watson
New Hanover County Schools plan to on-ramp students interested in nursing or other healthcare professions through its Career and Technical Education programs as early as middle school. This early exposure aims to broaden students’ horizons and empower them to pursue professions in healthcare, laying the groundwork for future educational and employment opportunities.
“These are, sometimes, professions the students didn’t see themselves being able to attain,” said Watson.
Building Bridges
Prospective healthcare students recruited through New Hanover Schools or targeted recruiting by UNCW admissions will choose route-to-degree programs at CFCC or UNCW. Once they complete their degree programs, they will cross a bridge that leads to either employment at local healthcare facilities or an advanced degree. Early engagement between employers and students is also critical to the collaboration’s success, said CFCC Health and Human Services Dean Mary Ellen Naylor, a co-PI for the project.
“It’s important that our students build relationships with our local healthcare partners and that we foster a culture that makes students want to learn here and stay in our region when they graduate,” she said. “Continuous dialogue with healthcare employers and partners is essential in creating pathways and opportunities for career advancement in nursing and other healthcare professions.”
School officials will spend the next two years designing, planning and implementing initiatives that will lay the foundation for the innovative healthcare workforce superhighway, while the Chamber continues to serve as a critical conduit to area employers and schools. Additionally, Novant Health has committed $2.5 million for nursing scholarships each to UNCW and CFCC over five years to assist with healthcare workforce development.
“The endowment has invested in us a tremendous responsibility to operationalize this project that positions UNCW, CFCC and New Hanover County Schools and Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with employers, to do something impactful making our community a better place,” said Lantz. “It’s about building community.”
CHHS Adds Corbett Anatomy Lab
Thanks to the generosity of the late Dr. J. Richard “Dick” Corbett, the Cape Fear Memorial Foundation and the South East Area Health Education Center, university and community leaders and members of the Corbett family celebrated the completion of the Dr. J. Richard “Dick” Corbett Anatomy Laboratory with a ribbon cutting ceremony in February.
The lab joins Veterans Hall’s suite of interprofessional teaching clinics, problem-based learning spaces and state-of-the-art equipment to create transformative learning experiences, advance knowledge and serve UNCW’s local and global communities.
The lab also creates opportunities to add new academic programs that wouldn’t be possible without it. UNCW recently received UNC Board of Governors approval to offer a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), which would fulfill a significant state need as it increases accessibility to physical therapy services. This gift, a part of Like No Other: The Campaign for UNCW, will have a lasting impact on the education of UNCW students entering healthcare fields in ways that expand learning from textbooks or new technology.
–AMY MANGUS
“This lab is groundbreaking for the region, helping the College of Health and Human Services enhance health and quality of life in southeastern North Carolina and beyond. It gives the college the ability to offer cutting-edge teaching, research and service to its students and community partners.”
Jack C. Watson Dean of the UNCW College of Health and Human Services
As a young child, Xingyi “Ren” Ren ’24 spent a lot of time in hospitals due to a congenital heart defect and credits her experiences interacting with healthcare workers for igniting her passion for nursing. Ren, who graduated in May from UNCW’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) prelicensure program, was the recipient of the Leonora Barnes Scholarship in Nursing, Theresa Bentsen Warrick Nursing Scholarship, James Walker Nursing Alumnae Scholarship and Health Care Heroes Scholarship.
There was a time when Kris Mosher-Gomez ’24 thought of hospitals as his second home. He was diagnosed with cancer, which left him blind in one eye, yet shaped his future aspirations to become a nurse and EMT. While at UNCW, he shared his passion for the profession and the program by serving multiple leadership roles including Honors Ambassador Program coordinator and Association of Nursing Students president. He was a recipient of the Lenora Barnes Scholarship in Nursing, a UNCW Honors Merit Scholarship and a UNCW SOAR Grant.
Watch Ren’s Seahawk Story
Watch Kris’s Seahawk Story
Xingyi Ren Nursing
Kris Mosher-Gomez Nursing
Under Their Wings
The Lyceum Honors College trip and Washington D. Seahawks program match students with mentors in the nation’s capital.
BY: CAROLINE CROPP ’99, ’06M PHOTOGRAPHY
BY:
SAJORDEN MILLER AND AARON KING
When he was an instructor in the UNCW Honors College, Aaron King saw an opportunity to expand the annual fall Lyceum trip to Washington.
“The Honors College had been doing the Lyceum since the mid-1990s,” he explained. “It was good to get the students outside of the classroom and take them to the Capitol and the White House. I remember thinking, ‘This is
really something that my political science students would enjoy,’ and that is when I came up with Washington D. Seahawks.”
King, who is currently the interim associate director of the Honors College and an associate professor of political science, said the U.S. capital is an ideal destination for many students across academic programs. His initial goals included developing a cost-effective
experience that would connect students with potential internships, careers, alumni and practitioners.
“As a young professor, I knew I could teach how to do research and teach about Congress, but what didn’t take many years for me to figure out was students really want to find some success after graduation,” he said. “They want to have a job and a future. So, I
Expanding Horizons.
Students on the spring Washington D. Seahawks trip tour the U.S. Capitol before meeting with Congressman David Rouzer, the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 7th congressional district.
started to think more about career development and how they are going to use the skills that they learn at UNCW to translate into the workforce,” he said. He found support from across the university from the Division of Student Affairs (namely the Career Center), the Alumni Association and individual donors like Morgan Jackson ’96 and Howard Stein.
Jackson, a member of the UNCW Foundation Board of Directors and former chair of the UNCW Board of Visitors, majored in political science and is currently the chief political advisor for North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein. He created and recently endowed the Washington D. Seahawks Support Fund, along with his wife, Shawn Jackson, to help inspire, motivate and broaden students’ horizons through applied learning.
“ As UNCW continues to broaden its appeal, the alumni network is growing. Alumni are prospering in not just the country but around the globe. It is helpful for students to see the Seahawk presence in our nation's capital, to understand how many alumni are there and to know they sat in the same classroom seats and are now working on Capitol Hill and other industries all around.”
Morgan Jackson
Howard Stein, a long-time supporter of UNCW and current UNCW Foundation Board member, established the Ruth and Bucky Stein Scholarship Endowment, which supports a variety of scholarship awards across academic disciplines. Stein has participated in two Honors Lyceum trips, leading students on a tour of the Holocaust Museum and treating them to dinner.
The program gives students an opportunity to do things that perhaps they wouldn't be able to do on their own and expands their horizons. The farther away one can expand their experience, the better their lives can be, the better citizen they can be, and the better they can understand other people and cultures.”
Howard Stein
King recalled the first spring trip to Washington in April 2018.
“We did an alumni event. There was a huge turnout, and it was like a middle school dance. The students are on one side and the alums on the other and then they start mixing and make the connection that this is networking.”
English major Maddie Driggers ’18 was one of the students on that inaugural trip. She heard about the program while working for The Seahawk, UNCW's student newspaper.
She remembers touring the Politico offices, sitting down with members of the Brookings Institution, and making connections with UNCW alumni as “lifechanging.” Two and a half years later, she moved to DC and is the current social media editor for The Washington Post.
“
“ Getting to see first-hand what it would look like to work in journalism in the nation’s capital inspired me. I’m forever grateful to Dr. King and everyone from UNCW who had a hand in making the trip possible.”
Maddie Driggers
King is pleased that these trips help strengthen the UNCW footprint in Washington. More than 2,500 alumni are in the area, making it UNCW’s largest out-of-state alumni network (as of spring 2024).
“It’s a really good partnership in terms of multiple components of the university working towards this mission. It’s cool to see it grow,” he said.
What students had to say:
Dayana Hernandez-Bermudez ’26
Criminology Major
Security Studies Minor
Hometown: Lenoir, NC
“I am particularly drawn to becoming a juvenile probation officer because I am passionate about helping children navigate challenging circumstances and guiding them toward positive paths. This experience will not only allow me to make a direct impact on young lives but also further develop my skills and readiness for a career in federal law enforcement with the FBI.”
Brian P. Ellis ’25
International Studies Major Economics and Spanish Minor
Hometown: Westford, Massachusetts
“This summer I will be interning for the Institute of World Politics, while participating in The Fund for American Studies international affairs program. My participation in the Washington D. Seahawks Program provides an upper hand on networking skills, career goals and confidence before my summer TFAS experience.”
Olivia Johnson ’26
Business Management and Leadership Major Criminology Minor
Hometown: Port Washington, NY
“Coming down to UNCW, I didn’t expect there to be any New York or DC connections that would help with networking and potential future jobs or internships. Since being in this class and learning more about the Career Center and what it has to offer, I have taken advantage of it. I’m planting new seeds and making new connections.”
Unprecedented Success: The Campaign for UNCW
BY: MISSY A. KENNEDY ’01
Like No Other: The Campaign for UNCW has made history, raising over $134.2 million— the university’s most successful campaign ever.
While the financial achievements highlighted are notable, the true success lies in the transformative impact on our programs and people. Philanthropy has empowered UNCW to address critical issues like climate change, sustainable seafood, flood prevention and toxin research. Through private support, we have been able to confront the nursing workforce shortage, supporting quality healthcare for the future. Additionally, we are preparing graduates to meet evolving workforce demands through the establishment of new degree programs.
Of course, our programs are a point of pride, but UNCW’s top priority remains its people. Time and time again, this historic campaign highlighted the strength of the Seahawk family. Together, we endured hurricanes, the loss of the legendary Vice Chancellor Pat Leonard and a global pandemic. Our family of donors consistently stood together and supported areas of need like the UNCW Student Emergency Fund, Hawk’s Harvest Food Pantry and other student success programs.
Your generosity was felt during celebratory moments as well, from CAA championships to welcoming Chancellor Volety ‘back to the nest.’ Thank you for honoring these memories and milestones with your support.
It’s clear Seahawks soar higher together.
uncw.edu/give
Photo: Bradley Pearce
Start date: July 1, 2015
End date: June 30, 2024
Over $60 million in support for students
$134.2 MILLION
$154M (as of 6.30.23) $125M
Stretch goal: $125 million (met January 2024)
Award-winning Alums
The 2024 Alumni Association Distinguished Awards recipients were announced at Homecoming and celebrated with a reception in June. Congratulations to Linda B. Sayed ’78, ’85M, Distinguished Alumna of the Year; Sergio Madera-Garcia ’21, Distinguished Young Alumnus of the Year; James Stasios ’70, Distinguished Citizen of the Year; and Dr. Melissa Batchelor ’96, ’00M, Distinguished Diversity Award. The awards are presented annually to individuals in recognition of their extraordinary achievement, outstanding character and exemplary service to the university and community.
“Hand in hand with UNCW, these four individuals have and continue to push their alma mater to new heights. On behalf of over 100,000 alumni globally, it is an honor to recognize their contributions to a place we all love.”
–Lindsay A. T. LeRoy, UNCW Alumni Association Executive Director
Seahawks Supporting Seahawks
For the 11th year, the UNCW community rallied together for a successful Seahawks Give. On April 2 and April 3, over 1900 donors, including alumni, students, parents, friends and employees, contributed more than $650,000, bringing the event’s 11-year total to more than $2.5 million.
Going for Gold
Learn more about our distinguished honorees.
UNCW alum Todd DeSorbo ’99, ’00M was named head coach of the USA Women’s Swim team. He will lead the team in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. The former UNCW Swim and Dive coach also guided the University of Virginia women’s swimming and diving program to its fourth straight NCAA Championship this spring.
Photo: Virginia Sports
Photo: Michael Spencer
Photo: Michael Spencer
HOCO 24 HOCO 24
Sold out crowds, alumni pride and unforgettable memories
Seahawk alumni showed up in record numbers in February, making Homecoming 2024 the most attended in UNCW history. New events like the Friday Homecoming Kickoff joined traditional, favorite, sold-out events like TEALgate and Champagne Brunch.
Photos: SaJorden Miller and Michael Spencer
See more memories made, moments shared.
Class notes
1960s
ANNE SULLIVAN ’68 references her mother, ANNE MCCRARY ’56 of Wilmington College, who taught marine biology at UNCW for 20 years, in her newest collection of poems, Notes from a Marine Biologist’s Daughter.
1980s
RONNIE PEOPLES ’80 was inducted into the Wake Forest High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
2000s
SHANE FERNANDO ’00, ’08M was appointed as CEO of Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Wilmington and to the board of directors for the Association of Performing Arts Professionals.
MICHAEL RATIGAN ’00, ’01M , employed by Fjord, Inc., had his company’s product STREP (Static Rope Edge Protection) win the NC Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Coolest Thing Made in NC’ competition in the small business category.
11 got engaged/married
2 launched something
DEB NEWTON ’83 celebrated the marriage of her youngest child, Christian.
1990s
SETH SJOSTROM ’93 published A Caper on Carolina Beach, the second novel in his Beach House Mysteries series.
DAMIAN TUCKER ’95 was appointed Senior Province Vice Polemarch of the Middle Eastern Province of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.
MARSHALL COOPER ’96 was named United Bank’s regional president of its southern region, encompassing parts of North and South Carolina.
CHRISTINA SKINNER ’96 was voted Teacher of the Year at Jones Elementary in Wilson County.
JOHN HOWLAND ’97 became a certified project management professional in March 2023 and is currently working on COMET at the Kennedy Space Center as a project manager and preparing for the Artemis II launch toward the end of 2024.
NORMAN MCDUFFIE ’98 graduated from East Carolina University with an Ed.D. Doctoral Dissertation Area: Educational Leadership.
APRIL TISHER ’99 was appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to the Early Learning Coalition Board of Alachua County.
ERIN MAGEE ’01 was promoted to managing consultant with IBM.
MIKE JENKINS ’02 , a senior vice president for Morgan Stanley in San Francisco, was named a Forbes Top Private Wealth Advisor in California (#48) and his team, The 650 Team, was also named to America’s Top Wealth Advisory Teams by Barron’s (#4) and Forbes (#50).
HOLLY MARFANI ’02 recently had twins, a boy and a girl.
DAREN DEAN ’03M had his latest novel, Shelter Me, accepted for publication by the University of West Alabama’s Livingston Press. The novel’s story is based on the devastating 2016 Louisiana flood and is due to be published in fall 2025.
MELISSA GLENN ’03 was named the Director of Communications for CarteretCraven Electric Cooperative.
RACHAEL LIPSETTS ’03 was promoted to Director of Planned Giving at NPR Inc.
FAYDRA STRATTON ’03M published Denali Summer with Orange Blossom Publishing.
RAE GREER ’04, ’22M received her CPA license.
RENE HAYFORD ’04 married Sonia Herrera in October 2023.
DR. MICHELLE JOHNSTON ’04 was selected as the superintendent for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
JASON FRYE ’05M will write his seventh title for Moon Travel Guides, 100 US National Parks Hikes. He has also joined the team at North Carolina Weekend as a coastal and food contributor.
AMANDA THAYER ’05 earned tenure and promotion to the rank of associate professor at the Florida Institute of Technology.
JUSTIN ZOPPE ’05 was awarded a Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council in 2023. The researcher receives funding of $2 million euros to conduct the study over five years.
MEGAN ENNES ’06, ’11M was named director of the Thompson Earth Systems Institute at the University of Florida.
CAROLYN AND DEAN HEATH ’06, ’14M, ’23M welcomed their second child, Henley, in July.
NICK DAMORE ’08, ’15M had his independent feature documentary For Nick, From Dad selected for the 29th annual Cucalorus Film Festival.
AMEET DOSHI ’08M finished his Ph.D. from Georgia Tech and is head of the Donald E. Stokes Library at Princeton University.
WE REMEMBER
Gary Wayne Chadwick ’69
January 22, 1947-February 9, 2024
Gary Wayne Chadwick ’69 passed away on Feb. 9, 2024. A graduate of Wilmington College, Gary was student body president and a member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. He was a devoted alumnus, serving on the UNCW Foundation Board and member of the Wilmington Society. An avid Seahawk fan, Gary held UNCW Athletics season tickets for 37 years, was a Seahawk Club member and served on the Seahawk Club Board of Directors.
After college, he served in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and then earned his J.D. from UNC-Chapel Hill. Gary served his local Wilmington community as a title insurance lawyer and built his own company, Chadwick Land Title. He was a devoted philanthropist and held the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern North Carolina especially close to his heart, dedicating 39 years to the organization as chair, board member, fundraiser and volunteer.
2010s
JUSTIN BURGESS ’10 received his certified financial planner certification.
MJ GIAMMARIA ’10, ’14C, ’15M launched a podcast, MusicDanceChat, in November.
WILL GLASCO ’08 was promoted to chief operating officer of Preservation Virginia, a statewide historic preservation leader.
ELIZABETH WALTON ’08 married Tyler Walton on June 2, 2023.
TONI GAZDA ’11M was promoted to associate professor of Language, Literature & Culture at Averett University.
CAITLIN GILROY ’11 joined the Smithsonian Institution as a collections specialist at the National Museum of American History.
CHRISTOPHER ALEXANDER ’12 was hired as a printmaking studio technician and adjunct professor at UNC Greensboro.
EDWARD CHASE ’12, ’23M celebrated the birth of his first child, Oliver.
JACOB ROED ’12 married ALLIE SHRIVER ’12 in Wilmington.
HANNAH ’13, ’16M and MATTHEW MORGAN ’21 welcomed their first child, Miles, in May 2023.
Class notes
2010s
LORALEE PANAGAKIS ’13 , a reading interventionist, was the 2023 Staff Member of the Year for Arizona State Preparatory Academy in downtown Phoenix.
BRIANNA WALTER ’13 received a promotion to Study Manager within the Grants Department at Parexel, working on breakthrough clinical research oncology studies to find lifesaving treatments for patients.
EMILY WARDEN ’13, ’18 earned a Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner and started working for Wilmington Health.
MATTHEW CREECH ’14, ’15M welcomed a future Seahawk Class of 2035, Penelope.
MONICA FLORES DE VALGAZ ’14 welcomed the newest future Seahawk, Camila Flores de Valgaz, on June 7.
ALICE FREDERICKSEN ’14 welcomed her daughter in January 2023.
MAR'QUEITA HAYES ’14 was promoted to police corporal within the Wilmington Police Department.
KELSEY MANCINI ’14 married HARRISON LEE WRENN ’13 in Fuquay-Varina, N.C. The two met at UNCW in 2010.
CATHY PURVIS ’14, ’20M welcomed twin boys, Silas and Ezra, with her husband, Michael, who she met at UNCW.
RACHEL SPURRIER ’14, ’16M completed
Swim.
DR. EMILLIE WEISS ’14 became vice president of the Delaware Veterinary Medical Association.
VANESSA GARCIA ’15 participated in a December panel for Teach.org focusing on the experience of Latino teachers.
KAREN LADLEY ’15M earned her doctorate in education in 2022 from Kutztown University and now works for the Carter Center in Atlanta.
RILEY STEPHENSON ’15 joined New Yorkbased Rockefeller Capital Management’s wealth management division, Rockefeller Global Family Office.
ADAM BALLHAUSSEN ’16 started a new role in December 2023 as the director of Digital Learning and Global Customer Education at Varicent.
WENDY GURGANUS ’16, ’21M adopted her first child with her husband in October.
CARTER FORBES ’16 was included on the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Retail & ECommerce category.
LAUREN PYLE ’16M was promoted to Director of Children’s Media & Education Engagement at PBS NC.
KAYLA ’16 and HARRISON REVELS ’16 welcomed their first child, Harrison Jr., in July.
MINDY RODRIGUEZ ’16, ’20M was married in December.
KAELA BEDICS ’17, ’18, ’22M was recently hired by Snapchat and relocated to Los Angeles for the opportunity.
MELANIE COLLINS ’17 married CHRISTOPHER COLLINS ’16, ’20M in downtown Wilmington in September.
ALLAYNA DAIL ’17 was honored with the 2023 WILMA Magazine Rising Star award.
PEYTON DERROW ’17 joined the United States Coast Guard as a judge advocate, where he provides legal advice to operational units in North Carolina and other states.
EMILY HARTMAN ’17 welcomed a baby boy, Luka, in August.
HALEY HAYNES ’17 , a judge advocate in the United States Army, was married in 2023.
LAUREN MOORE ’17 was married in June, graduated medical school and started as resident physician with Family Medicine at ECU Health in Greenville.
SHERRY MOSS ’18 is a registered nurse who was nominated for the Daisy Award in 2023 and received one in 2015.
ARIEL GLOVER ’19, ’23DNP started her career as a family nurse practitioner for Atrium Health.
BRENNA RAMSEY ’19 started working with the Carolina Panthers as a special event operations coordinator.
the 1.5-mile Alcatraz
2020s
MAYA CRUDUP ’20 completed her Master of Public Health from UNC–Chapel Hill.
LEAH HASSON ’20 was engaged to DAXTON BOSTIAN ’21 in October. The two are from Morganton, N.C., and reconnected at UNCW.
PEANOSKI
now
JULIA SINGER ’20 published a report on how boat speeds are threatening large whales and presented the findings at the 2023 North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium in Halifax, Canada.
STEPH STRIPLING ’20 ED.D. started a business with her sister called Workplace Training Solutions, which offers workshops and tailored programs to help small businesses create or improve company culture via effective employee training.
CALLIE DALTON ’21 started a new position at SGS Laboratories as a fish sample prep specialist and got engaged to another Seahawk.
ASHLEY EAMMA ’21 moved to St. Thomas for her dream job as an animal welfare specialist at Coral World Ocean Park. She works with dolphins, sea lions and birds.
CLAY SIPES ’21M welcomed the birth of his daughter, Emery.
ASHLEY VARGO ’21 passed her Professional in Human Resources exam.
ALASSANE NDIR ’22 received a promotion from Apptio, a software company that was later acquired by IBM, and is now working with a great team as a marketing automation specialist.
WE REMEMBER
Thomas Greeley Cunningham
February 26, 1944- September 12, 2023
Thomas Greeley Cunningham passed away on Sept. 12, 2023. A longtime friend of UNCW, Tom served on the UNCW Board of Visitors and endowed the Mimi Cunningham Speaker Series at UNCW, named after his wife, the university’s first-ever public relations officer who served UNCW for 26 years. He was a member of the E.L. White Society and the Wilmington Society. Tom and Mimi have also generously supported NC State’s Material Science and Engineering Department through several giving societies and the Tom and Mimi Cunningham Park Scholarship Endowment.
A native of Monroe, NC, Tom was a graduate of NC State and served as a combat engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, attaining the rank of captain and earning a Bronze Star for his work. He had a long engineering and management career at General Electric Nuclear Energy and spent more than 20 years as a lead recruiter.
MARIE BEIMLER ’22 started a new position at Merck as an associate specialist in the quality control labs within the HPV lab expansion.
CARMEN KEENE ’22 received a position as a field ecology technician at an ecological observatory in Montana and works within Yellowstone National Park.
REBECCA PATTERSON ’22M started a new job as a 7-12th grade math and science teacher at a private school in Toronto.
LEANNA REDDICK ’22 graduated with a master's in biotechnology from the Morehouse School of Medicine in December 2023.
NATALIE TAPIA ’22 accepted a job as a care coordinator at Griswold Home Care in Wilmington.
STARLA TANNER ’22M was appointed to the North Carolina Human Resources Commission.
SOMER CAULDER ’23 began nursing care in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Duke University Hospital.
KARLY BROOKOVER ’23 accepted a job at CaroMont Regional Medical Center on the post-ICU unit.
AMANDA HEITCHUE ’23 welcomed her first child.
TIFFANY HOEFLER ’23M moved to Buffalo, N.Y., and accepted a position at Dent Neurologic Institute as a clinical research coordinator working on studies relating to Alzheimer’s disease.
ROBERT HOLLYFIELD II ’23M was promoted to training officer at Brunswick County EMS.
CLAY PETTIT ’23M started his career in data analytics and earned a promotion two months later thanks to skills he learned during his master’s program.
MAGGIE WHITMAN ’23 moved to Charlotte and was recently promoted to inside sales with Earle M. Jorgensen Steel.
AMANDA JOHNSON ’20M welcomed her first child, Brady, with her husband in July.
HALEY
’20 is
a CPA and works as an auditor at Deloitte.
Class notes
In Memoriam
ALUMNI
Frank H. Precythe ’55
Katherine S. Smith ’60
H. Thomas Covil ’65
Nancy C. Graham ’66
James M. Morgan Jr. ’66
Duncan R. Humphrey ’67
Roy J. Parker ’67
Joy L. Bordeaux ’69
Gary Wayne Chadwick ’69* (see page 33)
Deborah L. Horne ’70
Edward T. Hudson ’72
Nancy M. Randolph ’72
Terrence J. Wait ’72
Lawrence S. Everett III ’73
Bruce L. Kirk Jr. ’74
Thomas G. Koontz Jr. ’74
David F. Sandlin III ’75
Richard L. Harris ’76
James A. Matthews ’76
Jean H. Piner ’76
Elvira S. Manning ’78
Michael J. Robbins ’78
Jennifer L. Stirrat ’79
Robert M. Joos ’81
Judith G. Benson ’82
Eleanor F. Holcombe ’82
Stacey A. Almond ’83
Phillip J. Davis ’84
Daniel F. McLaurin Jr. ’85
Ronald L. Downing ’85M
Samantha S. A. Shepherd ’87
A. Mark Guthrie ’88M
Carol M. Ballard ’89
Calvin C. Deans III ’89
Catherine B. Beacham ’91
Laura M. Rumbley ’92
Christine L. Applewhite ’97
Daniel V. Townsend III ’97
Tera L. Jackson ’97, ’98M
Margaret A. Lucey ’98
Paul W. Woodbury ’99M, ’03M
John V. Martin ’00
Joseph P. Glenn ’01
Angela M. Molnar ’01
Daniel E. Biesak ’02
Mandy L. Rumfelt ’02
Christopher E. Huffman ’03, ’05M
Tracy L. Burnett ’04
Denise L. Bodfish ’13
Katie R. West ’13M
Russell G. Norby ’15
Zachary T. Moore ’17
Phillip J. Ward ’17
Jane B. Venters
FRIENDS
Faith E. Ahuja
George W. Applewhite Jr.
Henry A. Batts Jr.
Danielle M. E. Bibb
Dorotha A. Cahill
Gerald J. Catts
Ileana E. Clavijo
Thomas G. Cunningham* (see page 35)
Edward R. Davis
McGroary J. Domitrovits
Roger W. Geddes Jr.
Subramanyam Kasala
Norman R. Kaylor
Betty P. Kenan
Hayden W. Lafon
Mary A. Lane
Frank W. Leak Sr.
Brian M. Lindsay
Thomas H. Lineberger
K. Dale Loughlin
Mary T. Lupton
Radford M. Moore
Jean C. Morgan
Thomas J. Morgan
Brenda S. Nelson
Kevin F. O’Rourke
Walter Pancoe
Daniel B. Plyler* (see right)
Richard I. Salwitz
Ralph C. Setzler Jr.
Edward G. Spencer
Zachary J. Ward
Michael Warren
Kenneth West
Gloria M. Woodbury
Daniel B. Plyler
November 24, 1936-November 24, 2023
Daniel Belk Plyler, professor emeritus of biology, passed away on Nov. 24, 2023. Daniel, a native of Gastonia, NC, became a professor of biological sciences for Wilmington College in 1966 and remained with the university until his retirement in 2003.
During his tenure at UNCW, Daniel served in various administrative positions, including chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, director of Marine Sciences and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He was known for teaching a favorite course, “Genetics in Human Affairs.” Upon his retirement, he was honored by the university’s Board of Trustees with the naming of Plyler Drive, a street on the UNCW campus. Daniel was active in several professional societies, served as president of the North Carolina Academy of Sciences, and supported many environmental conservancy organizations.
NE Pacific
UNCW's First Nanosatellite Retires Mission Accomplished!
San Francisco, CA
New Orleans, LA
The process of decommissioning the SeaHawk-1 CubeSat, UNCW’s first nanosatellite, began in late 2023 as it reached a five-year milestone. This lowcost, lightweight, mini satellite, launched in December 2018 and equipped with a sensor named HawkEye, produced more than 9000 unprecedented highresolution ocean color images that will provide invaluable data that scientists will use for years to come.
The project was made possible by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation through $6.5 million in grants and the NASA Space Act Agreement. John Morrison, professor emeritus of physics and physical oceanography, was the principal investigator and visionary for the program. Phil Bresnahan, assistant professor of earth and ocean sciences, took over as PI upon Morrison’s retirement.
Photos: SeaHawk-1/HawkEye images processed by Alan Holmes/NASA
Learn more about SeaHawk-1.
Chesapeake Bay, MD
Caspian Sea
Bangaladesh
Linda
James Stasios ’70
Dr. Melissa Batchelor ’96, ’00M
