UNCW SPRING/SUMMER • 2018
S P E C I A L S E C T I O N:
Imagination Driving Research
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Spring/Summer 2018 Volume 28 Number 1
FROM THE CHANCELLOR
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OUR EXPANDING CAMPUS Forthcoming academic programs and campus construction highlights
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SEAHAWK SNIPPETS Short stories with big impact
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FEATURES THE POWER OF PLACE
Preserving community through storytelling
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REBUILDING BARBUDA A Seahawk leads restoration efforts in his homeland
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A MIDSUMMER CELEBRATION UNC Wilmington’s celebration of the arts
SPECIAL SECTION: IMAGINATION DRIVING RESEARCH IN MEMORIAM: HERBERT T. FISHER CLASS NOTES
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16 On the cover: Computer science professor and I3S Director Karl Ricanek Jr. is leading the way in facial recognition technology. Photo by Jeff Janowski/UNCW
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Produced by the Office of University Relations
CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Janine Iamunno EDITOR Jennifer Glatt CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marybeth Bianchi GRAPHIC DESIGN Shirl Modlin New ADDITIONAL DESIGN Thomas Cone PHOTOGRAPHY Jeff Janowski CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS River Bondurant ’18 Mikki Harris Krista McKinney Bradley Pearce COPY EDITORS Marybeth Bianchi Lane Fullagar CONTRIBUTORS Dan Baden Jessica Balacy Caroline Cropp ’99, ’06M Abigail Giles ’20 Venita Jenkins Missy A. Kennedy ’01 Kyle Prey Christina Schechtman Matt Stephenson ’20M Eddie Stuart ’05M Tricia Vance Andrea Monroe Weaver WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO MarineQuest UNCW Archives CLASS NOTES Division for University Advancement
DEAR SEAHAWK COMMUNITY, The latest issue of UNCW Magazine delves into an area for which UNCW is increasingly recognized: research. Given our enviable location on North Carolina’s marvelous coast, it will come as no surprise to many of you that our faculty and students excel at exploring marine sciences. The diversity of their research ranges from zooplankton living in the frigid waters of Antarctic lakes (pg. 24) to sponges consuming dissolved carbon in the balmy waters of the Caribbean (pg. 22). A team of Seahawk scientists at the Center for Marine Science produces its own algae to serve as a resource for biopharmaceutical compounds (pg. 26). University experts also are exploring the market value of natural resources (pg. 22) and developing a mathematical model to analyze the costs of extreme weather in coastal communities (pg. 23). We, of course, have a vested interest in more knowledge on this front! Research informs the learning experience for students in programs across the university, including the Watson College of Education’s new D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy (pg. 4) and storytelling programs led by the Department of Communication Studies (pg. 9). The facial recognition system being developed by the Interdisciplinary Study of Identity Sciences (I3S) brings a multitude of researchers together to explore one of the world’s fastest-growing and most fascinating fields (pg. 21). This issue also highlights another theme of strategic importance to UNCW: community connections. You will read about people and programs focused on engagement and outreach. Learn about the services that QENO (pg. 30) offers to help nonprofit organizations soar, and make plans to visit campus July 12-29 for the Lumina Festival of the Arts. Finally, join me in celebrating the many accomplished students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors who share their time, talents and treasure with the university and their home communities. Just reading about their dedication and service to others makes all of us proud to be a part of the UNCW family. Go Seahawks!
Jose V. Sartarelli Chancellor
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 TitleIX@UNCW.edu. 86,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $39,494 or $0.459 per copy (G.S. 143-170.1). Printed by PBM Graphics.
Building Blocks of Success
CON STRUC T IO N H IGH LIGH TS Randall Library
N EW ACA DEM IC PRO GR A M S L AUN CHED SIN CE 2 01 6
Installation of a new fire alarm system and renovated restrooms (fall 2018*).
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Administrative Annex
Ph.D. Psychology
A new MacMillan Avenue building, under construction near the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, designed to house several administrative offices and programs (late fall 2018*).
E.M.B.A. M.S. Data Science B.A. Digital Arts Beginning in fall 2018
E NROL L ME N T GROW T H 2010 Enrollment
13,071 2017 Enrollment
16,487
M.S. Finance
Parking at MacMillan Avenue and Hamilton Drive
M.S. Business Analytics
New lots open to students, faculty and staff near the Administrative Annex (late fall 2018*).
C O M IN G IN 2 01 9 M.S. Athletic Training
*projected completion
M.A. Film Studies
Our Expanding Campus At first glance, UNCW’s latest construction sites may look like blemishes on the main campus’s otherwise beautiful face, but Seahawks with vision know that the scraped earth is a sign of success.
For updates, visit uncw.edu/facilities/CapitalProjects.html
“Each generation of Seahawks has seen our university evolve as the university shaped its mission to support students’ education and serve the community,” Chancellor Jose V. Sartarelli said. “We’ve grown from one building in 1947 and three buildings on our current campus in 1961 to more than 160 today. And yet we have big deficits in available space for students and faculty to learn, teach, research and discover. As the architects of UNCW’s future, we must continue to find ways to construct the facilities needed to achieve our vision.”
The largest project currently underway is Veterans Hall, a $66 million facility funded by the Connect NC bond, approved by voters in 2016. The 145,000-square-foot building, scheduled to open in 2020, will support health science programs in the College of Health and Human Services and provide laboratory and classroom space for the College of Arts and Sciences’ chemistry programs. UNCW more than tripled the number of health sciences graduates between 2010-11 and 2016-17, from 213 to 655, according to a UNC System report. Veterans Hall also honors the Seahawks, past and present, who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The building will include space to enhance programming for UNCW’s military-affiliated students, now numbering nearly 2,000. The groundbreaking ceremony for the building was held in January. Campus expansion doesn’t include only academic areas. In February, the softball team held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate renovations to Boseman Field, including new chairback seating for fans, a new press box and coaches’ offices. Two new parking lots adjacent to Wagoner Dining Hall opened in April. – Andrea Monroe Weaver
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SEAHAWK SNIPPETS Analyze This A team of UNCW graduate students used their analytic skills to develop a data-driven solution for optimizing classroom usage on UNCW’s campus. The project earned them a spot as presenters at the SAS Global Forum Student Symposium held in April in Denver. The team’s project was among the top eight selected out of nearly 70 submissions nationwide. “This was an excellent opportunity for the students to showcase their skills, and they did an excellent job of representing our new data science program,” said Jim Blum, professor of statistics in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, who serves as the team’s faculty adviser. “They were able to take advantage of several networking opportunities at the conference, and many of those they spoke to were impressed by the quality and scope of their project.” Hilary Melroy, Michelle Page, Brittany Palmer and Greg Terlecky are all first-year students in the M.S. in data science program.
SAS Super FREQs (left to right): Michelle Page, Hilary Melroy, Brittany Palmer, Greg Terlecky, and Jim Blum, professor of statistics and faculty adviser
SAS, which stands for “statistical analysis system,” is a leader in data analytics and is based in Cary, NC. The SAS Global Forum Student Symposium gives students an opportunity to showcase their skills and compete against other teams in the application of SAS analytics in big data, choosing their own data sets and performing analyses. This year’s forum drew nearly 5,000 international SAS users, executives and members of academia. The team created a utility for viewing classroom usage for various buildings on the UNCW campus. Students wrote a paper that defined the problem, described the analysis performed and presented the results during a 20-minute breakout session at the forum. – Venita Jenkins
Lab School Learning UNCW is partnering with New Hanover County Schools to offer a unique educational environment for area students. Opening in July, D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy will be Wilmington’s first year-round K-8 public school. Its primary goals are improving the outcomes of students in low-performing settings and strengthening teacher and principal preparation. Students and their family members will have access to wraparound assistance through an intricate network of service providers. They will also experience a personalized approach to learning with regular opportunities to connect what’s being taught in the classroom to the real world. The addition of UNCW resources, including internships, volunteers and access to on-campus programming, will provide one-of-a-kind educational options and development opportunities for D.C. Virgo students.
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“D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy is going to be a place where the aspirations of children, families and their community intersect with opportunities created from a dynamic, innovative learning environment,” said Watson College of Education Dean Van Dempsey. “David Clark Virgo was a pioneer for education in our community, and we will honor and continue that work as today’s pioneers at the place that bears his name. I have great confidence that D.C. Virgo will be a learning community we will celebrate and embrace for years to come.” D.C. Virgo is one of three new lab schools opening in North Carolina this year, the result of a state legislative action to create partnerships among public schools and the UNC System. – Christina Schechtman
East Coast Gardens of Eden Brandon Mckeown ’09 (left) and Thurston Pope ’07, ’18M never imagined a 2013 trip to Southern California would set them off on a journey to start their own business. “We stumbled upon a unique local floral studio on Sunset Boulevard,” said Pope. “Out front was a rustic cart full of succulents; we were immediately intrigued. Later that day the lightbulb went off: ‘Why couldn’t we do something like this in North Carolina?’ ” With that thought, The Coastal Succulent was born. Mckeown and Pope knew the succulent trend was gaining momentum, but mixing cacti and succulents with rocks, sand and moss wasn’t a common style of gardening. By combining succulents with materials native to North Carolina, they were able to fuse Pacific coast plants with Atlantic coast flair. Though they had no formal business training, Mckeown and Pope started small and debuted their products at the Ocean Isle Beach Oyster Festival the following October, nearly selling out of everything they brought. “We realized what we originally thought may be a hobby could be something much bigger,” said Pope. “We’ve learned to take it day by day, gaining experience through trial and error.” The company continues to grow, recently launching its online store and venturing into do-it-yourself terrarium kits and home décor. In addition, the company has become active on the wedding scene, formed partnerships with local venues, and expanded throughout the state with its largest client, Whole Foods Market. “Business ownership can be very rewarding,” said Pope. “Good work ethic, creativity and passion will take you far.” – Matt Stephenson ’20M
State of
Sustainability It actually is easy being green.
Giving to Give Flight
Compiled by Caroline Cropp ‘99,’06M
Seahawks are lessening their carbon “talonprint” by reducing, reusing and recycling.
$40,000
More than has funded student projects promoting sustainable practices In 2015, The Green Initiative Fund was started with student fees ($5 per student per semester). Through TGIF, more than $40,000 has funded student projects promoting sustainable practices, like the creation of a rain garden behind University Suites. TGIF also funds sustainability peer educators, who encourage students to think sustainably. Practicing what they preach, they also help with cleanup efforts at area beaches and after campus sporting events.
37%
reduced utility costs over the past 15 years Though the campus population has doubled in size in the last decade, overall energy use has not increased. UNCW was the first school to surpass the 30% reduction requirement set by the UNC System.
1st
in the UNC System to implement a bike share program Since being “rolled out” in 2016, more than 2,661 members have ridden 53,000+ miles, reducing carbon emissions by 46,785 pounds and saving $30,772 in gasoline.
8,782
gallons of water are saved a day in Wagoner Dining Hall by being “trayless”
Wag is a “zero-waste facility,” meaning all foods and materials can be reused, recycled or composted.
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academic departments offer sustainability courses No matter their major, students can minor in sustainability.
In collaboration with New Hanover County, UNCW is utilizing a largescale composter to turn food waste into usable compost, reducing landfill space and greenhouse gases.
John D. Rockefeller – who knew a thing or two about giving – once said that “giving is investing.” Investing in the future of UNCW is exactly what hundreds of students have been inspired to do via the Student Seahawk Club, a membership-based student donor society within UNCW Athletics. The primary mission of the Seahawk Club is to raise funds to support student-athlete scholarships and resources for UNCW’s 19 Division 1 sports programs. Participation in the Seahawk Club has flourished, with 2,613 members in 2017. Traditionally, membership included alumni and friends but now extends to include students. Over the past two years, nearly 600 students have contributed $29,000 to UNCW Athletics. “We have been fortunate to experience success in a number of our programs over the last five years thanks to the continuous investment of our donors,” said Adam Fearing, the Seahawk Club’s executive director. “Now we’re seeing a record number of students carry on that tradition.” “We are proud that so many of our future alumni understand that giving to UNCW makes a difference,” said Lindsay LeRoy, director of alumni relations and executive director of the UNCW Alumni Association. – Abigail Giles ’20
2 Tons
of gently used clothes were collected by campus organizations for those in need through the annual Closet Clean-Out event in 2018.
uncw.edu/sustainability
Monthly giving makes it easy to become a member of the Seahawk Club. Visit uncw.edu/givemonthly to participate.
SEAHAWK SNIPPETS
Accidental Activists College of Arts and Sciences alumni Michelle Louise Ottey (Urban) ’01 and Daniel James (DJ) Urban ’03, a UNCW Board of Visitors member, opened the Wilmington chapter of the Esophageal Cancer Education Foundation last year in honor of Michelle’s late father, Seneca White Ottey. At only 59 years old, Ottey, complaining of hiccups, burping and occasional heartburn, sought medical treatment. He was diagnosed with stage-four esophageal cancer and passed away shortly after. Michelle and DJ hope to spread awareness of this deadly disease through their work with ECEF, whose mission is to educate the public and medical community about esophageal cancer, to support patients who have this disease, and to financially support research projects that focus on the development of early-warning testing. – C.S.
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SEAHAWK SNIPPETS
AN ARMY OF ALUMNI The Wilmington District Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is approximately 7% Seahawks. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Wilmington District Office is a veritable Seahawk nest: Thirty of the roughly 400 employees are UNCW graduates. Teresa Russell ’07, ’09M parlayed an internship into a job as a biologist in the environmental resources division. Russell, now in her tenth year, and her fellow Seahawks at the Corps said internships and their UNCW education were key to securing a job amid a highly competitive applicant pool. The departments of environmental science and earth and ocean sciences at UNCW have supplied a number of alumni to the Corps, as has the Cameron School of Business. “We look at environmental sciences from an interdisciplinary perspective,” said UNCW professor and department chair Jeff Hill. “We produce students with a background in the sciences who also understand environmental policy, economics, and education and outreach.” Justin Arnette ’02, ’13M and Trevor Lancaster ’09 both studied environmental science and geography. Arnette now leads the geographic information systems cartographic team and Lancaster is the GIS coordinator for the Wilmington office. Both have used their skills in assignments overseas. As civilian employees of the Army, Corps of Engineers employees have the opportunity to deploy if they wish to do so, said Hank Heusinkveld, public affairs specialist for the Wilmington office. Arnette has been to Afghanistan twice, in 2004 and again in 2010. Lancaster is frequently called upon to travel, and that is one of the aspects of his job he finds exciting. “I’m on a national team as part of the Civil Military Emergency Preparedness program that leads workshops and exercises in strategic countries internationally,” Lancaster said. For this program, he has traveled to Kosovo twice, Serbia four times, the Republic of Georgia twice, Armenia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
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He and Lisa Landis ’15 recently completed deployments to St. Croix to assist in recovery efforts following the one-two punch of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Landis, a business administration major, uses her skills in the Corps’ emergency operations unit. St. Croix presented a particular challenge, they noted, both because of the severe damage and the island’s address-numbering oddities. Landis found herself using paper maps, often hand-drawn, to locate specific properties. Engineers, regulators and mappers cannot do their jobs without a team that looks out for the details. A large federal agency needs people skilled in accounting, budgets, human resources, computer maintenance and other support functions, and UNCW alumni also fill some of those jobs.
Strategic Storytelling Being “unfiltered” has its risks, but for students of Julie-Ann Scott-Pollock, it leads to meaningful rewards, too. The associate professor of communication studies teaches qualitative research and autoethnography, which is the study of culture through critically examining one’s own stories. She also directs the Just Us Performance Troupe for Social Justice. In April, the group staged and presented “Unfiltered: Our Stories of Social Justice,” an interactive production held on campus and in the community, where students voiced their experiences with issues like sexism, mental illness and substance abuse. The troupe started as an applied learning initiative in 2016 for a storytelling course. Scott-Pollock says it’s important that students see storytelling as a strategic art rather than a haphazard impulse. “They are not only learning the craft, but through autoethnography, they see the power of working together to craft a message and how one’s own experience relates to others. Students need systematic ways to investigate their worlds – ways that don’t require computer programs, lab space and access to research subjects they may not have after they graduate,” she said. Five-year employee Kara Quiros ’13 is an accountant in Resource Management who helps manage financial and military projects. She said the UNCW Career Center was instrumental in helping her get a job with the Corps, providing resume assistance and locating an internship for her. Like Russell, she was hired even before she completed her degree program. The alumni network has built a strong connection between UNCW and the Corps. Lancaster returns to campus frequently to share his experiences with undergraduates in the geoscience program, give them practical advice and encourage them to consider internships that become available at the Corps of Engineers. Although they work in different departments and don’t necessarily have daily contact, the UNCW alumni said they appreciate the benefits of a built-in community of peers. “We’re our own little family here,” Landis said. – Tricia Vance
During an autoethnographic class for social justice, Scott-Pollock throws out story prompts that focus on others, such as, “Who is someone you know who made the world a better place?” and “When did you first witness social injustice?” Gradually, the students build personal rapport and the prompts turn toward self-reflection: “What is it like to live in your body?” and “What is an opportunity you had to pursue social justice, but didn’t?” “As they get more comfortable with each other, they get more candid. They aren’t acting. They’re bearing witness to one another.” – C.C.
The Power of Place
Preserving community through storytelling by Venita Jenkins
Navassa resident Conswalia Green often thinks about an inevitable change on the horizon and how it will transform her hometown. The town of Navassa is situated along the Brunswick and Cape Fear rivers, just five miles outside of Wilmington. Within its 14 square miles are eight “brownfield” sites - abandoned or underused property where redevelopment is complicated by environmental contamination and a “Superfund” site, land where the soil and groundwater are tainted by hazardous waste, identified by the Environmental Protection Agency for cleanup. The restoration and reinvestment of the once-contaminated properties and the I-140 expansion could lead to economic growth and development, the likes of which this small town has never seen before.
WALTER BALLARD
RUBY BROWN
LENIER GRADY
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“When I-140 opens up and the cleanup of the Superfund site is finished, the development will be unyielding. I hope that the residents are up to the challenge of building a stronger community similar to the Navassa I was raised in,” she said.
MARTHA GRADY
FRANK WILLIS
Green’s thoughts about Navassa’s past and future are among the touching personal narratives collected by students and faculty of the UNCW English Department for Facing Community Change, a book documenting the rich history of Navassa and the town’s determination to maintain its identity while navigating growth. The community is a Gullah Geechee heritage site. “Facing Community Change provides an archive, a testament to the town, the power of place and the people in that place,” said Kimi Hemingway, lecturer in English and one of the UNCW faculty members who led the project. “It reflects their hopes for a future that includes not contamination and exploitation, but, we all hope, prosperity.” The EPA invited the project members to discuss the book at its environmental justice conference in Washington D.C. in April. The EPA staff who have been involved with the work in Navassa believe the project represents a critical component: the voice of the community members, said English professor Colleen Reilly. The book was developed with support from the national storytelling initiative The Facing Project, a nonprofit that connects people through stories to strengthen communities. The book was edited by UNCW faculty and designed by UNCW’s Publishing Laboratory. The project was funded by a grant from UNCW’s Office of Community Engagement. Copies of the book are available at William M. Randall Library. “The town is very concerned about the gentrification that could occur if the development is not inclusive of the people who built the community,” Reilly added. “A project like this can preserve what has made the community special and help shape what happens in the future.” NOTE: The book is one of many examples of the collaborative partnerships between Navassa and UNCW. Faculty and graduate students in the public administration and coastal and ocean policy programs have worked with Navassa through the EPA’s College/ Underserved Community Partnership Program (CUPP). The program aids small underserved communities through support from local colleges and universities at no cost.
EULIS WILLIS, MAYOR
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The project represents something the EPA hasn’t been able to capture: the voice of the community members.
ALONZA DAVIS JR.
MINNIE BROWN
KERR McGEE CHEMICAL CORPORATION SUPERFUND SITE
GLADYS and PATRICE ROBBINS
CHRIS GRAHAM
Rebuilding Barbuda
A Seahawk leads restoration efforts in his homeland by Venita Jenkins
Sean Charles (l) and Mike Harris with an island resident.
When Hurricane Irma hit the small Caribbean island of Barbuda, Mike Harris ’19 put his education on hold. Nearly 90 percent of the 62-squaremile island he calls home was destroyed by 185-m.p.h. winds when the hurricane made landfall on Sept. 6, 2017. All 1,800 residents were forced to evacuate. “I had to do something,” said Harris, a Watson College of Education senior majoring in middle grades education. He reached out to his friend and fellow Barbudan Sean Charles and a Barbudan community in Bronx, NY, for help to rebuild his homeland. “We went down with nothing in our hands and Barbuda in our hearts.” Harris, a 12-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and Charles, a U.S. Army veteran, traveled to Barbuda in November to assess the damage and to meet with local leaders and representatives of the National Office of Disaster Services (Barbuda’s equivalent of FEMA) to foster support for their plan – recruiting 100 men to repair or build homes and to establish a tent city to house the men during the work period.
Harris and Charles returned to the island the next month, but soon realized their previous trip had been for naught. The project fell through the cracks in their absence, Harris said. Though they were disappointed, they adapted, initiating “Operation Beautification” to clean up debris on the island. “None of the government buildings had been touched. The schools remained the way that they were after the storm. It was mindboggling,” Harris said. A chainsaw was the only equipment the men were given, but residents came to assist in the cleanup effort. Additional tools were provided by relief organization Samaritan’s Purse. “It was mostly women who showed up the first morning to help clean up the daycare center. Once we started working, men started coming from everywhere,” Harris recalled. “We saw our village come together – men, women, boys and girls – and we worked as a team. That day, I saw the spirit of our people come alive.” Cleanup efforts are continuing, said Harris. He plans to return to UNCW in fall 2018 to complete his final class and internship, then upon graduation teach in the U.S.
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A Midsummer Celebration UNC Wilmington’s celebration of the arts in the coastal South returns this summer with a phenomenal lineup of performances and exhibits The 2018 Lumina Festival of the Arts features 37 events, including a performance by Grammy-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens, a founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. The festival runs July 12-29 at various locations on the UNCW campus. “We’re cultivating a creative festival environment that’s about the region, for the region, with the artists of the region,” said Kristen Brogdon, director of UNCW Office of the Arts and interim associate vice chancellor of community engagement. Hooked on Arts Street Fair, a collaboration between the College of Health & Human Services and the Lumina Festival of the Arts, will come to campus July 14-15. The street fair will celebrate the healing power of creativity. This family-friendly festival will bring together art vendors, food trucks, free entertainment in the visual and performing arts, family fun and an opportunity to help the community. The festival aims to raise awareness and funds to support addiction-related services in the region. Proceeds from Hooked on Arts 2018 will sustain UNCW’s ongoing community partnership with LINC, a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate and motivate youth to make positive life choices and to empower men and women returning from incarceration to be productive members of our community. “LINC has been doing great things for our community for 18 years,” said Paula Baisden, a lecturer in the School of Nursing and co-organizer of the Hooked on Arts festival. “Their residential re-entry program provides housing, substance abuse treatment, mental health services and much more to adults returning to the community after incarceration. Their approach has an amazing 92 percent success rate and strengthens the local economy.” Opera Wilmington, UNCW’s resident company, will celebrate its fifth anniversary with the production of Die Fledermaus, and Alchemical Theatre’s production of Twelfth Night will introduce audiences to UNCW’s versatile Blackbox Theatre. “It’s important to me that the Lumina Festival is as inclusive as possible,” said Brogdon. “That means a good mix of free and paid events, a variety of artistic disciplines and a wealth of cultural contributions. We want everyone to feel welcome on campus and connected to our regional artists.” Festival partners include UNCW departments of theatre, music, art and art history; the College of Health and Human Services; Community Music Academy; Opera Wilmington; Alchemical Theatre of Wilmington; Black Arts Alliance; Wilmington Latin Dance; Cucalorus; Mouths of Babes Theatre and the Wilmington StarNews. “We were overjoyed with the response to the inaugural Lumina Festival last year. We had a goal of 2,500 people at festival events and more than 3,500 people attended,” Brogdon added. “People really responded to the local and regional mission of the festival. Wilmington enjoys seeing itself reflected onstage.” uncw.edu/arts/lumina – V.J. Audrey Ochoa will play with the UNCW jazz faculty on July 18 in Kenan Auditorium.
S P E C I A L S E C T I O N:
IMAG I NAT ION DRIVING
RES EARCH
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Who Do You Think You Are? A simple DNA test can change your self-perception by Venita Jenkins
Adrian Zamora ’20 assumed he was nearly 100 percent Mexican, but the results of his DNA analysis surprised him. “I’m more diverse than I imagined,” said Zamora, a psychology major who learned he is also of Asian and African heritage. “But it has not changed my perspective of who I am. A person is much more than their race.” Zamora discovered his unknown roots through the DNA Discussion Project, created by West Chester University communication studies professor Anita Foeman to understand the influence culture and cultural perceptions have on guiding and shaping communicative behaviors. Foeman’s goal is to encourage greater understanding of the science of genetics, the construction of race and the perception of ethnicity. UNCW Chief Diversity Officer Kent Guion brought the project to campus to inspire dialogue about race, identity and relationships. “The project touches on human curiosity and our commonality. I think that we sometimes forget about those aspects,” said Guion, who leads the university’s Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion. “This project gives a point of connection that leads to bigger conversations. It’s a way to learn about one another and gives a richer sense of self.” So far, 72 students, staff, faculty, administrators and community members have provided DNA samples. The DNA is compared with other samples, enabling a lab to determine from which regions of the world participants’ ancestors most likely originated. Volunteers received a report of estimated percentages of ethnic heritage. Prior to submitting their DNA, participants were asked what they knew about their ancestry. A post-testing survey was conducted, through which participants shared their reactions. “We look at the relationship between the personal narrative and what was found in the DNA,” said Foeman. “We use that to open up a discussion about identity, about race, about racial categories.” Researchers at West Chester and Harvard universities are adding statistical analysis to the narratives collected from UNCW and more than 3,000 other volunteers from across the U.S. The analysis is slated to be completed this summer, said Foeman. “It’s interesting to see what people do when they find things in their background,” she added. “If you are identifying yourself as one thing, you are missing many things in your background. Just getting people to have that conversation is a step in the right direction.” “The DNA Discussion Project is a big step in facilitating broader conversations in our community,” said Jess Boersma, associate dean of applied learning in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Melissa Cox, Onboarding Specialist UNCW Human Resources Department Melissa Cox has always struggled with her racial identity. Born to a white mother and Latin father, she says she never felt “Latin enough” for her parents or “white enough” for society. “It wasn’t until the last couple of years that I began to accept myself,” Cox said. “I wanted to participate in the DNA Discussion Project because I was ready for my narrative, my truth.” Cox’s results showed a larger percentage of European ancestry than Latin. “I really wanted to be more like my dad so I could finally embrace his culture,” she said. “After I considered my results, I realized that I am me – a unique combination of genes, experiences and stories.” As Cox sat through a discussion about the DNA results with the other participants, she saw how important personal narrative was to others, too – especially to people of color, she said. “I saw beyond the person in front of me. It was as if I could see the ghosts of each generation standing behind each person, hands on their shoulders,” Cox shared. “When I looked in the mirror that night, I could see the generations behind me, too. For the first time in my life, I felt proud of who and where I came from.”
Frankie Roberts, Executive Director, LINC Inc. Frankie Roberts has become intentional in learning more about his background since having his DNA tested. “I need to dig deeper to learn more about the region I come from. Were the people in that region noted for education and entrepreneurship?” he said. “I think it can speak to what my purpose in life is and what my real name is. I might even be able to tell why I have certain tendencies.” Participating in the DNA Discussion Project has made Roberts more aware of the perception of race and identity, he said. “Now I can respond more authentically when talking to people who are white about matters of race,” he said. “I can use my results as a conversation piece that could take the edge off what sometimes becomes a tough conversation.”
Midori Albert, UNCW professor and forensic science coordinator “Being biracial was more of an anomaly where I grew up,” said Midori Albert, professor and forensic science coordinator. “I expected that the DNA test would show I was half Asian and about half European with maybe something Middle Eastern.” With a Japanese mother and paternal Ukrainian grandparents, she was not surprised to find her results indicated she was 49 percent Asia East, 43 percent European, 3 percent Middle Eastern, and 5 percent “other.” Albert also participated in the project because she was interested in conversing with others about their experiences. “The DNA Project seemed like a great opportunity for us at UNCW to engage in self-discovery and to understand more about others and how really similar we all truly are in that much of our DNA crosses many populations,” she said. “The project helps people open up about themselves and encourages tolerance and acceptance – all good things!”
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Christine Lloyd, community health worker/CLEAR facilitator with Duke Partners in Caring
Fairley Lloyd ’19, UNCW creative writing major
Manny Lloyd ’17, program coordinator for cultural enrichment, Upperman African American Cultural Center
For the Lloyds, the DNA Discussion Project was a way for the family to connect and answer questions about the origins of their African heritage. They assumed the results would link them to West African, Native American and perhaps a small percentage of European ancestry. Christine Lloyd said she had been told that both sides of her family had Native American great-grandmothers but was surprised to see no trace of Native American ancestry in her results. “Our perception of race and ethnicity affects how we experience life,” she said. “I already felt that we all have more in common than not. Learning the results of my test and hearing the stories of others confirmed this.” The project helped Fairley Lloyd find her unique identity and embrace it. “Our idea of race is socially constructed, but heritage is very true. There are differences between certain regions in the world – not enough for us to be separate species, but a noticeable difference,” said Fairley. “I’m hoping that this will help people realize that we really are alike more than we are different. If we realize we share a culture, then I think the world will feel more interconnected, and I hope that we will truly start viewing people on an equal level.” Given the history of African Americans being stripped of their heritage, Manny said it’s hard for people to connect themselves back to Africa. “Discovering that connection because of their DNA results, however, could propel students to come to more events at Upperman to explore their culture. That, in turn, could allow us to have a better understanding of the student body as a whole and tailor our programming to them.” Guion hopes the DNA Discussion Project will become a standing program at UNCW. Applied learning opportunities have developed as result of the initiative, he said, and currently include UNCW communication studies majors and students in a philosophy and religion directed individual study course called Theories of Social Change. “The project doesn’t address issues like cultural competency, but it opens the doors to learn more,” said Guion. “It creates a bridge to have more sophisticated conversations.” Individuals interested in participating in or supporting the DNA Discussion Project can learn more at uncw.edu/diversity.
Melissa Cox
At left: Frankie Roberts, Midori Albert, Jess Boersma and Adrian Zamora
$5 Million Club
You Look Familiar Research by an interdisciplinary group of UNCW scientists and students could one day make it easier for law enforcement to identify missing children and sex trafficking victims. Current facial recognition systems lack the capabilities to identify an adult from childhood photos, but the UNCW Institute for Interdisciplinary Study of Identity Sciences (I3S) is working to change that. Karl Ricanek Jr., computer science professor and director of I3S, and Midori Albert, a UNCW professor, forensic science coordinator and a founding member of I3S, are leading research that examines existing face-based biometric systems used to identify individuals from a digital image or a video. “We’re leveraging work we are currently doing with West Virginia University, on behalf of the FBI, to investigate facial recognition for children,” said Ricanek. “Automated face recognition systems were designed for adults and account for evidence of adult aging, like the development of wrinkles, lines and skin spots.” Ricanek and Albert
are reviewing current facial recognition algorithms and chronicling changes in children’s faces. They are proposing creation of new algorithms to adjust for adolescent development. “The goal is to identify missing persons as they are actually changing,” Ricanek said, who is also the founder and director of UNCW’s Face Aging Group Research Lab. “Humans are excellent face ‘recognizers’ but only under certain conditions. We now have scientific evidence that human face recognizers, in general, get it right on average half the time. We are even worse when we have to match a photo of a child to his or her adult self. Humans cannot do matching to a high level of certainty, so we are trying to build a system that has the capability to do that and, we hope, can be used in a court of law.” Anthropology, data science and computer science undergraduate and graduate students are assisting scientists in the project, which is slated to conclude in November 2018. “The beauty of an interdisciplinary project is bringing in different perspectives,” said Ricanek. “People may be working on the same problem, but they are looking at it through the window of their discipline. You get a chance to understand how others are attacking the problem so you can craft a solution that embodies the totality of the problem, not just your little slice of it.” – V.J.
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Turtle Economics Quantifying the monetary worth of natural resources is no simple task, particularly when there is no easily observable market value. “When it comes to conservation, dollars talk,” said UNCW economics and finance professor Peter Schuhmann ’90, who specializes in natural resource economics. Public officials often respond more favorably to calls for changes or new policies when they can point to hard numbers, he said. The research has a scholarly approach with a practical impact. Sea turtles are still harvested in parts of the Caribbean for their meat and sometimes their shells, which are used in decorative capacities. Schuhmann’s study values a harvested sea turtle at $108. But tourism, especially diving, is also a lucrative business; divers will pay $62 extra to see a live turtle. A single turtle need only be seen by two divers to be worth more than a harvested one. Schuhmann published his research findings in the 2017 Journal of Environmental Management. “The data show pretty convincingly that sea turtles are worth a lot more alive than they are dead,” he said. – T.V.
Fathoms Below $5 Million Club
On coral reefs off the coasts of Florida and Belize, UNCW scientists are investigating sponges’ ability to take carbon from the water and return it to the reef. Sponges pump huge volumes of water as they feed, and it was generally thought that they only fed on tiny particles suspended in the water, said Joe Pawlik, a marine biology professor and leading sponge expert at UNCW. “Most of their diet consists of dissolved carbon compounds, like the sugar in your coffee,” he added. No one knew that sponges were consuming dissolved carbon to such a great extent. “Most people have heard of carbon cycling because CO2 is increasing in the atmosphere, which is causing global warming,” said Pawlik, who holds the Frank Hawkins Kenan Distinguished Professorship in Marine Sciences. “I’m not saying that sponges are a possible way of solving global warming, but our findings are important for understanding another problem caused by humans: the decline of coral reefs.” Pawlik is hopeful that research will help explain why coral reefs in the Caribbean have deteriorated to a greater extent than those in other parts of the tropics. A greater understanding of the role of sponges in the ecosystem may have important implications for governmental policies related to overfishing and marine conservation, because fish and sea turtles are consumers of sponges on coral reefs, he explained. Pawlik, Christopher Finelli, Patrick Erwin and Steve McMurray from the Department of Biology and Marine Biology were awarded an $818,000 National Science Foundation grant in 2016 for a three-year research project called “Testing the sponge-loop hypothesis for Caribbean coral reefs.” The sponge-loop hypothesis suggests that sponges on coral reefs absorb the large quantities of dissolved organic carbon that are released by seaweeds and corals and return it to the reef as particles in the form of living and dead cells or other cellular debris.
Joe Pawlik swims behind a giant barrel sponge on a reef off Little Inagua Island, Bahamas
Pawlik is also passionate about bringing ocean science research “to life” through interdisciplinary collaboration. In May, he and UNCW film studies student Boston Dang ’18 placed first in the “Ocean 180 Video Challenge,” a national competition designed to make marine sciences more accessible to the public. – V.J.
Right Research In yet another recognition of his work to protect right whales, UNCW research associate William McLellan was nominated for the prestigious 2018 Indianapolis Prize, the leading award for animal conservation presented by the Indianapolis Zoo. McLellan, a marine mammalogist, leads the Marine Mammal Stranding Program based at UNCW, which responds to reports of whale strandings and marine mortality events worldwide. His work has led to federally mandated speed reductions for large vessels entering and leaving ports to avoid fatal collisions with right whales. “North Atlantic right whales are under serious threats,” McLellan said. “Their distribution has been changing over the past few years, which has brought them back into conflict with shipping, and entanglements in heavy fishing gear have increased. At UNCW, I enjoy the opportunity to work with students, faculty and staff to increase our understanding of the biology of marine mammals, and use this information to enhance their conservation.”
$5 Million Club
McLellan is a member of the UNCW Office of Research Administration’s Five Million Dollar Club, which honors researchers who have received more than $5 million in sponsored funding. – T.V.
Sea Change Dylan McNamara is building his research on sea levels that are rising and sands that are shifting. Though it may seem counterintuitive, McNamara’s instincts are sound. Thanks to a four-year, $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, he’s leading a multi-institutional research team to develop mathematical models for coastal communities to anticipate how to weather change. “Our goal is not to tell people what to do,” said McNamara, associate professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography, “but to provide models that can predict how physical changes and economic considerations might inform future policy decisions.” Researchers will study Nags Head, NC, and Ocean City, MD, specifically, but the models could be applied to any coastal community, McNamara said. The interdisciplinary research team includes experts in physical oceanography, geomorphology, economics and political science who represent UNCW, Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, the University of Georgia, The Ohio State University, East Carolina University and the University of Colorado. “With much of the world’s population living near a coastline, Dylan’s research has global significance,” said Aswani Volety, dean of the UNCW College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of biology and marine biology. “The model he and his research partners are developing will provide a new tool to help leaders as they consider coastal policy decisions.” – T.V.
Million Dollar Clubs
James F. Merritt Million Dollar Clubs In his 34-year tenure at UNCW, the Million Dollar Club namesake, James F. Merritt, procured more than $14,000,000 in grants and contracts, dedicating more than three decades to conducting and facilitating research in the coastal environment. The UNCW million dollar clubs proudly honor him.
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An Anchor in Marine Science
$10 Million Club
Martin Posey, director of UNCW’s Center for Marine Science and professor of biology and marine biology, is a member of UNCW’s Ten Million Dollar Club, established in 2013 to honor faculty who have received at least that amount in research grants and contracts. Posey, who has been at UNCW since 1989, reached the $10 million threshold in 2004.
From your perspective, how has research changed? In almost 40 years, it is amazing how much has changed, and yet the base is still the same. We’ve had some major revolutions in the tools and research techniques available to us. But in a field like mine – field ecology – there is still a lot of room and need for old-style methodology. We see an increased importance of a multidisciplinary approach in solving problems.
What is special about research at UNCW? Over time we have seen the number of faculty and students doing research expand dramatically. There is strong emphasis on applied learning here. Science is a discipline where you learn best by doing. You learn the practical aspect of how to set things up and what to do when something unexpected happens.
What still excites you about your research and your role at UNCW? The things that really excite me are my own sense of discovery when I see something new and make new connections, and watching that sense of discovery in a student. Some of the most exciting things I have learned happened when I tried an experiment and it didn’t turn out the way I expected but took me down a whole new avenue. – T.V.
Surviving Extremes How can a microscopic organism survive in the harsh Antarctic environment, where the temperature seldom rises above freezing and ice covers 99 percent of the continent? During a recent trip to the frigid region, UNCW biology and marine biology professor Joseph Covi and graduate student Katherine Reed ’18M mapped and collected data on the physical structure and water chemistry of the lakes on King George Island, where the hearty crustacean zooplankton live. Covi and Reed are curious about how zooplankton embryos develop even after a long period of dormancy in lake sediment and grow to survive the frigid polar winters. “Nobody knows what the environment on the bottom of the lakes is like during the winter,” Covi explained. “This is important to know. Perhaps zooplankton’s ability to live in a lake is determined by how cold the sediment is during the winter.” “The physiology of dormancy is extreme but embryonic development after dormancy is not well-studied,” added Reed, who is working to complete her master’s degree in marine science. The UNCW researchers are also studying the effects of environmental changes and manmade chemicals such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) on zooplankton embryos. The chemicals that end up in Antarctica’s lakes travel thousands of miles from their source via ocean currents and marine animals, including penguins that live there. Studying the crustacean zooplankton, which are at the top of the food chain in these lakes, provides insight into man’s far-reaching chemical footprint and the impact of climate change, Covi said. Covi and Reed are collaborating with Hyun Park and SungGu Lee from the Korea Polar Research Institute, which is funding the current research, and they are applying for a National Science Foundation grant for a larger study of freshwater lakes on King George Island. – T.V.
A Quest for More
by Jennifer Glatt and Matt Stephenson ’20
Summer at the beach takes on a whole new meaning when MarineQuest is involved. Since 1980, the marine science outreach program for UNCW, the Watson College of Education and the Center for Marine Science has provided kids ages 4-17 with opportunities to explore, discover and value marine habitats, but it’s not just the campers who are having fun. Program staff members often use the experience as a springboard for future opportunities.
“Over the years, MarineQuest has introduced thousands and thousands of kids to our beautiful coastal university,” said Sue Kezios, director of Youth Programs and UNCW’s STEM Learning Cooperative. “Many of our campers became students. Some of these students became staff. And some of these staff went on to have amazing graduate opportunities and careers in marine science. They’ve really made MarineQuest proud.”
Meet a few MarineQuest alumni and learn about their post-camp professional achievements:
Meghan Grandal ’11, ’14M (MQ 2010-12, above right) coordinated Summer Sea Scholars, a transition program for former MarineQuest campers who were interested in studying marine biology to train them to become assistant MQ counselors. Grandal is currently a Ph.D. student at the Medical University of South Carolina, working with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to study the venom from marine cone snails. She hopes to discover possibilities for new medicine from the venom, like non-opiate painkillers and new forms of insulin. “I often think that someday, wherever I end up living, I would love to start a program similar to MarineQuest and bring the ocean into the classroom to teach students all about the things I love to learn about.”
Sam Candio ’11 (MQ 2012-15) helped develop MarineQuest’s ROV (remotely operated vehicle) programs, which allow students to develop, build and test subsurface robots. Candio now serves as the chief of the hydrographic department aboard the Fairweather, a research vessel run by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration based out of Ketchikan, AK. “Working in, on and around the ocean presents a constantly changing environment with a multitude of challenges, and MarineQuest certainly prepared me to grow and thrive in the maritime industry.”
Joseph Oliver ’06 (MQ 2002-10) was responsible for MarineQuest’s teaching wetlab and aquarium husbandry program, expanding the wetlab into a working aquarium. He is a marine biologist and outreach educator who spent the last several years working in Curacao and Guam. Oliver is now stateside and will be working for MarineQuest this summer before relocating to the Caribbean to work on coral reef and mangrove habitat restoration. “I attended MarineQuest camps for four years as a child, which factored into my decision to attend UNCW and study marine science. MarineQuest was a big part of my life during my undergraduate studies and played an important role in my transition to research science.”
Carly Randall ’07, ’09M (MQ 2009-10) helped develop a lab to test the antibacterial properties of marine invertebrates and guided a lab that created biofuels with algae. She recently began a threeyear postdoctoral fellowship at the Australian Institute of Marine Science, where she is optimizing coral restoration techniques for the Great Barrier Reef. “It’s a dream job.”
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Growing Algae Algae may invoke the image of the shiny green sludge that pollutes pools, but for scientists it may offer the next cure for cancer. UNCW’s Algal Resources Collection is the only assemblage of its kind in the nation that supplies new toxic strains, and researchers all over the world are taking advantage of its bounty. “We truly have a unique resource in the search for new biopharmaceutic compounds,” said research professor Catharina Alves de Souza, who has been the ARC director since 2016.
The facility, housed at the Center for Marine Science, can grow and maintain up to 2,100 liters of culture and maintains eight 10-liter photobioreactors, which recreate the ideal environmental conditions for growing algae. With a recent $417,342 grant from the National Science Foundation, ARC will help even more scientists find solutions for the devastating effects of toxic algae blooms – such as fish kills, poor water conditions and human illnesses through toxin ingestion – and search for new drugs in disease treatment. – C.C.
The Algal Resources Collection currently comprises:
412 strains 10 taxonomic groups 50 genera 102 species
“Brevenal,” the UNCW MARBIONC-discovered biopharmaceutical developed from marine algae, has been granted “Orphan Drug” status by the FDA for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. According to the FDA, this designation is given to drugs intended for the safe and effective treatment, diagnosis or prevention of rare diseases/disorders that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. This work started with discovery and characterization of the molecule by Andrea Bourdelais, research associate professor at the UNCW Center for Marine Science; recognition of its CF potential by a fellow researcher, the late William Abraham; and its molecular mechanism of action by Dr. Bourdelais and Jennifer McCall, lecturer in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology. This development is a result of a program project grant funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, an institute of the National Institutes of Health. Subsequent licensing to Silurian Pharmaceuticals brings the biopharmaceutical to its present stage of development. – Daniel Baden, Program Director for the NIEHS Program Project Grant/Executive Principal of MARBIONC
Persistence and Pursuit “Countering biodiversity loss and speeding up the rate at which we catalogue new biodiversity relies on education, well-trained scientists and a commitment to fund this kind of research.” When associate professor of biology Brian Arbogast began his research on flying squirrels, he knew the results wouldn’t materialize overnight. Beginning his research as a Louisiana State University graduate student in the mid-1990s, Arbogast had to work another 20 years before finding what he was looking for. His patience paid off. Arbogast, in collaboration with a team of researchers including former UNCW graduate student Katelyn Schumacher ’12M, analyzed the DNA of 185 flying squirrels from across North America and verified that the northern flying squirrel is actually two distinct species. “We were finally able to show that the Pacific Coastal populations were not interbreeding or exchanging genes with the other populations of the northern flying squirrel, even where the two forms occurred together in the Pacific Northwest.” Arbogast said. “Those results were a ‘eureka-like’ moment. All of the pieces of the puzzle came together, and we finally realized that we were looking at a new species. We named it Humboldt’s flying squirrel in honor of the eminent naturalist Alexander von Humboldt.” – M.S.
She’s Got Game Rebekah Banks ’18 had no idea she was in the running for the Colonial Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award until the winner was announced. “We were on the bus to our first tournament game and my coach called me to the front and told me I had won,” she said. A 3.96 grade point average and seven appearances on the dean’s list helped the Durham native earn the prestigious accolade. She double-majored in economics and business administration with a minor in Spanish. When she wasn’t learning plays on the court, Banks was taking a closer look at the effects of corruption on economic development across the globe for her honors research project, working alongside her project advisors Adam Jones, associate professor of economics; Daniel Soques, assistant professor of economics; and Ethan Watson, assistant professor of finance. “I used data from upward of 200 countries to estimate whether or not economic development, as defined through health, education and income, increases or decreases based on increased corruption,” she said. Banks is the proud recipient of the following donor-funded scholarships: the Dr. Fred Eshleman SAA Scholarship Endowment; the Henry Alexander Martindale Merit Scholarship Endowment; and the James E.L. Wade Scholarship Endowment. – C.C.
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Cetacean Conservation Researching animals of any classification takes time, patience and sometimes a little bit of help. For UNCW professor Ann Pabst, researching cetaceans – a classification of marine mammals comprising dolphins, whales and porpoises – often requires all three. Strandings, the occurrence of marine mammals coming onto shore, is one opportunity Pabst and her students and colleagues use to examine these creatures up close. These incidents provide them with the chance to better understand the biology of animals like the beaked whale, which can routinely swim down to 1,000 meters and stay underwater for 45 minutes at a time. “Through the investigation of tissues, strandings allow us to investigate how cetaceans thermoregulate, locomote and how they sense their environment,” said Pabst, whose lab has been involved in marine mammal research since she arrived at UNCW in 1995. In addition, Pabst’s research has utilized an aerial approach. Aerial surveys have been designed to help locate marine mammals, such as the critically endangered right whale, in specific areas and at specific times. The locations surveyed have generally been in areas of strategic importance to human activity. Aerial surveys have also been flown for the U.S. Navy to examine locations where their exercises may be carried out in relation to marine mammal activity. Pabst credits help from citizens as well as individuals in the science community for her ongoing progress. “Citizens’ reportings of strandings, as well as their observations at sea, are important to the science community and can help inform management and conservation decisions by the federal government, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the United States Navy,” she said. In a combined multi-institutional cooperative agreement with BOEM, Duke University, Denmark’s Aarhus University, and Marine Conservation Research, researchers at UNCW are seeking to learn more about cryptic cetaceans, such as beaked whales and sperm whales, to better understand their acoustic, foraging and socialization behaviors by taking a research vessel, the R.V. Song of the Whale, out onto the water. “Working with wonderful colleagues and directly involving students in cetacean research has yielded insights into their biology,” said Pabst, “and has resulted in data that can be used to ensure their conservation and wise management.” – M.S.
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$5 Million Club
Delighted, Thanks Customer satisfaction is no longer enough to ensure profitable customer relationships. Simply “satisfied” customers are not loyal or willing to tell others about a business. However, a delighted customer – one who has had an emotional experience with a company or product – will likely shout praise from the proverbial rooftops. Associate professor of marketing Donald Barnes and other faculty in the Cameron School of Business have been studying customer delight in laboratory and field settings for more than a decade, investigating the concept among small and large firms across retail stores, restaurants, grocery stores, professional sports franchises, adventure recreation activities, sales organizations and more.
“Our research has consistently shown the bottom-line benefits of transitioning customers from satisfaction to delight,” Barnes said. UNCW’s research on the topic has led the university to become the top-published school in the country for research productivity in peer-reviewed academic journals. To emphasize the university’s research expertise in customer delight and the application of research models in a business-to-business setting, CSB created the Center for Sales Excellence and Customer Delight. The center was established in March 2018 to develop students’ ability to think and work collaboratively by teaching, coaching and encouraging them to operate with a
Just Say the Word April Bice knew her pint-sized patients in Knoxville, TN didn’t like to see her coming. She was the nurse who stuck them with needles and performed other unpleasant but necessary procedures. Through firsthand experience as a pediatric nurse in the emergency room and hematology/oncology settings, she realized kids needed more comfort enhancements. Now an assistant professor of nursing at UNCW and certified pediatric nurse practitioner, Bice has focused her research on giving children a voice. She hopes to give medical caregivers the tools to make children more comfortable during procedures, which often produce pain, fear and anxiety in young patients. “These feelings are often amplified in young children because of their limited cognitive abilities and communication skills,” Bice said. Alleviating discomfort could mean medication, but it also might involve a warm compress, hugging a stuffed animal or holding a parent’s hand, she explained. The key is letting the child express how they feel and what might make them feel better. With a $5,000 grant from the School of Nursing made possible through the generosity of J. Richard Corbett, Bice developed a picture book that allows young children to describe their comfort level. Responses to simple statements like “I’m cold” and “It’s too noisy” help healthcare workers assess what a child may need to make the experience more bearable. “Every child deserves to have their needs assessed from a holistic perspective,” she said. “We don’t give kids enough credit for being able to tell us how they feel.” – T.V.
“win-win” mentality. By offering a variety of events hosted by faculty, the business community and sales professionals, the center will offer CSB students a competitive advantage in acquiring jobs and internships. Associate professor of marketing Vince Howe is the center’s first director. “The professional sales environment is changing dramatically due to technology, data analytics and other trends,” Howe said. “These changes have created learning opportunities for all stakeholders and we plan to embrace those opportunities. After hearing about our sales center, several Fortune 500 companies have already reached out to express their interest in hiring our students.” – J.G. uncw.edu/delight
The next three years will be busy ones for QENO (Quality Enhancements for Nonprofit Organizations), UNCW’s program providing support and training to strengthen the nonprofit sector of NC. Thanks to a three-year grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC Foundation totaling $225,000, QENO, part of the university’s Office of Community Engagement, will continue to enhance partnerships and work with nonprofits to create initiatives to strengthen the area’s nonprofit leaders, increase volunteerism and volunteer management, and address the issue of inequity in the nonprofit sector, especially within leadership positions. “This grant supports our model of working with nonprofits and UNCW faculty, staff and students to design initiatives addressing these areas so we know we are providing what our region’s nonprofit sector needs,” said QENO Director Natasha Davis ’12M. “We can also explore opportunities for faculty research and student applied learning within each initiative.”
AT YOUR SERVICE
“As an organization that works closely with a very vulnerable population, it is critical that we stay up-to-date on new and improved practices; programs that can often be too costly for the tight budget of a nonprofit,” said Stephanie Bowen, executive director of Brunswick Family Assistance. “QENO offers affordable alternatives so that the nonprofit sector doesn’t get left behind. Our organization is stronger and healthier because of QENO’s guidance and encouragement!” – J.G.
Organizational Coaching and Workshops
182
321
20
Organizations receiving training
People attending training
Workshops each year
1,211
84%
98%
Training hours
Organizational goals met through coaching
Targeted learning goals achieved through workshops
QENO’s AmeriCorps VISTA* project New volunteers
7,645
Hours of service
85,254
In-kind resources
$23,900
*
Volunteers in Service to America
In Memoriam
Herbert T. Fisher
Calling Herbert Fisher, who passed away on May 4, 2018, a proud Seahawk is an understatement, but that is one of the many things he was to our UNCW family. Students and alumni know the Fisher name, of course, from the student center and student union, which Herb, his wife Sylvia, and their family so generously helped establish in 2006. The Fisher Memorial Garden is named in memory of Herb’s late sister, Emily Fisher Hunter. The Fisher Field House sits across from our baseball field. And the Varsity Café is named in honor of Herb’s first business, which served as an unofficial student center in the early days of our university (then a college). Our campus has also benefited from the service of Herb’s son Carlton on our Board of Trustees and the Foundation Board. Carlton, along with his wife, his sister, and his son, graduated from UNCW. Herb and his beloved wife Sylvia met at Wilmington College, before we were UNCW. (Sylvia was even Wilmington College’s first Homecoming Queen!) But there was so much more to Mr. Fisher than his well-known name.
Herb funded scholarships because he believed so strongly in the importance of education as a path to success. It was a path he followed, a path he championed, and a path that led him to offer support at every turn. Herb once said that he felt strongly about giving back because he wanted to help make an impact for our students, because “their future depends on what they do here at UNCW.” He was someone who embodied the UNCW ideals of hard work, intellectual growth, and a passion for business. More simply put, he was a great gentleman, whose friendship will be missed by so many of our administrators, employees, alumni, and community partners. There will never be another Herbert Fisher, but his legacy will live on through the good work he and his family have done for the Seahawk community. We will always be grateful.
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classnotes 2000s
1970s Bruce Williams ’73 was a 2017 Health Care Heroes finalist in the nurse practitioner/physician assistant category. Health Care Heroes is an award program sponsored by the Greater Wilmington Business Journal that honors individuals and organizations making a significant impact on the quality of health care in Wilmington. David Wallace ’77 and his brother Steve Wallace ’80 established the Slim and Edith Wallace Scholarship in Business in honor of their parents. David serves on the UNCW Board of Visitors. Patricio A. Morillo ’78 was named international services manager of Pacific Coast Bankers’ Bank. Headquartered in Walnut Creek, CA, PCBB is a national financial services leader serving community-based financial institutions across the U.S. Pryor Gibson ’79 was appointed by N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper to lead “Hometown Strong,” an initiative to partner with local governments to support local economies, improve infrastructure and strengthen rural communities.
1980s Byron Jones ’83 had his artwork displayed in the New Window Gallery in Valdese, NC. Rev. Dr. James Bernhardt ’84 is senior pastor of Wayside Presbyterian Church in Erie, PA. Steve Murphey ’84 was named director of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. Cecilia Holden ’85, a Clocktower Society member, was appointed by N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper to the State Board of Education. Joy Wade ’85M was chosen to participate in WILMA’s Leadership Institute, whose mission is to develop more women leaders in the Wilmington area.
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Shannon Bourne ’87, ’08 had a solo exhibition, “Shannon Bourne: American Stories,” in the UNCW Cultural Arts Building Gallery.
Karl Deonanan ’94 joined Synteract, a contract research organization headquartered in Carlsbad, CA, as chief financial officer.
Craig Wade ’87 established the Craig A. Wade Scholarship in Finance in honor of former UNCW faculty member Roger P. Hill, who was instrumental in his success as a student.
Chris Neal ’95 was named assistant coach of women’s soccer at the University of Arkansas.
Tracy Rich ’88, senior director of business development for Charlotte Motor Speedway, was named the 2017 salesperson of the year. J. Richard Spiker ’89 joined Carter Bank & Trust as its chief lending officer. Headquartered in Martinsville, VA, Carter Bank & Trust is a state-chartered community bank that operates 122 branches in Virginia and North Carolina.
1990s Carl Willis ’90 was hired as a pitching coach with the Cleveland Indians after two seasons as a pitching coach with the Boston Red Sox. Tim Foster ’91, principal of Southwest High School in Burgaw, NC, was named Onslow County Schools’ Wells Fargo Principal of the Year. Steve Hewins ’91 was appointed senior vice president of CU Members Mortgage, which serves mortgage lending needs of credit unions and leagues across the nation. He is based in the Dallas/Fort Worth, TX area. Sammy Kinlaw ’92 was hired by Lexmark International Inc., an American company that manufactures laser printers and imaging products, as vice president (worldwide channel/OEM sales). Connie Hill ’93, an administrative assistant with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in Jacksonville, NC, received a Wells Fargo Volunteer Service Award for her commitment to Lump to Laughter, an organization dedicated to providing support for those diagnosed with breast cancer.
Carrie Roeger ’95 was appointed chief operations officer for Windsong Properties, which builds homes and communities for active adults age 55 and older in metro Atlanta. Damian L. Tucker ’95 was recognized as a board-certified specialist in criminal law by the North Carolina State Bar. He practices with Hester & Tucker, PLLC Attorneys at Law in Rocky Mount, NC. Chase T. Brockstedt ’96 was among the Top Lawyers 2017 (personal injury plaintiff category) featured in Delaware Today Magazine. He is a partner at Baird Mandalas Brockstedt LLC in Lewes, DE. Gloria Foss ’97 and her husband, Mike, were 2017 Health Care Heroes finalists in the volunteer category. Health Care Heroes is an award program sponsored by the Greater Wilmington Business Journal that honors individuals and organizations making a significant impact on the quality of health care in Wilmington. Jon Franke ’97M was named vice president of power generation at PG&E in San Luis Obispo County, CA. J. Michael Marshall ’98M was named a shareholder in the Fort Lauderdale office of Gunster, a corporate law firm. Marcia deAndrade ’99, a current UNCW graduate student, joined the faculty at Bladen Community College in Dublin, NC, as a nursing instructor in the allied health programs curriculum. Matt Newton ’99 was selected as the District 5 representative on the Charlotte City Council. Daniel Perkins ’99, assistant general manager of the Hilton Wilmington Riverside, was elected secretary of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority board of directors.
Kelly Brett ’00 and her husband Jason ’01, ’11M established the Kelly ’00 and Jason ’01, ’11M Brett MSA Scholarship. Jason also co-established the Jon Cooke Memorial Scholarship Endowment and previously served as a volunteer with the UNCW Alumni Association. Travis Corpening ’00, ’07M was recognized as an emergent leadership fellow at the Cucalorus Connect conference, part of the annual Cucalorus Festival in Wilmington. He was the 2016 UNCW Alumni Association Young Alumnus of the Year. Rebecca Knudson ’00, a Clocktower Society and Cape Fear Alumni Chapter steering committee member, was selected for inclusion in the 2018 North Carolina “Super Lawyers” in the category of construction litigation. She works in the Wilmington office of Cranfill Sumner & Hartzog LLP. Trent Reed ’00, regional vice president of Angel Oak Home Loans, led the opening of the Wilmington office in January 2018. Lisa Wurtzbacher ’00, ’01M was elected treasurer of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority board of directors. Chrissy Coor ’01, a Cape Fear Alumni Chapter steering committee member, was chosen to participate in WILMA’s Leadership Institute, whose mission is to develop more women leaders in the Wilmington area. Kate Milling Kling ’01, a former UNCW swimmer, was inducted into the UNCW Athletic Hall of Fame. Kellie Lanier ’01 was appointed senior vice president of clinical operations at Maxim Healthcare Services. She joined Maxim in 2007 as clinical supervisor for the Wilmington office and has held multiple leadership roles within the company. Phillip Summers ’01 repairs and gives away bikes through the Salem Bicycle Works project in Winston-Salem, NC.
Bryan Wilson ’01, staff member with The Rocky Mount Telegram, earned second-place honors in the N.C. Press Association’s 2017 News, Editorial and Photojournalism contest (best special section category) for his work with Carolina Brew Scene magazine. Charles “Charlie” Blanton ’02, ’13M, a Clocktower Society and Cape Fear Alumni Chapter steering committee member, is licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C. and North Carolina, and will practice immigration, criminal and family law in Wilmington. Susanna Grey Purdy Davis ’02 was named legislative affairs director for the N.C. Department of Safety.
Beth Willard-Patton ’02 is associate director of the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, an eight-county land trust that protects the fabric and character of western North Carolina’s landscape. Tara Cumbee ’03, a fifth-grade teacher at Union Elementary in Shallotte, NC, was named the Veterans of Foreign Wars N.C. Teacher of the Year in the elementary school category. Jon Coley ’04 is senior vice president of sales for Device Magic, a mobile software and data collection app, headquartered in Raleigh, NC. Susi Hamilton ’04M was recognized as an emergent leadership fellow at the Cucalorus Connect conference, part of the annual Cucalorus Festival in Wilmington.
Myke Holmes ’04, an actor and faculty member in the UNCW Department of Theatre, landed a role in the film Mile 22, working alongside John Malkovich.
Hall of Fame honor. She was inducted into the Erie chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2015 and into the North East PA Sports Hall of Fame last summer.
Ulrika Lidstrom ’04, a UNCW Society and Clocktower Society member, graduated with honors from the Berkeley M.B.A. for Executives program, class of 2017.
Angie Vandenberg ’05 was named a UNCW 2017 Lecturer of the Year.
Jacob Rudolph ’04 was named director of marketing for the Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau. Brian Johnson ’05, ’08M married Morgan Gress on Sept. 30, 2017 in Washington, D.C. Becky Berzonski Ogden ’05, a former UNCW golfer, was inducted into the UNCW Athletic Hall of Fame. It’s her third
John Paul Godwin ’06 was promoted to partner at Hardison & Cochran, Attorneys at Law in the Raleigh office. The North Carolina personal injury, workers’ compensation and social security disability law firm has multiple offices in NC. Ashley McQueen ’06, ’08M was chosen to participate in WILMA’s Leadership Institute, whose mission is to develop more women leaders in the Wilmington area.
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uncw.edu/alumniupdate Amanda Miars ’06, a Cameron School of Business Alumni Chapter steering committee member, was chosen to participate in WILMA’s Leadership Institute, whose mission is to develop more women leaders in the Wilmington area. Emily Louise Smith ’06M was a finalist for WILMA Magazine’s annual “Women to Watch” award in the education category. Vickie Wall ’06 and her husband Stuart ’04, ’05 established the Putnam Wall Scholarship in Business to assist students pursuing a degree offered by UNCW’s Department of Accountancy and Business Law. Xhenet Aliu ’07M released her debut novel Brass (Random House). The Feb. 26 issue of The New Yorker included a positive review for the book.
Harry Lee Davis ’79 (June 25, 1949 - Feb. 10, 2018) Harry Davis was a self-taught award-winning Wilmington artist who began drawing and sketching as a child. After an accidental shooting while serving with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg left him permanently confined to a wheelchair, Davis turned to oil painting. He became known as one of the premier African American artists in the country, and his work appeared in group and solo exhibitions for more than 45 years. Davis met Joanne Nottingham, retired faculty coordinator of Leadership Studies and lecturer in the Department of Educational Leadership in the Watson College of Education, at the university’s Martin Luther King celebration in 1995. The couple wed in 1997. Davis earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from UNCW. In 2006, the William M. Randall Library housed a collection of his papers reflecting his successful career. Davis also supported the university as a donor. Among his many accolades are 1981 Special Volunteer from the State of North Carolina; 1983 Handicapped Citizen of the Year; 2001 Man of the Year by the Town Hall Community Education and Cultural Center in Wilmington, NC; 2001 Best in Show Award and 2013 Best of Show Award at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Davis also served as a mentor, teaching students about art and African culture through his artwork. A memorial art exhibit will be announced later this year.
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Douglas Klutz ’07, ’10M, a criminal justice instructor at the University of Alabama, was named by Forbes as the top-rated professor in the United States. The student-based ratings were derived from the RateMyProfessors.com site, which features more than 1.7 million academic staff from the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Page Gambill Pfister ’07, guidance counselor at Friendship Elementary School in Winston-Salem, was named the 2017 NC Guidance Counselor of the Year by the NC School Counselor Association. Matthew Walker ’07 joined Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck as a policy advisor in the firm’s government relations department in Las Vegas, NV. Jenna Curry ’08, owner of Wilmingtonbased Remedy Digital Agency, and Justin Williams, owner and founder of Leland-based Carolina Marketing Co., bought Wilmington Today, a guidebook of Wilmington and surrounding areas. Patrick Harker ’08 was appointed field sales representative for the South Florida region by New Nautical Coatings Inc. The company manufactures paints, varnishes, lacquers, enamels and other products.
Alicia Payne Thomas ’08 founded Pearface Co., an independent unisex clothing and accessories brand specializing in small batch, oversized tees drawn and screenprinted by hand in Wilmington. Katelyn Tinsley ’08, USAF veteran and military spouse, started Homefront Room Revival, a nonprofit that aims to boost military spouse morale through home decorating. Currently they are limited to North Carolina, but Tinsley hopes to expand nationally. Drew Watson ’08 joined Hickory, NC-based Supreme Corporation as the southeast market manager for its Tuff-N-Lite brand of safety gear and personal protective equipment. Laurie Benton ’09 is headmaster at Charter Day School, a public school in Brunswick County, NC. Adrienne McTigue Cox ’09M was chosen to participate in WILMA’s Leadership Institute, whose mission is to develop more women leaders in the Wilmington area. Cara Boyd Gill ’09 created the Strength and Mending Child Advocacy Center, a private, nonprofit organization to serve children and their families in Vance County, NC, and surrounding areas. Hayley Lovitt ’09 was cast in the role of Sage in the FOX-TV series “The Gifted.” Matthew Miller ’09 was hired by Signature Management Corp., a property management firm based in Virginia Beach, VA as director of revenue management. Carley Hughes Milinichik ’09, a former UNCW softball player, was inducted into the UNCW Athletic Hall of Fame. Erin Williams ’09M, of MedNorth Health Center, was a 2017 Health Care Heroes finalist in the nurse practitioner/ physician assistant category. Health Care Heroes is an award program sponsored by the Greater Wilmington Business Journal Today that honors individuals and organizations making a significant impact on the quality of health care in Wilmington.
save the date ! HOMECOMING, FEB. 2, 2019 Irwin “Ike” Belk (April 4, 1922 - Feb. 24, 2018) Irwin Belk was a prominent Charlotte executive, philanthropist and public servant who was also responsible for commissioning one of UNCW’s icons: the Soaring Seahawk sculpture located in front of campus. (The statue was created by Wilmington artist Dumay Gorham III.) Belk’s contributions to UNCW include Belk Hall, named for his mother, Mary Lenora Irwin Belk; and Bryan Auditorium in Morton Hall, named for his former son-in-law, William Bryan Jr. ’66. A higher education advocate, Belk served many years as a member of the UNC Board of Governors and the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees. In 2008, Belk established the Irwin Belk Distinguished Professorship in Nursing at UNCW, designed to promote health and nursing care for underserved or vulnerable populations with mental health disorders and other chronic illnesses in rural southeastern North Carolina. “The impact of the establishment of the Irwin ‘Ike’ Belk Distinguished Professorship of Nursing has been transformative in the School of Nursing and the College of Health and Human Services,” said CHHS Dean Charles Hardy. “This endowed professorship was the first distinguished professorship established in our college and served as a catalyst for the creation of two additional endowed distinguished professorships in our School of Nursing. We are sincerely grateful to the late Mr. Belk for his support of our vision of enhancing health and quality of life in southeastern North Carolina and beyond.”
2010s Kyle Case ’10 is the new “Main Street” program coordinator for the City of Lenoir, NC. Emily Kelly ’10, a science teacher at New Bridge Middle School in Jacksonville, NC, was named the 2017 Teacher of the Year by Onslow County Schools. Allison Scott ’10M, a family nurse practitioner, joined FirstHealth Cardiology. She sees patients in Pembroke and Laurinburg, NC.
Jeannette Tavares ’10, a Washington, D.C. Alumni Group steering committee member, and Taylor Muckerman ’07 were married in Portugal. Their destination wedding was featured in Martha Stewart Weddings. Brandon Miller ’11, the 2015 United Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Year, was signed by the Charlotte Independence.
Julia Nepper ’11 completed her Ph.D. in biophysics from the University of Wisconsin at age 23. She earned a bachelor’s in biology and chemistry from UNCW at 16.
Justin S. Smith ’11M was elected to the Whiteville City Council. He is assistant to the chancellor for communications and research at the University of North Carolina Pembroke.
Ann Reinking ’11, ’14M joined the financial reporting and management services department at UNC Chapel Hill as a financial accountant.
Gabrielle Follett Sumney ’11 was appointed to the cable advisory board for the City of Medford, MA. Catherine “Lizzy” Ward ’11 was elected the 2018 vice chairperson for the parks and recreation board for the City of Benbrook, TX.
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 Oct. 1, 2017 - Feb. 28, 2018
In Memoriam ALUMNI William Quinlivan ’53
Sheron Bowes ’85
Ethel Taylor ’56
Penny Dehart ’88
Bobby Conner ’60
Felecia Hayes ’88
Larry Hiatt ’65
William Miller ’88
Thelton Skipper ’66
Brian Blue ’89
Samuel Page ’67
Kimberly Ormand-Craig ’91
Anne Rooks ’67
Richard Edens ’94M
Shirley MacKay ’69
Peggy Spencer ’94
Carolyn Robertson ’69
Joyce Sloan ’95
Bernard Efford ’71
Marshall Goff ’99
Michael Snavely ’73
Bradley Schroeder ’99
Sybil Walker ’73
Auburn Buehring ’02, ’04M
Margaret Crawford ’75
Zachary Crispin ’05
Phyllis Edens ’77
Whitney Taylor ’05
Morty Jayson ’77
Sarah Lewis ’06
Karin Brown ’79
Adam Slater ’06
John Laughon ’79
Darren Dickerson ’07
Barry Miller ’79
Scott O’Malley ’07
James Norris ’79
Grover Lawson ’08
Robert VanScoik ’80
Kenneth Hirsch ’10
Guy Stefanski ’81
Shannon Sorrels ’10
Joan Obernesser ’82, ’06
Charles Tyson ’10
Gregory Bunce ’83
Erin Calo ’11
Carey Copeland ’83
Chad Koon ’15, ’17M
Rusty Cromer ’83
Nicholas Aufderhar ’16
FRIENDS
EMPLOYEES
Tommy L. Cotses
Hannah Frank (faculty)
Catherine Diab Parks L. Griffin Peggy A. Mahony
Morgan E. Lewis (staff) Thomas R. Lupton (faculty) Donshae Miller (staff) Andy Whittington ’94 (faculty)
Elizabeth Wood ’11, high touch operations manager at Cisco, was included in Nashville’s “Top 30 Under 30” class of 2018. Allison Hiltz ’12 was elected a city council member in Aurora, CO. Caroline Merrill ’12 was chosen to participate in WILMA’s Leadership Institute, whose mission is to help develop more women leaders in the Wilmington area. Caitlin Northcutt Pope ’12, ’14M completed her Ph.D. in lifespan developmental psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has begun work as a postdoctoral research scientist at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH. Shane Woerner ’12 was chosen by tED magazine, the official publication of the National Association of Electrical Distributors, for their “30 under 35” list of rising stars from across the electrical industry. Woerner is the southeast regional HR manager for Border States Electric, the nation’s eighth-largest independent electrical distributor, headquartered in Fargo, ND. Loryn Bakken Casas ’13, ’16M, a social studies teacher at Hoggard High School in Wilmington, received the UNCW Promise of Leadership Award. Ed Hall ’13 is CEO of Petrics Inc., an innovative pet healthcare technology company headquartered in Wilmington. Petrics was selected as a CES 2018 Innovation Awards honoree in both the “smart home” and “tech for a better world” product categories. Morgan Hodges ’13 joined the emergency department of the Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, WI, as a physician assistant. Jordan Leslie ’13 joined McAngus Goudelock & Courie, a regional insurance defense firm in Wilmington, practicing general litigation and coverage. Jennifer McCall ’13M was a 2017 WILMA’s Women to Watch Award winner in the business category. Michael Baric ’14 was named assistant swimming coach at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
Jessica Clark ’14 graduated with a master of science in physician assistant studies from Elon University. Adriana Poveromo ’14, a third-grade teacher at Forest Hills Global Elementary School in Wilmington, was named New Hanover County Schools’ Rookie of the Year. Courtney Ashley ’15 was named director of marketing and social media for the Forest City Owls, a summer collegiate baseball team in Rutherford County, NC. Laura Brogdon-Primavera ’15M was chosen to participate in WILMA’s Leadership Institute, whose mission is to help develop women leaders in the Wilmington area. Sydney Kong ’15 was a finalist for the New Hanover County Schools’ Rookie of the Year award. Katy Leonard ’15, a seventh-grade social studies teacher at Trask Middle School in Wilmington, received the UNCW Promise of Leadership Award and was a finalist for the New Hanover County Schools’ Rookie of the Year award. Hayley Meadows ’15, a special education teacher at Codington Elementary School in Wilmington, received the UNCW Promise of Leadership Award. Jordan Henry ’16, a former UNCW women’s basketball player, signed a professional contract to play for the Southern Peninsula Sharks of the Big V senior basketball league in Australia. Emily Mitchell ’16 competed for the title of Miss Goldsboro (NC). Michele Daley ’17 was hired by Viamark Carolinas as the agency’s marketing coordinator, and Kaitlyn Baxley ’17 was promoted to social media coordinator. Viamark Carolinas serves the Wilmington, NC and Charleston, SC markets. Chris Flemmings ’17 was drafted by the Reno Bighorns, an NBA G League based in Reno, NV, as their first-round pick (seventh overall). The Reno Bighorns are owned and operated by the Sacramento Kings. Mariah Rockwell ’17 is a staff geologist/ hydrogeologist for the engineering design firm AECOM in Greenville, SC.
Alumni Association Awards Left to right: Amy and Ben Wright ’98, Brandon Beane ’98 and Rachael Beatty ’13
Amy and Ben Wright ’98
Brandon Beane ’98
Rachael Beatty ’13
Citizens of the Year
Distinguished Alumnus of the Year
Distinguished Young Alumna of the Year
Amy and Ben Wright are the founders of Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, a coffee shop where individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are valued, accepted and given employment opportunities. Named after the couple’s two youngest children, both with Down syndrome, the coffee shop opened in Wilmington in 2016 and employs 40 workers. It expanded to Charleston, SC in 2018, and plans to open another location in Savannah, GA. Proceeds from the coffee shop fund Amy’s nonprofit, ABLE to Work USA, dedicated to helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to find meaningful employment. Ben Wright is the owner of Dye Creek Capital, an independent investment practice in Wilmington, and employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities as “client hospitality associates.”
Beane is the general manager of the Buffalo Bills. Prior to joining the Bills, he spent 19 years with the Carolina Panthers, beginning as an intern in the Panthers’ media relations office after graduating from UNCW. Beane worked his way up to the director of football operations. In 2015, he was named the Panthers’ assistant general manager. He joined the Buffalo Bills in May 2017. Beane frequently visits children at the John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, NY, and speaks regularly to civic organizations, schools and colleges about the professional sports industry.
Beatty is a clinical research associate at PPD. She is an active member in the Junior League of Wilmington, where she serves as chair of the Bargain Sale and One Day Service committees, which raise money for charities that empower women and enrich the community. She is also a member of PPD’s Charitable Affairs Committee, where she serves as a liaison for volunteer efforts between PPD and Lower Cape Fear Hospice, and serves on the UNCW Alumni Steering Committee.
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