Team Norway to host community training session at UNCG Soccer Stadium
Posted on May 07, 2026
June 10 event gives fans a chance to see players before the World Cup
Fans have a chance to see Team Norway up close when it hosts a free community training session Wednesday, June 10, at UNCG Soccer Stadium. The practice marks the team’s only scheduled public session during its time in Greensboro.
Team Norway brings a roster of internationally recognized talent to Greensboro, and the session offers a first look at the squad as it trains ahead of the tournament.
Admission: Free, no purchase or payment required (ticket required; limited capacity)
Fans are encouraged to sign up for the random drawing by May 13, 2026, at 5 p.m. EDT by visiting https://go.uncg.edu/teamnorwayto enter. Winning entries will be selected at random, and winners will be notified by May 22 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
Located on the UNCG campus, the approximately 3,500-seat soccer stadium underwent significant upgrades in 2023 and has a long history of hosting elite competition, including NCAA championships and international teams.
In March 2026, Team Norway selected Greensboro as its Team Base Camp location through a partnership led by the Greensboro Sports Foundation, the City of Greensboro, UNCG and the Greensboro Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The agreement brings one of the world’s top national teams to the city during the 2026 World Cup and gives fans a rare opportunity to see the team up close during its time in Greensboro.
UNCG Softball Takes SoCon. Next Stop — NCAA Division I on Friday
Posted on May 11, 2026
The team heads to the 2026 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament to play Clemson on Friday at 4:30 p.m. This weekend’s 4-0 shutout of Samford earned them their fourth SoCon sweep. This was the 17th shutout of the season, the most since 2000.
Theatre brings out all facets of Spring 2026 tassel turner Christian Bartney’s personality: actor, dancer, and musician. At UNCG, he found his passion for choreography. He emerged as a leader among dance and his fellow drama students during productions like “Carrie” and “Lempicka.”
2026 Commencement ceremonies showcase the best of UNCG
Posted on May 08, 2026
University Undergrad Commencement Ceremony May 2026
Preparedness, earned achievement, and academic excellence on parade
“Being a Spartan means we don’t just walk into rooms,” Jiyah McLaughlin said during her remarks at UNC Greensboro’s 2026 undergraduate commencement ceremony. “We transform them.”
As she spoke, the First Horizon Coliseum — one of the largest rooms in the nation — had already been transformed into a fellowship hall of Spartan goodwill and gratitude, a sanctuary for customs that stretch back more than 100 years, and a celebration of this year’s graduates, each of whom embodied the many facets of Spartan tradition.
UNCG graduated 2,813 students on May 7–8 to the Class of 2026, each with their own story that brought them here. And every one of them will leave with something lasting and transformative, their degrees like passports for entry into big places and bright futures.
Graduate Degree Recipients Stand Ready to Lead
The doctoral and master’s ceremony took place on Thursday morning, conferring 704 master’s degrees and 79 doctorates. In his remarks, UNCG Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. took the opportunity to go off script with a piece of timeless advice for the graduates: “Take a moment, at least today, and savor this,” he said. “You know why? Because you earned this. It is an earned achievement.”
Spartan Brian Hall ’12 MBA recounted his own UNCG experience in an address to the graduates. “My path to this point wasn’t a straight line,” he said, “and I want to share a bit of that with you because I think it matters.”
After growing up in Greensboro, Hall played soccer at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. And while the lessons afforded there gave him a solid foundation, he said, “I also learned that I had more to learn.”
Now president of real estate for Samet, Hall illustrated how the values instilled in him at UNCG remained with him.
“I pulled those same late-night class sessions and study sessions,” he said. “I had those same moments of thinking, “’Will I ever actually use regression analysis?’
“The answer, by the way, is yes,” he continued, “though maybe not in the way you expect.”
He closed with three principles that he said guided him in his career and life:
Lead with wisdom and humility.
Serve others with excellence.
Build on a foundation that lasts.
Honorary degrees were bestowed upon Randall Kaplan, who accepted a Doctor of Laws based upon his legal career and legacy of philanthropy and wellness at UNCG. Kaplan, who currently sits on the UNCG Board of Trustees, has served on the Bryan School Advisory Board, the UNCG Foundation Executive Committee, the Students First Campaign Steering Committee, and the Investment Fund Committee.
His Light the Way co-chair Susan M. Safran ’77 was awarded a Doctor of Science due to her varied and impactful years in healthcare after earning her nursing degree at UNCG. Safran spent decades working in critical care nursing and healthcare management. Her most enduring legacy may be the founding of CPR Consultants in 1988. One of the very first American Heart Association training centers,the company has trained hundreds of thousands in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which has saved countless lives.
Undergraduates Claim Their Seat at the Table
On Friday morning, friends and family of the undergraduate Class of 2026 filled the First Horizon Coliseum as their loved ones cleared the first milestone of higher education. There were 2,030 baccalaureate degrees conferred on this day, labeled with 67 different majors. There were enough students in attendance to generate a palpable hum on the Coliseum floor.
“This is your day,” Chancellor Gilliam told them. “No matter where life takes you tomorrow, next year, or decades from now, you will carry this day with you.”
He acknowledged the plurality of the student body in terms of backgrounds, fields of study, skill and talents, and the various pathways that led them to UNCG.
“Whatever your journey looked like,” he said, “you found your spark. Your purpose. Your ‘why.”
“There’s a lesson in that,” he continued. “When you take a chance on yourself — when you lean into your potential — good things happen. When you persevere, work hard, and show initiative, you open doors you thought were closed.”
Class speaker Jihay McLaughlin peppered her remarks with paeans to the University and her classmates.
“UNCG doesn’t just give you a degree,” she said. “It gives you a community that stretches you. It challenges you. It dares you to show up fully.
“Spartan Spirit is a commitment,” she continued. “It’s the student who works a full shift and still shows up to a 9 a.m. class. It’s the first-generation student navigating systems no one explained. It’s the friends who check in when you go quiet. It’s the leader who makes space at the table, then pulls up another chair.”
During the ceremony, the UNC System Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award was awarded to Dr. Jeff Sarbaum, Sue W. Cole Distinguished Senior Lecturer of Economics at the Bryan School. The acclaimed textbook author is one of the University’s most decorated and accomplished educators.
The last word
As the ceremonies came to a close and the crowd filtered out of the First Horizon Coliseum on a gorgeous Friday afternoon, the words of McLaughlin still resonated.
“If there’s one thing this campus has shown me, it’s that every voice matters,” she told the room. “Class of 2026, we are creatives. We are scholars. We are entrepreneurs. We are advocates. We are future doctors, artists, educators, researchers, and community builders.”
And she closed with a directive for her peers: “Let’s keep showing up,” she said. “Let’s keep creating. Let’s keep leading, not because we need the spotlight, but because we understand the power of impact.
“Four years ago, we arrived here with potential. Today, we leave with purpose.”
Story by Brian Clarey, University Communications Photos by Sean Norona, University Communications
CELEBRATE OUR GRADS!
Graduates and their families are encouraged to share their accomplishments on social media by tagging the University accounts and using the hashtag #UNCGGrad. Visit UNCG’s digital swag page for Commencement-themed graphics and templates.
Mention @UNCG in celebratory posts on Instagram and X and @uncgreensboro on TikTok.
Class of 2026: PopTech Delivers a Career-Ready Artist in Vesa Basha
Posted on May 01, 2026
Vesa Basha was not a classically trained vocalist when she arrived at UNC Greensboro, but she’s graduating from the School of Music as a polished singer-songwriter with marketable skills for success in the music industry.
For Basha, an emotive artist with a warm smile and the voice of an angel, none of this would be possible without UNCG’s PopTech program and “God’s perfect timing.”
In 1998, Basha’s parents and older brother boarded a plane in war-torn Kosovo, bound for North America. They didn’t know exactly where they’d be relocated; the couple just knew they wanted better opportunities for their children. Settling in North Dakota, the Bashas built a life that soon also included a daughter with an extraordinary voice and a growing love for music.
When Basha was a teenager, the family moved to Charlotte, N.C., where she began to consider college and a career in the music business. She had little performance experience and had only taken a few voice lessons, but she loved collaborating with friends in choirs and making music videos with her cousins.
At the same time, the UNCG College of Visual and Performing Arts was developing a concentration in Popular Music and Technology (PopTech) for its music performance majors. PopTech was designed for musicians and vocalists who want to write, arrange, and produce music across diverse genres. The curriculum is broad — including creativity classes, technology courses, music theory, and subjects like media law — and it immediately drew musicians with interests ranging from songwriting and mixing to video game and movie scoring.
In 2022, Dr. Mark Engebretson welcomed more than 20 musicians into PopTech’s first cohort and began recruiting students for the 2023 school year. Basha was one of those students, winning over faculty with her raw talent and ambition.
“Dr. E’s encouragement meant so much to me,” Basha explains. “He knew that what I wanted in a college experience was exactly what UNCG was offering in this new program, and he saw my potential before I even started. I’m so grateful that I crossed paths with him.”
Keep it Poppin’
Basha thrived with the instruction and broad skills offered by the PopTech program.
“I wanted to learn everything — not just how to sing, but how to write, produce, collaborate, and understand music as a whole,” she says. “UNCG gave me that.”
Professor Janinah Burnett became her vocal coach. As the current leader of the program, Burnett brings a wealth of experience as an actor and vocalist who has performed in opera, theater, television, and film. She admires Basha’s work ethic and her willingness to learn all aspects of music production.
“PopTech gives students access to world-class artists who are working in today’s music industry and teaches them many facets of the music business beyond performance,” Burnett says. “Faculty encourage students to be versatile in the execution of their artistic practice and to embrace the fact that excellent work does not happen in a vacuum; collaboration is paramount.”
Basha counts collaboration with her fellow students among the biggest opportunities she discovered at the School of Music. She gained performance experience with ensemble vocal groups like 3-2-1; she brought her original music into the studio with musicians to develop arrangements and mixes; and she grew from critiques and ideas generated in PopTech studios and rehearsals.
“Learning how to be a listener and take other people’s input into consideration is huge. You’re learning from others as much as from faculty,” she says. “In this program, you’re collaborating with all kinds of musicians every week. I was in the practice rooms all the time — that’s where the work happens. The practice rooms in the School of Music are where I grew as an individual. That place has my heart.”
Authentically Vesa
She had become more confident in her performance skills when she took a video production class, which motivated her to create a music video for a song she wrote called “21.” The electronic dance single is a blend of English and Albanian lyrics that represents her journey of independence and growth. Connecting with professionals in Kosovo, she traveled there in 2024 to produce the video for “21”.
Basha is currently working on a new song called “Authentically,” which also has Albanian and English lyrics but more of an Afro House beat. “’Authentically’ promotes being yourself, loving yourself for who you are, and embracing who you are,” she says. “I’m just very excited to showcase it to the world and bring that positive message to people.”
Aside from the technical training she received in the PopTech program, Basha credits the University for giving her “the space to be authentic as an artist and a person.” Representing her culture and inspiring others is at the core of all her projects. It’s a nod to the sacrifices her parents made for her.
Before coming to the United States, her father was a dentist and her mother a psychologist. They had to start over, taking jobs in accounting and teaching. Now, Basha is committed to honor their sacrifices by succeeding in the music industry. “Because their degrees weren’t accepted here, they had to give up their passions for a better life for their children,” she explains. “This is part of my story.”
Burnett believes that Basha’s authenticity will be a guiding force in a competitive field: “The world needs our individual and creative voice! The truer we are to this fact, the more successful we will be overall,” she says. “In my studio, we do the work to find one’s authentic true voice. We get to know our bodies, our senses, our minds and hearts and practice using them all to interface with art making.”
A Voice with a Vision
It’s evident that Basha is a musician who cares more about inspiring others than garnering fame and fortune. Her Capstone project, “Vlera Bliss,” provides further evidence. It isn’t a vocal project nor a creative passion piece. Instead, she developed a business model for a teaching studio that provides voice lessons with a focus on student wellness and mental health through creative expression.
After establishing a career as a vocalist and performer, she wants to be an educator. “I want to teach people to accept their imperfections and love themselves for who they are,” she says. “When you’re an artist, you’re putting yourself out there and it’s very intimate. I want to teach performing artists to gain confidence within themselves.”
Whether writing and producing original music, performing on stage, or teaching others to express themselves through music, UNCG has prepared Basha to use her talents to uplift and serve others.
“Vesa is incredibly devoted to her artistic vision and deeply understands the hard work and business mindset that will serve her well in all of her endeavors after college,” says Billie Feather, Basha’s Capstone advisor. “She is an inspiration within the PopTech community, and I am so excited to see how she will inspire others with her art.”
As she prepares to cross the stage at commencement, Basha has nothing but gratitude for what she’s learned at UNCG. “When opportunities arise or doors open for me, I believe it is all part of God’s plan,” she says candidly. “When I’m riding my bike to the music building on a beautiful day, I realize how grateful I am. I know that God brought me to this school, because the experience has been so unexpected.”
Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications. Photos by Sean Norona, University Communications. Video by David Row, University Communications.
CELEBRATE OUR GRADS!
Graduates and their families are encouraged to share their accomplishments on social media by tagging the University accounts and using the hashtag #UNCGGrad. Visit UNCG’s digital swag page for Commencement-themed graphics and templates.
Mention @UNCG in celebratory posts on Instagram and X and @uncgreensboro on TikTok.
Just as UNCG says goodbye to students who found their way here, it also sends off staff who retired over the past academic year. Each one of them put in long hours and dedicated service to making the college experience the best it could be for each new class that called campus their home away from home.
Forever a Spartan
UNCG thanks all these staff members for their work and wishes them a restful, fulfilling retirement.
Linda Alexander, University Program Associate Karen Blackwell, Director of Institutional Research and Enterprise Data Management Eric Boyce, Chief of Police Patricia Booker, Business Officer Ronald Burford, Vehicle/Equipment Repair Technician Tammy Jo Capps, BT Applications Specialist Brett Carter, Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students Mitzi Cartright, Foundations Accountant Christopher Castelloe, Human Resources Consultant Shannon Clegg, Senior Director of Auxiliary Services Paul Cloninger, Business Services Coordinator Betty Coats, University Program Specialist John Comer, Alumni House Manager Megan Corum, Research Specialist Cheryl Cross, University Library Specialist Barbara Dawson, Pharmacist Stephen Duncan, Specialty Trades Technician Rebecca Fallon, Administrative Support Associate Deborah Gainey, Business Services Coordinator Carla Garrett, Early Childhood Program Specialist Theresa Hancock, Director of Stewardship Jennifer Hill, Research Associate Felicia Joyner, Medical/Nursing Assistant Hmoc Ksor, Building and Environmental Technician Michele Laudenbacher, Director of Financial Planning and Budgets Samuel Locklear, Building and Environmental Services Technician Mitzi Lorenz, Administrative Support Specialist Jeanne Madorin, Chief Human Relations Officer Patrick Martin, Assistant Athletic Director Robin McAdams, Network Analyst Tina McEntire, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Kathleen McGirty, Business Officer Mark Meacham, Program Coordinator Ruth Morales-Giron, Administrative Support Associate Loring Mortensen, Public Communications Specialist Christina O’Connor, Project Director Anne Owens, University Library Technician Brian Craig Payne, Building and Environmental Services Technician Cathy Payne, Business Officer Donald Dean Perdue, Facility Maintenance Technician Denise Phillips, Accountant Carolina Pittman, University Program Associate Sandra Redmond, Business Officer Mary Russell, Budget Analyst Rhonda Sawyer, Assistant Coordinator Libby Schinnow, Marketing Coordinator Elias Segoviano, Facility Maintenance Technician Lilly Sharon, Business Officer Robert Shea, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Neil Shepherd, Business Officer Loretta Shorter, Building and Environmental Services Technician Connie Sidden, Tech Support Analyst Janette Szelkowski, Associate Director Kimberly Smith, Administrative Support Specialist Audrey Snyder, Assistant Director for Community Engagement and Academic Partnership Matthew Strupp, Physician Assistant Kimberly Titlebam, Research Associate Steve Tuck, Building and Environmental Technician Terry Wicks, Clinical Assistant Professor Kathy Wilson, Administrative Support Supervisor Kim Zinke, University Program Specialist
Retiring as a Friend
Staff leave their mark on campus each in their own way, long after they left. One of them, John Comer, retires this summer as Advancement’s Alumni House Manager this summer. Ahead of his departure, he was honored with the Friend of CVPA Award. The award recognizes contributions to the growth and success of the College of Visual And Performing Arts through on-going service or support of the college.
Unleashing Harriet’s Powers Stitch by Stitch, Note by Note
Posted on April 21, 2026
The story of one of the most impactful women in quiltmaking comes alive within the Weatherspoon Art Museum. Harriet Powers, born enslaved in Georgia in 1837, eventually became a landowning farmer and gained recognition at local fairs for her appliquéd quilts depicting biblical stories, scenes of rural life, and cosmic events.
View of the installation Harriet’s Powers from the gallery entrance. Image courtesy of the Artist. Photographer Sally Van Gorder.
Like quilters who add blocks to a bee’s latest project, UNC Greensboro students were honored to contribute a touch of their artistry to Lovell’s installation, which opened alongside Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South, an exhibition on loan to the Weatherspoon from the Mississippi Museum of Art.
Harriet’s Powers and Of Salt and Spirit will be open to Weatherspoon visits into the summer. On April 23, Lovell will be in conversation with Of Salt and Spirit curator, Dr. Sharbreon Plummer. Starting at 5:30 p.m., they will delve into the legacies of Black Southern quilting as part of the Weatherspoon’s spring open house; a community reception will follow.
Students’ hand-sewn work becomes a piece of a bigger story
Gabrielle Wilson, an apparel design major, is one of the students from the Department of Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies (CARS) who worked with Lovell to create some of the visual elements in Harriet’s Powers. She and four of her fellow students helped sew the circular bunting elements, called “yo-yos,” that extend joyfully from the installation’s sculptural center up into the gallery’s ceiling.
As a whole, the artwork incorporates color, symbols, and artifacts to situate Powers’s history within a larger narrative of Black female lives in the South.
Precious D. Lovell (top left photo, center) works with CARS students.
It was a tangible learning experience for Wilson to see how art and needlework have been a part of American history.
“What stood out to me most about Harriet Powers was her dedication to quiltmaking and the intricate beauty of her designs,” says Wilson. “Many enslaved individuals had talents and gifts that they were not able to fully embrace or take pride in, which I find very saddening. However, it was also meaningful to see how Lovell paid tribute to her and her extraordinary skill in hand-sewing.”
CARS Associate Professor Melanie Carrico appreciates the opportunity Lovell’s project brought her students. “I was excited for them to collaborate with a practicing artist who values sewing and has a fashion industry background,” she says.
Music students lift their voices
While CARS students helped form the visual components, students in the popular music and technology program (PopTech) added to its aural dimension. With their Assistant Professor of Commercial Voice Janinah Burnett and Grammy-nominated musician Bill Toles, they performed the songs woven into the soundscape.
Burnett says the soundscape elevates the message of the whole piece.
“Visitors not only see the profoundness of the many dimensions of the visual experience, but they hear unison singing, harmonies, rhythm, tone, text, silence, and depth,” says Burnett. “It is captivating. This audial connection makes the experience visceral for visitors, and therefore unforgettable.”
It also serves as a reminder, says Burnett, that the PopTech program is about more than contemporary trends; it reaches back into the past, including music’s technical grounding, creation, performance, and distribution.
“The meaning in every single object and action of Lovell’s artwork is deliberate and contains so much powerful depth of messaging that is more than meets the eye,” says Burnett. “It is only natural that PopTech participate in such profound work, as it too embodies, expresses, and is grounded in more than meets the eye.”
Carrico echoes the theme of linking students to history. “Contributing to an artist’s large-scale installation,” she says, “helped CARS students see how their skills connect not only to fashion, but to cultural storytelling, interdisciplinary art, and creative work beyond traditional design pathways.”
Of Salt and Spirit and Harriet’s Powers are on display at Weatherspoon through Aug. 1, 2026 and July 25, 2026.
Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications Photography courtesy of Weatherspoon Art Museum
“You can ask any bee researcher or butterfly advocate, ‘What do pollinators need?'” she says. “It always comes down to habitat. A habitat free of pesticides and with the right plants.”
She is improving those habitats now thanks to partnerships at UNC Greensboro and community events.
Wagoner is committed to growing the PPC with a three-tiered vision.
The first tier is expansion of its research program. This emphasizes innovations similar to the UBeeO spray from Optera. “Focusing on research and innovation makes UNCG’s Plant & Pollinator Center attractive to world-class professors and students interested in studying pollination,” she says.
Workshops and Field Trips for Students of All Ages
Second, she is working to expand pollinator-focused education and outreach. This includes engaging students, staff, and faculty in the Bee Campus program. She encourages UNCG professors to weave more pollinator-themed content into their curricula.
Wagoner created more community events to introduce people to the many ways bees are integral to the world around us. At the annual Science Everywhere festival on April 11, children played a game of “Find the queen” with a live bee observation hive from PPC. Center personnel showed them how to make “seed bombs” to throw onto the ground at home and grow a tiny pollinator-friendly garden.
Wagoner and her team have brought their research to children of all ages: observation hive visits to preschool and elementary schools, STEAM workshops at middle schools, and field trips to the PPC laboratories for high school students. They hosted a mini workshop on sustainable insect and pest management at the Earth Day Celebration in Keeley Park.
They have more events this spring and summer to get the next generation involved in protecting pollinators:
Art Students Demonstrate New Places to Spark Pollination Passion
Coppage and Cox-Shreffler at the Undergraduate Research Expo.
Mallory Cox-Shreffler and Aminah Coppage are prime examples of how Wagoner’s efforts have brought a diversity of programs into pollinator education. These two art majors made a bee fountain for the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ (CVPA) pollination garden, which was started by UNCG Faculty Lecturer Tara Webb. Cox-Shreffler says she learned about Bee Campus through the garden.
Coppage
“We have gotten our natural wildlife habitat certification,” Cox-Shreffler said of the CVPA garden. “I made and engraved a ceramic basin using clay from UNCG’s backyard. The creek has plenty of yellow clay to spare.”
“I would say I had intermediate levels of knowledge when it came to gardening, pollinators, and impacts on the environment,” she says. “It has grown immensely since being involved in the Bee Campus. I now know a lot more about nutrients in the soils, ways to go about making natural medicines and dyes, as well as being able to identify plenty more plant and insect species.”
Webb and Leah Sobsey started the garden in Peabody Park in 2022, which grew through the Bee Campus program. In the past year, they’ve expanded its footprint and added new plants, working with the Peabody Park Association and Agriculture Extension Agency to fill it with native plants.
Practicing What She Teaches, Making UNCG More Bee Friendly
The third tier of Wagoner’s efforts is conservation and habitat creation. That’s happening on UNCG’s main campus and its satellite sites on Greensboro’s Northridge Street and in Browns Summit. “We’re up to five pollinator gardens now that we have either planted, seeded, or expanded in the last year,” she says.
She also wants to increase the amount of pesticide-free forage to ensure bees thrive everywhere at UNCG. She works with her postdoc, Arjun Khadka, and Assistant Director of Grounds, Kevin Siler, to implement an integrated pest management (IPM) plan that protects them.
She’s excited to add more positive numbers to the state’s bee stats. Last year, Bee Campus participated in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, which saw an increase in pollinator activity. They’ll do it again this year, on Aug. 21-22.
“One thing I really love about pollinators is that a lot of people from different backgrounds get excited by them,” says Wagoner. “And folks are generally happy to volunteer to help support pollinators, so we really have a great opportunity to involve and engage any department on campus in some way.”
Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications; Bert VanderVeen, VanderVeen Photography; and Mallory Cox-Shreffler, College of Visual and Performing Arts
Class of 2026: David Sandy Becomes the Change He Wants to See
Posted on April 28, 2026
“I want to be the person to help bridge the gap.”
David Sandy arrived at UNC Greensboro with a vision of service, to give a voice to people for whom words do not come easily. He’s eager to get started after he graduates with a bachelor’s degree from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.
“It’s a growing field,” says Sandy. “I think a lot of people still tend to overlook the importance of communication.”
David’s path to UNCG started as a transfer student, and thanks to some college credits he completed in high school, he graduates early on May 8. Though he’s spent only a few years at the G, Sandy made himself a familiar, friendly face by getting involved in the social and academic activities at his disposal.
“It was good to be part of the change I wanted to see,” he says.
Welcoming Everyone to the G
He describes going through a bit of “culture shock” when he first decided to become a Spartan. He transferred from North Carolina Central University for a major in speech pathology and audiology.
“Coming from an HBCU to here, it was different,” he acknowledges. “But as time went on, I made new friends, went to more events, put my name out there, and became committed to the campus.”
2026 Spartan Leadership Summit.2025 Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.
Sandy, who also earned a minor in sociology, has enjoyed creating programs and opportunities that enhance student engagement. Along with a few other UNCG students, he attended one of the National Association for Campus Activities conferences in Georgia to learn more about what makes a great college event.
One of his favorites was the Mardi Gras celebration hosted by the Black Student Union in 2025. It fell primarily upon Sandy to organize it, working with Spartan Dining to create a New Orleans-style extravaganza inside Fountain View Dining Hall. “A lot of people came out. They were having fun and dancing. It was a really good event,” he says.
Personal experiences unlock a purpose
Classes at UNCG delivered the science and methodology of speech disorders, but it was Sandy’s own personal experiences that drove him to become a standout in his department. While growing up in Charlotte, he saw firsthand how his mother dealt with her stutter and how it affected everyday interactions like ordering a meal in a drive thru.
One of his father’s coworkers introduced him to her daughter, a speech-language pathologist, and invited him to visit her workplace. He also shadowed an SLP at the Nest Academy.
Once he came to UNCG, he found CSD faculty committed to taking his knowledge to the next level. He praises how Assistant Professor and Clinical Educator Sarah Hopkins made herself available whenever he needed to talk about anything. “She was very influential,” he says. “Whenever I didn’t understand something, she was always there to work with me.”
Representing students during Chancellor Chat.First days at the G during NAV1GATE.
Hopkins commends Sandy’s leadership skills and his readiness to immerse himself in service, all while maintaining his high GPA. “One of the qualities that distinguish David from his peers is the clarity with which he understands his ‘why,'” she says. “He has shared the personal experiences that sparked his interest in this field, experiences that demonstrate insight, empathy, and a profound appreciation for the power of communication.”
Sandy also speaks highly of Dr. Brook Holt, the director of the online master’s program, for her dedication to his success. And he was greatly inspired to study under Dr. Robert Mayo, a professor he considers a great role model for men like him.
“He, like me, is a Black male, whom you don’t see that often in this field,” he says. “It was good to see that he was able to become a professor, in this space.”
Through it all, he knew his family back home in Charlotte was cheering him on. As a first-generation student, he felt a lot of pressure to succeed. “I appreciate all the late-night calls I had with my mom, when I felt like I couldn’t do something. I appreciate everybody being there and holding me up, believing in me.”
Giving the next generation a voice
After graduation, Sandy will go to Hampton University to pursue his master’s. He dreams of one day owning his own business and providing therapeutic services, but he also expresses interest in working in schools or getting involved in advocacy organizations.
Promoting the Black Student Union at the Black Student Organization Expo.Speaking to his peers at the 2026 Spartan Leadership Summit.
He says many children with stutters or challenges with articulation, particularly in the K-5 age bracket, need someone who understands them. “Sometimes, parents overlook these disorders,” he says. “They think their kids will grow out of it. Early testing and early intervention are important.”
Hopkins says, “In my experience, students with this level of motivation, background experience, and compassion are well-positioned to become impactful clinicians. David is an inspiration to all who know him.”
Just like he did with students at UNCG, he’s excited to see how his degree will help him bridge gaps, make people feel like they belong, and keep being a role model.
“I’m a very outgoing person, and overall, I’m glad I made some sort of impact,” says Sandy. “I’ve done a lot to get to where I am today.”
Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications
CELEBRATE OUR GRADS!
Graduates and their families are encouraged to share their accomplishments on social media by tagging the University accounts and using the hashtag #UNCGGrad. Visit UNCG’s digital swag page for Commencement-themed graphics and templates.
Mention @UNCG in celebratory posts on Instagram and X and @uncgreensboro on TikTok.
Class of 2026: From Uncertainty to Impact, AnnaGrace Berry Finds Her Place in Education
Posted on April 29, 2026
AnnaGrace Berry did not expect to find her calling in a classroom. But now, she cannot imagine being anywhere else.
Set to graduate this year with a bachelor’s degree in dual elementary and special education from UNC Greensboro’s School of Education, Berry is already doing the work she once only imagined: leading her own classroom as a long-term substitute while completing her student teaching. It is a role that may be overwhelming for many, but for Berry, it feels natural.
“I look forward to coming to work,” she says. “Teaching just fills my cup.”
That sense of purpose didn’t come overnight. From her early experiences volunteering with Special Olympics to navigating life with Type 1 diabetes alongside her service dog, Lake, Berry has built for herself a path defined by resilience, empathy, and a desire to make a difference.
FINDING HER WAY TO UNCG
Though her parents are originally from Winston-Salem, N.C., Berry grew up in a military family in Calvert County, Md. She graduated from high school and attended community college where she pursued nursing before realizing the field was not a fit for her.
After relocating to North Carolina and attending Forsyth Tech Community College, Berry decided she wanted to become a teacher. She enrolled at UNCG in 2023, choosing the School of Education after meeting both students and faculty members in the program.
“I remember talking to education students, and they spoke very highly about the program,” she says. “When a student is speaking highly of something, that speaks volumes.”
WHY EDUCATION
AnnaGrace Berry and her service dog Lake
Berry was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was 4 years old and often found herself being the child left out. Things changed for her when she began volunteering with Special Olympics. It was in this role that she found her love of working with children.
She says, “Working with kids with special needs, teaching them, working one-on-one with them evolved into becoming a teacher. I love teaching kids. I love fostering their knowledge.”
After having loving, supportive elementary teachers, Berry met a high school math teacher who noticed her difficulties with the subject. This teacher dedicated extra time to help Berry grasp the concepts in a manner tailored to her needs, even if it differed from the approach used for other students.
Berry wants to pay that forward, to be that teacher who works to make a difference in the life of a student. She says, “I want to be that person they can come to and say, ‘I don’t understand,’ and I know that their brain works differently, so I can say, ‘Let’s figure out what works for your brain.’”
While she entered the UNCG program intending to teach elementary special education, Berry has found joy in working with older students in her current role as a long-term substitute at Western Guilford High School. The position allows her to teach a variety of subjects, including English, math, and economics.
“This program is an occupational course of study,” she says. “We’re helping kids with special needs develop life skills and work skills. I do it because I love the kids and I love the topic, too.”
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
In her first year at UNCG, Berry commuted daily from Winston-Salem before moving on campus the following year. Now, she lives in an off-campus apartment.
Berry was anxious about moving on campus due to her diabetes, but having Lake eased that transition. Her service dog alleviated her fears of sleeping through her medical alarms in the middle of the night or experiencing a diabetic emergency. If Berry’s blood sugar is off, Lake is trained to smell it and alert her early to avoid an emergency.
She says, “He’s always ahead of the machine. Having him makes me more confident and helps me trust myself. He played a huge part in me moving on campus.”
When living on campus, Berry lived in an ADA accessible room with her service dog. She found that being in a single room forced her to get outside of her comfort zone to connect with other people on campus. That is where her participation in student organizations like the Student Council for Exceptional Children was beneficial.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Berry’s students signed her graduation stole.
While at Western Guilford completing her student teaching requirement this year, Berry received a call from her cooperating teacher at the school over winter break. She learned that the program’s co-teacher had left the school, and a long-term sub was needed.
After speaking with school leadership and Dr. Julie Bost, Berry’s student-teaching supervisor and mentor at UNCG, she was able to step in to becomethe classroom’s long-term substitute in February.
Despite being younger than the faculty and not much older than some of her students, Berry has felt welcomed, respected, and supported from the beginning.
“They talk to me like an adult,” she says. “Sometimes as an intern or student teacher, other staff members might talk to you like a college student. But they’re asking me about what I want to do after college and if there is anything I need. I can go to my cooperating teacher if I don’t know how to teach something to the students.”
While Berry is teaching, Lake has a mat where he lays nearby. If he needs to alert, he will come to her. Her students understand that Lake is a service dog, and she uses his presence as a teaching opportunity — presenting a small lesson about his work. She will also allow students to occasionally pet him, but only after they have completed their assignments.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Berry hopes to remain at Western Guilford in a full-time capacity next year. But wherever she goes, she just wants to be teaching.
“I can honestly and truly say, that as long as I’m teaching, I would be happy,” says Berry.
Looking ahead, she is planning for her career after being in the classroom. She wants to pursue a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction while working. That degree would allow her to help design and implement curriculum, possibly at the state level.
But until then, she wants her students to know that she is always a place that students can turn if they need a break, someone who always greets them with a smile.
Story by Chris Rash, School of Education Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications; and courtesy by AnnaGrace Berry, School of Education
CELEBRATE OUR GRADS!
Graduates and their families are encouraged to share their accomplishments on social media by tagging the University accounts and using the hashtag #UNCGGrad. Visit UNCG’s digital swag page for Commencement-themed graphics and templates.
Mention @UNCG in celebratory posts on Instagram and X and @uncgreensboro on TikTok.
