UNCG is One of Three Universities Selected to Launch Regional Virtual Reality Center
Posted on December 11, 2025
UNC Greensboro (UNCG) has been selected as one of only three U.S. universities to receive a 2025 university grant from Virtualware and HTC VIVE. With the funding, UNCG, UCLA, and the Illinois Institute of Technology will establish cutting-edge extended reality (XR) centers to drive innovative research, collaboration, and workforce development in their regions.
Through the center, UNCG students, faculty, and industry and government partners will lead extended reality innovation and develop the workforce of the future.
“Extended reality is accelerating discovery in every field, from health to engineering to the arts,” said UNCG Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement Sherine O. Obare. Using virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, people can visualize data, practice difficult skills safely, or explore new scenarios firsthand. “XR is quickly becoming a core tool across industries, and this investment positions our University and our region to benefit from its enormous potential.”
Region-wide development
As part of the funding agreement, UNCG’s new Spartan Immersive Systems Collaboratory (SISC) will adopt a shared-access model, offering regional industry and government organizations free use of the facility’s immersive infrastructure to spur joint research and innovation.
“Immersive technology and artificial intelligence are transforming how we learn, work, and build,” said UNCG Bryan School of Business and Economics Assistant Professor Motahareh Pourbehzadi, the project’s lead principal investigator. “With our new Collaboratory, we are elevating the virtual reality experience from an individual activity to a collaborative, group-based learning environment.” SISC will serve as a gateway for students, faculty, and industry and government partners to explore and develop new immersive technologies. “It will also allow the University to train the workforce of the future right here in Greensboro.”
SISC will launch in 2026, furnished with HTC VIVE headsets, powered by the VIROO cloud platform, and offering professional services to support applied research, digital engineering, workforce development, and industry partnerships. Dr. Pourbehzadi, along with co-principal investigators Dr. Lakshmi Iyer and Dr. Moez Farokhnia Hamedani, will supervise the center development.
CDW and Lenovo are also contributors to the initiative. “CDW provided us with space and support for virtual reality development during the summer,” said Iyer. “They have been big advocates, bringing Lenovo in to support us with servers and the PC configurations needed for the Collaboratory. These partnerships are helping position UNCG as a regional leader in immersive technology innovation.”
Building on existing strengths
Students will hold leadership positions in center development. “Students are an essential part of this endeavor,” said Farokhnia Hamedani, “Doctoral student Nicholas Amoah, for example, initially developed our virtual reality capacity as part of our new Google-funded Spartan Cyber Guardian Academy.”
As UNCG expands its research footprint, SISC will enhance the University’s capacity to drive technological convergence and further its mission as a rising research institution.
“We are honored to be selected by Virtualware and HTC VIVE for this forward-looking initiative,” said Obare. “This award reflects UNCG’s growing momentum in applied research, digital engineering, and regional economic partnerships.”
Graduates Combine Knowledge With Showmanship for ‘Webinars Worth Watching’
Posted on January 09, 2026
Virtual presentations are becoming more common in education and the workforce. Graduate students can compete to keep audiences engaged in “Webinars Worth Watching,” the Graduate School’s collaboration with University Libraries from Feb. 16-20.
Paving an educational path for interpreters and advocates
Posted on January 06, 2026
IDEAS alumnus and freelance ASL interpreter on his time with UNCG
Alumnus Mark Lineberger grew up fluent in English and American Sign Language (ASL). His mother, who had deaf siblings, taught at the North Carolina School for the Deaf in his hometown of Morganton, where his father served as a minister for a deaf congregation. ASL was the family’s second language.
Committed to using his ASL skills, Lineberger chose to major in deaf education, but unlike his classmates, he did not plan to teach. While on campus, he interpreted for other students in their classes and expanded his experience working with people with hearing disabilities..
He earned a certificate to interpret in the community but was not sure how he would put it to use. “I had a base of fluency,” he says. “But I had to learn how to adapt it to different situations.”
In the late 1970s, the early years of the deaf education program, most of the world’s deaf individuals were taught to speak and read lips. Research later showed that oral language is not the only effective way to communicate, which uncovered a need for those who can interpret.
“If you wanted an interpreter at your doctor’s appointment or other things, you asked a family member or friend,” recalls Lineberger. He wanted to see that change.
So did UNCG faculty members Edgar Schroyer, Glenda Torres, and Mary V. Compton, who were considering creating a concentration in Deaf Advocacy for people like Lineberger, who wanted to work in various contexts besides teaching.
Today, Lineberger says lightheartedly that he was the “guinea pig” as faculty designed a curriculum that included general education courses that led to more advanced coursework in psychology, sociology, social work, and other subjects to prepare interpreters for various settings.
They knew that being a successful and versatile interpreter requires more than just knowing ASL.
“Their guidance of my academic path laid the groundwork for the IDEAS program,” Lineberger says. “You need content knowledge to work in a legal setting, social services setting, religious settings and others. You have to know a little about a lot, so you can interpret not just words, but concepts for an equivalent message in ASL.”
A Quest for Understanding
Now, 25 years after graduation, Lineberger is a busy freelance interpreter. He works wherever he is called to go: courtrooms, doctors’ offices, press conferences and anywhere interpreting is needed. The Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, requires that an interpreter be provided upon request in a variety of situations.
Lineberger gets some of his work through interpreting agencies, while some clients call him directly. He is in great demand. He might go from a courtroom to a physical therapist’s office to a public official’s press conference, all within a day.
“I enjoy the variety of the work I get to do,” he says.
When he does his best work, people hardly notice he’s in the room. They just know they can communicate.
It’s critical to recognize, he says, that in each situation interpreters are not “helping deaf people.” Rather, they provide communication, language equity, and equal access to the world through interpretation.
His goal at each job is to ensure that both deaf people and hearing people leave the appointment or event with the same knowledge of what was said. Both need interpretation to communicate. In facilitating that process, Lineberger is also breaking barriers and building community.
“It’s a big responsibility and should be treated as such,” Lineberger says.
UNCG’s Interpreting, Deaf Education and Advocacy Services (IDEAS) Program in the School of Education is celebrating its 50th year. Begun in 1975, offering only a bachelor’s degree in Deaf Education, it now also includes concentrations in Interpreting and Advocacy Services.
Story by Mary Daily
Photography by NCDHHS Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Getting Back to Business While Taking Back Her Life
Posted on January 05, 2026
Ruhani Amin ’25 M.S. faced a difficult choice that ended her plans for medical school, but she never let her dreams of higher education come to an end. In UNCG’s Bryan School of Business and Economics, she seized her chance for a fresh start.
Dr. Amanda Giordano Credits UNCG for Shaping Her Counseling Career
Posted on December 23, 2025
Now an associate professor at the University of Georgia, Amanda Giordano ’09, ’12 Ph.D., reflects on her time at UNCG cultivating the clinical, research, and supervision skills that define her career. She encourages Spartans to cherish every moment and maximize their experience by building meaningful connections.
Family Excitement Reigns Supreme at Fall 2025 Commencement Celebrations
Posted on December 12, 2025
Traditions and family gatherings permeate our culture as the holiday season brings each year to a close, but for 1,954 UNC Greensboro Class of 2025 graduates, families gathered early to celebrate life-changing accomplishments.
At UNCG, Commencement is truly a family affair. Proud parents watch their children reach a goal they’ve been dreaming of since they were born. Children beam with excitement as they witness a parent or family member walk across the stage to get their diploma. Friends who have become chosen family line up in gowns with vibrant stoles and decorated caps to take the last steps of their college journeys. And faculty and staff mentors toast the fruits of their labor as they send a new group of Spartan alumni out into the world to make it better.
Shouldering the Responsibility of Knowledge
On Thursday, UNCG’s highest level of mentors, the doctoral advisors, hooded a new group of Spartan academic doctors in a personal ceremony at the UNCG Auditorium. The smiles and hugs between the advisors and Ph.D. candidates held a culmination of questions, research, and breakthroughs. In the gallery, family members of all ages absorbed the magnitude of their loved ones’ achievements.
Scenes from the doctoral ceremony.
Elvira Green receives honorary Doctor of Letters degree.
Doctoral letters of science, education, and the arts were bestowed, as well as an honorary Doctor of Letters degree to mezzo-soprano Elvira Green. Her talents have taken her to New York City’s Metropolitan Opera, performances in every continent, the University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas to design a vocal studies program, and now back to her native state of North Carolina. Her career highlights brought to mind all the places that UNCG’s doctoral candidates will take their knowledge.
Speaker Joshua Goodman ’05 ’08 Ph.D. spoke of his own hooding as “deeply meaningful,” and remembered the weight of it on his shoulders representing “years of mentorship, challenge, and growth.” He welcomed the candidates into the familial ranks of UNCG alumni as “stewards of the values and vision of the institution.”
“You are ambassadors of UNCG’s commitment to equity, innovation, discovery and transformative learning. Go forward boldly, carrying with you the knowledge and passion needed to make a better future.”
– Joshua Goodman ’05 ’08 Ph.D.
Bold Steps to a Bright Future
At the larger ceremony in the First Horizon Coliseum on Friday, families and supporters were even more vocal in their support of the undergraduate and master’s candidates. Presenting flowers, boldly wearing blue and gold, and waving excitedly, friends and relatives scanned the rows of chairs on the floor looking for their loved ones seated in caps and gowns.
This year’s student speaker, Juan Lopez Delapaz ’24 ’25 M.S. represented the 1,488 undergraduates and 321 master’s candidates receiving diplomas. He also spoke for the many first-generation and Hispanic students in attendance when he began his remarks with a message of gratefulness to his parents. The audience responded with fervent applause to his Spanish declaration.
This mindset promises to bring a dedicated group of future teammates to N.C. employers, according to remarks from Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. He reminded the graduates that employers love UNCG alumni because they are ready to work.
“We are contributing to the prosperity of this state,” he said. “I hope you intend to leave footsteps in your communities and families for others to follow. Become that ladder of prosperity!”
Scenes from the undergraduate and master’s ceremony.
Spartan Family Strong
The emotions present throughout Commencement activities remind our community of the importance of family support and the diligence of the students who join the ranks of Spartan alumni when they cross the stage to receive their diplomas. It’s why UNCG faculty and staff are committed to the University, and why N.C. employers and communities thrive with Spartan alumni at their helms.
“My parents came to this country with hopes of giving my siblings and me better opportunities,” Lopez Delapaz said, “And today, this moment, is a testament to their sacrifice.”
Congratulations to the Class of 2025, as they go forth to make the world a better place and bring their families prosperity in the process.
Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications. Photos by Sean Norona, University Communications. Videography by David Row, University Communications.
UNCG Alumna Leads Efforts to Advance Deaf Education
Posted on December 22, 2025
Virginia Madorin ’11, a UNCG alumna in deaf education, now serves as an Individuals with Disabilities Education Act consultant for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. In her role, she alleviates communication barriers for deaf students and improves statewide access to education.
Alum’s Art Degree Lands Role Behind the Scenes in Hollywood
Posted on December 16, 2025
Katie Lambert is just one example of how an education in the arts can translate into real-world success. After starting in UNCG’s School of Theatre, she built a career through internships and hard work, and now serves as manager of digital marketing and design at Warner Bros.
The Gift That Keeps on Giving: Supporting Future Educators
Posted on December 17, 2025
The Cathy Tisdale Class of 1975 Teacher Education Endowed Scholarship helps pave the way for students interested in becoming public school educators. In hopes of encouraging future teachers and reducing financial barriers, Tisdale gifts this scholarship to ensure they can pursue their calling.
Class of 2025: Ashanti Evans Leverages UNCG Resources to Change Her Family’s Future
Posted on December 09, 2025
Ashanti Evans '25 accepted a job with Reynolds Inc before her graduation. Her starting salary is more than her parents Demetrice and Roy Evans had ever earned.
“When I cross the stage at Commencement, I’m going to remember that this isn’t my degree. It’s OUR degree.”
Ashanti Evans arrived at UNC Greensboro with a strong work ethic and an unyielding appreciation for the sacrifices her parents made for her to go to college. As a first-generation student, she didn’t quite know what to expect from classes or campus life, but she was clear about her goals and the importance of support.
In an interview with University Communications during her first week on campus in 2022, Evans answered the question, “What does UNCG mean to you?” with one word: family. She went on to say that she was looking forward to networking and meeting new people at UNCG, but she could never have imagined where her academic journey would lead her in three short years.
‘Little Boss Lady’ Finds Her Way
Evans’ desire for a strong business degree from a university that wasn’t too far from home led her to UNCG. Managing tuition with Pell grants and scholarships sealed her fate as a Spartan. She thrived on campus: meeting friends in classes, joining student organizations like the Residence Hall Association, and diving into business courses at the Bryan School of Business and Economics (Bryan School).
Her dad Roy Evans says she’s always had a mind for business. He remembers how she pushed back against lawn mowing chores when she was just a child. “She came to me and told me she wasn’t meant for outside work and offered to do extra dishes or laundry instead of mowing. It was her first experience with negotiating,” he laughs.
Evans’ no-nonsense business mind inspired her parents to call her a “Little Boss Lady,” but she also had a creative side that turned her head toward a marketing major. Professors at the Bryan School engaged her competitive nature, and she began to feel her shy disposition melt away at UNCG.
“There is a culture of care at Bryan,” Evans says. “The professors and advisors really help you, and I needed their life advice.”
She remembers Erick Byrd, who taught her hospitality and tourism class, doing burpees for every Bryan School student who passed their first semester with a B or above.
“This kind of stuff kept me going,” she says. “College was challenging for me because I didn’t know what to expect. I felt isolated away from my family, but finding encouraging professors made a difference for me. I felt seen. I felt heard.”
Evans at NAV1GATE on the day before her very first class at UNCG, and other photos from her college experience.
Support and Resources for Every Step
As Evans’ confidence grew, UNCG resources offered opportunities that kept her focused on her career and gave her an advantage in reaching her goals.
The Bryan Blueprint Series was especially meaningful as it made her consider professional skills like building her brand and collaborating with a team. Later, the Bryan School Professional Development Conference gave Evans the chance to talk to employers one-on-one, boosting her confidence for future interviews. When she sought ways to set herself apart at the Bryan School, she learned about the Disciplinary Honors program, which further challenged her academically.
Each opportunity allowed her to build on skills she’d learned and take the next step without feeling overwhelmed.
Evans with CPD’s Jasmine Williams.
“UNCG gives so many second chances to get involved and be a student leader,” she says. “In your first year, you can just be a student and get used to college, but you don’t have to be stuck at the same place you were when you came in. You always have more opportunities to excel and take advantage of resources.”
As early as her first year at UNCG, Evans discovered Career & Professional Development (CPD). “I went in with nothing, because they tell you that you don’t need résumé draft to meet with their advisors,” Evans remembers.
CPD not only helped her craft a résumé; they also improved her interview skills, presented her with opportunities like the Career Launch Bootcamp, and connected her with internships.
“They set me up for success,” she says. “Without the CPD office, I would not have a full-time position prior to graduation.”
Legacy of Progress
Last summer, Evans secured an internship within the marketing department at Reynolds American. Hired as a marketing intern for growth management, she was tasked with condensing data points into a common dashboard that would help tell a story to various departments who may not have marketing data knowledge.
Evans honors her loved ones with cameos in her tassel. The top one is her grandpa who worked for Reynolds.
She was anxious to see how her skills would play out at global company like Reynolds, but she was also excited about the salary the position promised. “My first internship check was bigger than any paycheck my mom had ever received in 18 years as a certified nurse assistant at Wake Forest Baptist,” she beams.
Reynolds was impressed with her work, which landed her on WayUp’s list of top 100 interns of 2025. It also landed her a full-time job after graduation. So, in January, Evans will move back to her hometown for a marketing analyst position at Reynolds American—the same company that her grandfather worked for as a truck driver until he retired.
“I’m a legacy,” she says proudly. “We’d be nothing without RJ Reynolds. So many of my family members worked for Reynolds. This company put food on our tables and built my city.” But for Evans, the job combines legacy with progress that promises to change her family’s future.
When asked about her starting salary, she gets a little emotional: “I don’t know how to put it into words. It’s more money than my parents ever thought about earning. I’ve seen them struggle, so my goal has always been to make more than they make. And once I get something in my head, I go after it no matter what it takes.”
Lighting the Way
Evans’ organizational management professor Ronnie Schaffer advised her to consider benefits, corporate culture, and advancement opportunities as well as salary, but he knows that Reynolds will be lucky to have her.
“Ashanti approaches every challenge with a can-do attitude and is an inspiration to others,” Schaffer says. “The Spartan Family is excited for her to begin the next chapter of her professional journey.”
When she thinks about her next chapter, she’s most excited about giving back—to her family, to her community, and to UNCG. She’d like to create a scholarship at her high school, Mount Tabor, for students who want to go to UNCG.
“Mount Tabor’s mascot is also the Spartan, and their motto is ‘Once a Spartan, always a Spartan,” she explains. “I literally lived that. UNCG has helped me so much in every single way possible, and I can’t wait to come back to help other students like me.”
Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications. Photography and Videography by Chase Cofield, David Row, and Sean Norona.
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.
