Berryhill Scholarships Increase Student Access to Education
Posted on June 12, 2025
Barbara Berryhill, an alumna of the Woman’s College, gifts the founding scholarship fund to support deserving students through UNCG’s School of Education and lay the foundation for more quality classrooms in North Carolina.
Triple the Languages, Triple the Fun While Teaching Abroad
Posted on June 26, 2025
Teaching on an island in the Mediterranean was such an exciting experience that Grecia Nandin ’24 is already making plans to go back. “I learned so much going abroad,” she says. “I love going to other countries and fully experiencing them, not just visiting. It’s why I got into languages.”
The island in question is Corsica, a territory of France known for rugged hiking trails, megaliths, wine and cheese, and a rich history influenced by the Romans, French, Genoese, and North African Arabs who controlled it over the centuries. Nandin taught English in the port city of Bastia. In between classes, a five-minute walk brought the UNC Greensboro alumna from her house to the beach.
An eagerness to travel is something she shares with her fellow students in UNCG’s Department of Languages, Literatures, and Culture (LLC). As the program name suggests, classes involve more than vocabulary and sentence structure.
“It is not limited to technically learning a language,” says Nandin. “There’s so much you can learn about yourself and about working with other people.”
Beyond Words
Before coming to UNCG, Nandin became an interpreter in the health sector. She learned Spanish as a child, but she realized she needed more education if she wanted to advance in that area of work.
“Interpreting isn’t just being a little bilingual,” she says. “I went back to school to learn more about Spanish history, Spanish colloquialisms, and other things.”
Nandin took time between classes to explore Corsica and nearby Italy.
Nandin was impressed by how much the faculty cheered on the students. “Monsieur Peter Dola was the one who told me, ‘You should consider teaching,'” she reflects. “Never in my life had I thought I would be a good teacher. Dr. Catherine Viano Laughon inspired me to do a double major in languages. And Cybelle McFadden encouraged us a lot. She would tell us, ‘You should take this course before you go abroad. It’s really going to benefit you.'”
It was McFadden who introduced her to the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) when Nandin asked about French study abroad. She applied and was invited to spend a year living in a French community.
Corsican vs. American Classrooms
TAPIF places Americans in France’s elementary and secondary schools (the equivalent of middle and high school) as teaching assistants. The placement requires an intermediate proficiency in French, enough to carry out daily tasks, converse with the teachers, and manage the classroom.
Like Nandin, her students are learning other languages. They speak French, but the island is trying to preserve its native language, Corsican. Nandin supplemented that with English vocabulary lessons. There, she saw that the children, ages six to 11, were just as curious about Americans as she was about them.
The American TAPIF participants held a Thanksgiving dinner for the Corsican teachers and their fellow teaching assistants.
“It was a little break for them from their bilingual program where they learn Corsican,” she says. “They asked me a lot about American popular culture and sports.”
Naturally, there was some culture shock. She relied on trains, buses, and ferries to get around. School days followed different schedules with longer holiday breaks. Corsican students spend fewer days in school compared to Americans, so Nandin got time to explore and travel, but leaving the island was difficult due to the distance and cost of plane fare. The local teachers, however, graciously stepped up to help their TAPIF assistants.
“They took us on hikes to the other side of the island and organized dinners,” she says. “They taught us a lot about their culture.”
Ready for More
Back in Greensboro, Nandin still works in interpreting, including for the Center for New North Carolinians and the agency CAP. French lessons find ways of creeping into her job. “It really helps you so much,” she says. “I’m often surprised while on the medical scene when I see a word and realize that it’s got a French root.”
Many TAPIF participants pursue jobs in education, international relations, and political science. Nandin now has the confidence to continue interpreting or teaching. She already intends to apply for another year with TAPIF in 2026.
From the beginning of her time at UNCG, Nandin knew a degree would improve her prospects, but she did not expect it to take her as far as it did. “Now, when people ask me about my future plans, I might say, ‘I don’t know if I can do it.’ Then they tell me, ‘You went across the world and started a job in a different language!’ I’m so glad I did it. I would tell other students to be prepared to be open to the challenge. It really helped me grow.”
Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications Photography courtesy of Grecia Nandin
A Season of Broken Records, Notable Performances, and Championships
UNC Greensboro Spartans prevailed during the 2025 spring athletics season, with historic wins, broken records, standout players, and high honors. Here’s a rundown of notable moments in spring sports.
BASKETBALL
Women
The Spartan Women’s Basketball Team logged the biggest story in UNCG sports this spring, earning the regular season title outright for the second time in history, then winning the SoCon Tournament in overtime against Chattanooga 64-57 to become champions and earn a berth in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament for the first time this century.
In the championship game, kinesiology grad student Khalis Cain scored a personal best 20 points, crossing the 1,000-point mark for her college career, while pulling down 12 rebounds and adding five blocks. She also surpassed 1,000 career rebounds this season. Cain was named SoCon Tournament MVP and made the All-Tournament First Team.
Teammate Jayde Gamble, who scored her 1,000th career point earlier in the season, dropped 29 points in that tournament and grabbed 11 rebounds to make the SoCon All-Tournament Second Team. She was also named to the SoCon All-Conference Second Team.
Head Coach Trina Patterson, who was named SoCon Coach of the Year for the third time since she began at the helm of the Spartans nine seasons ago, registered her fourth season with 20 wins or more. In April she was named to the 2025 Achieving Coaching Excellence Women’s College Basketball Honor Roll.
On the way to their championship, the Spartans rode a 14-game winning streak, the longest in the team’s Division I era, and went undefeated on their home court at Fleming Gymnasium.
Women’s Spartans Head Coach Trina Patterson was named SoCon Coach of the Year.Men’s Head Coach Mike Jones logged his third straight year for the Spartans with 20 or more wins.
Men
The Spartan men’s squad finished the regular season in second place, entering the SoCon Tournament with a 2-seed.
Junior Kenyon Giles made All-SoCon First Team, while classmate Donovan Atwell was selected for the All-SoCon Third Team. Giles had a career-best season, averaging 15.3 points, 1.1 steals, and 2.9 rebounds per game. Atwell placed Top 50 in the nation for three-pointers per game (34th, 3.00), three-point percentage (38th/40.2), and three-point shots made (43rd/96).
At the season’s end, Head Coach Mike Jones was named a finalist for the 2024-25 Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his coaching career. The 20-12 overall record was the eighth time for Jones winning 20 or more games and third-straight year at the helm of the Spartans.
SOFTBALL
The Spartans Softball team finished their season in second place in the SoCon with a 39-18 record, 14-6 in conference play, entering the SoCon Tournament with a 2-seed.
Macy Michael was named SoCon Freshman of the Year, finishing with a .344 batting average and 45 hits, nine of which were home runs. Michael was selected for the All–Conference Second Team and, with teammate Hadley Gardner, the All-Freshman Team. Kaylyn Belfield, Grace Loftin, and Jorde Chartrand made the All-Conference First Team. Loftin and Chartrand were also honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association by being placed on All-Mid-Atlantic Region teams.
The Spartans led the SoCon in home runs (80), home runs per game (1.40) on-base percentage (0.387), RBI per game (5.58), scoring (5.86), slugging percentage (0.527), sacrifice flies (20)
They finished 16th in the entire NCAA in home runs, 15th in homers per game, 19th in sacrifice bunts, and 29th in slugging percentage and 39th in total RBI.
BASEBALL
Pitcher Danny Thompson Jr. made All SoCon First Team.
Freshman Lulu Leetham finished in second place at the Puerto Rico Shootout.The men’s team had four first-place finishes this season.
Women
The high point of the women’s golf season came with a win at the Puerto Rico Shootout, finishing abbreviated play at two-over-par to log the team’s first tournament win since 2008-09 at the UNCG Starmount Classic. Freshman Lulu Leetham finished second in individual play at four-under-par.
The team finished fifth or better in nine of its 12 events this season, including a fourth-place finish at the SoCon Tournament, which was the best showing since 2013 when the team finished in third place. Senior Ava Romfo won the individual title in the UNCG Collegiate in October. And the entire team competed in the National Golf Invitational, held in Maricopa, Arizona,in May, where they finished fourth overall.
The team landed in second place in the SoCon Championships at –18. Three players – Lewis, Dutton, and Marcotte, made All-SoCon teams. During the season, the team earned five SoCon Golfer of the Week accolades: Jake Lewis (twice), Jack Marcotte, Dutton, and Hernandez. Dutton finished in the top 50 in the NCAA Regionals, with one eagle, four birdies and 35 even par holes. The entire team cheered on golf alumni Randall Hudson, who made his PGA Tour debut this year at the ONEFlight Myrtle Beach Classic in May.
TENNIS
Freshman Elisabeth Birkevold made the All SoCon Freshman Team.Men’s Tennis players Andrew Black and Devon Moskowitz earned their first nartional doubles ranking.
The Men’s Spartan tennis squad entered the SoCon Tournament after a sixth-place regular season finish, logging all of its nine wins at home. Highlights included the doubles team of Andrew Black and Devon Moskowitz who landed at No. 79 in the Intercollegiate Doubles Rankings in December for their first national ranking, Moskowitz also led the team in singles wins with a 14-7 record.
Tymofiy Khrystyuk also earned a spot on the SoCon All-Conference Singles Second Team.
TRACK
Senior Emma Berrier became Spiro’s Comeback Player of the Year.The men’s distance medley team set a UNCG record at the GVSO Big Meet.
Women
Bright spots in the women’s track season include a strong season by Emma Berrier, who won Spiro’s Comeback Player of the Year after logging five career-best times in the indoor 800-meter event, the indoor mile, the indoor 3,000-meter, and the outdoor 5,000-meter and 1,500-meter.
Also of note, Milania Millard broke the UNCG outdoor record in the 200-meter run at the Aggie Classic in March with a time of 26.38.
Men
Prior to postseason competition, Andrew Hamilton broke the UNCG indoor record for the 1000-meter run with a time of 2:29.96 at the Liberty Open. The previous record was set in 2010 by Terry Wyatt. Samuel Barnard and Hamilton now sit first and second, respectively, in the UNCG record book for the indoor 800-meter run. They made their mark in UNCG history in February at the GVSU Big Meet. The distance medley relay team of Hamilton, Barnard, Glodi Mvovi, and Brodie Schneider also broke the UNCG distance medley relay record at the GVSU Big Meet, a 13-year old record. The same quartet also broke the 4×400-meter relay indoor record at the same meet, previously set in 2020.
Hamilton and Barnard, respectively, also sit first and second in the UNCG outdoor record book in the 800-meter run. Hamilton snapped the 19-year-old mark with a time of 1:51.41 at the Charlotte Invitational in April.
Within minutes of speaking with Vivian Dennis ’85, you know she is a leader.
You quickly sense not only her ability to lead but also a fervent desire to give back and build community.
“We are only strongest when we work together,” says Dennis.
One look at the life she’s led and continues to lead clearly demonstrates the truth behind her words. From a long military career to her post as the UNC Greensboro’s School of Nursing (SON) Advisory Board Chair, Dennis has embraced every opportunity to serve.
UNCG Experience
Dennis quickly defines earning her bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) at UNCG as “a really good experience,” full of normal college events, like moving away from home and establishing a routine of study.
She identifies her time at UNCG as “an opportunity to reinvent herself,” building on her high school identity and gaining independence.
Dennis specifically remembers UNCG’s first Black faculty member, Ernestine Small, during her years in school. At just 24 years old, Small became a change agent not only for UNCG’s SON but also for the entire UNC System and the broader cause of civil rights.
“Dr. Small was also the first African American to be the president of the North Carolina Nurses Association, starting in 1979,” says Dennis. “She was a vibrant individual and had an important role at that time.”
Sign Me Up
Dennis’ own list of accomplishments garners awe – from her storied career with the U.S. Air Force to her dual MBA in healthcare and human resources.
When considering her entry into the military, a colleague told Dennis her nursing degree would enable her to be a leader.
“My antennas went up, and I asked, ‘Where do I sign up?’” Dennis says. “I wanted to implement what I learned in college. I wanted to lead. I was ‘all in’ for a lifetime.”
From Japan to England, Massachusetts to Georgia, and Virgina to Alaska, Dennis completed 30 years of service for her country, starting her military career in medical-surgical nursing and ending as director of programs, with many positions in between.
Leading Teams
Dennis’ military experiences shaped her deep understanding of purpose and community, specifically her work in an ICU during deployment to Afghanistan.
She was in charge of a team in which about 60 percent of her staff, herself included, did not necessarily have ICU-trained skills. Despite that, they united as a cohesive group with ICU-trained Army and Navy nurses and utilized their talents.
That interdependence was called into action following a firefight between U.S. and coalition forces with the Taliban. Seven Frenchmen, each sustaining life-threatening burn injuries, were brought to C.J. Craig Joint Hospital where Dennis’ team worked tirelessly for 13 hours.
“Our team had three hours to prepare, to get our mindset ready,” Dennis says. “We needed to be of one accord. We stabilized the servicemen enough for an aero evacuation to Germany.”
Dennis recalls they were able to depend on one another during this challenging event because “everyone brought something to the table.”
Standing Tall, Ready to Serve
Dennis retired as a Colonel and now brings that same understanding of camaraderie to her role as chair of the SON’s Advisory Board. Dean Debra Barksdale offered her the opportunity to serve in this way in 2022.
“Here is this dynamo Dean Barksdale, and she wanted me to chair one of her boards,” says Dennis. “I said, ‘Absolutely! I am here standing tall, chest out, head up and anything I can do, yes ma’am.’ And it’s been an awesome experience.”
Since UNCG is her nursing school, it’s personal. Her goals are to focus on SON’s mission and strategic plan and to advocate for nursing students, faculty, and alumni.
Dennis appreciates the changes Dean Barksdale has instituted in the SON since her arrival, noting the “speed of light” impact she brings to the school on local and national levels.
Barksdale says the admiration is mutual: “From our first meeting, Vivian’s pride in her UNCG education was clear. As chair, she leads with distinction and supports our events with her time and talents.”
Service, Integrity, Excellence
What Dennis learned in her military career influences her leadership role on the SON Board.
“It was my goal to incorporate the Air Force’s three core values into the board: Service before self, integrity, and excellence in all we do.”
These values align with what Dennis sees as the nursing program’s strengths: the leadership, faculty and staff, student resources, and research.
“I am impressed with the new nursing programs coming on board, like the PELSMN program and the BSN Direct Admission initiative, and the drive to advance nursing on an international platform,” Dennis says.
Gifts to Share
Dennis offers her talents in other ways to both nursing and military communities.
“Because of the military, because of UNCG, I have a wealth of knowledge and mentorship to share,” she says.
Dennis serves in the Carolina Nurses League, a local nursing association fostering nurse relationships and opportunities, and is a NC A&T University Junior Nursing Student Proctor.
“I really appreciate the opportunities offered me to be back at UNCG and to be a force there,” Dennis says. “Any opportunity to engage with UNCG students and alumni, I raise my hand.”
Story by Amy Burtch, AMBCopy Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications
This Latino-based – but not Latino-exclusive – organization focuses on the personal and professional development of its members by hosting a series of events throughout the year. Its expanding membership since 2020 demonstrates the demand.
Students Impress at UNCG’s Undergraduate Research Expo
Posted on June 18, 2025
Quinrose Mvuri and Adrianna Mims present research of UNCG's Spartan Dining.
Being a student researcher at UNC Greensboro entails more than acquiring new knowledge; it means passing along those findings to enlighten others and impact lives. But how does one convert two to four years of rigorous study into a brief conversation with someone who, at best, has a cursory understanding of the subject?
Students in Lloyd International Honors College say the Expo opens their eyes to the vast potential of research, building their confidence in presenting and defending their findings. In the Cone Ballroom of the Elliott University Center, students choose to present via posters, visual exhibits, or performances.
Winners of the 2025 Expo shared their secrets to success, insights from mentors, and surprises along the way.
URSCO Director Kimberly Petersen welcomes students to the Expo.
A Great Lab Sparks Great Talking Points
Kaela Pena ’25 took first place in the STEM category for her research on cellular mitosis.
“I got a message in my lab group chat from another Expo participant, saying, ‘Congrats to Kaela for winning first place!'” she says. “It was a complete shock. I didn’t go in thinking about the competition part. It was mainly about presenting my research.”
It was exciting news since this was her first time participating in the Expo. “I’ve been researching this for so long, I know it like the back of my hand,” she says. “I didn’t come in with a speech or anything. I knew I wanted to have a conversation.”
While earning her degree in biology, Pena joined Dr. Nick Ader’s research team to study the Alx1 gene as a key regulator of ESCRT activity – structures associated with the sealing of the nuclear envelope during cell division. At the Expo, she had to simplify all the complex biology for a general audience.
“The biggest thing I did was use pictures,” she explains. “Images tell more than you can say with words.”
Ader advised her to begin presentations by asking visitors what they already knew about cell division, giving her a starting point for each interaction. Her lab group was equally supportive while she prepared. “I’m not the only one who was presenting at the Expo,” says Pena. “We were able to bounce off of each other, learning how to communicate our research in lab meetings.”
Now heading into UNCG’s master’s program in biology, she’s excited to pass her research on to new undergraduates. “I’ll be sticking around to see where the research goes.”
Kaela’s Presentation advice
“Be able to communicate your research in an effective way, and that does not mean using all the fancy terminology. Be able to put it in simple terms in a simple way that still gets your message across. It’s having a conversation.”
Animation Brings Past into the Present
Jasmine Doctor ’25 won the visual arts category with her work “Why Can’t I Just Be Me?” The project was near and dear to her heart.
“I got a little emotional when making it,” says the newly graduated animation student. “I was like, ‘Wow, it’s a good time to self-reflect.'”
Despite its sentimental meaning, it was not Doctor’s first idea. She knew she wanted to make an animatic – a sequence of images used to pre-visualize an animated scene. However, her original story did not “click,” she says. While brainstorming with her professor Dan Hale, she pivoted. She reflected on high school conversations about feeling like, as she puts it, “the weird Black girl.” That gave her a new story idea about writing a letter to her younger self exploring culture, stereotypes, and identity.
She asked her mother for photos from her childhood. “She would dig through her photos of me when I was younger, so, I could see my hairstyles and clothes I used to wear. I saw how I used to dress and how my style has changed.”
Doctor enjoyed taking curious attendees behind the scenes for animation. “Once people understand the process, they say, ‘Oh, I see how much work and effort goes into it.’ They appreciate it a lot more.” She feels she could build upon the animatic for a future presentation.
Jasmine’s Presentation advice
“It’s okay to make mistakes and improvise. I had note cards somewhat memorized. But then I said, ‘Okay, I have a general idea of what I want to talk about. Let’s go off script and see how it goes.’ And it was still very efficient because it came from my heart.”
“I had a chance to attend a food panel that AADS held about sustainability practices,” she says. “That got me thinking, ‘Okay, how does that look in my life? How can I be more sustainable? How can I be more conscious about what I eat?'”
She partnered with biology major Adrianna Mims to study the UNCG Fountain View Dining experience. With guidance from Dr. Hewan Girma, they surveyed students on food quality, service, meal plan costs, and dietary options. Their project won first place in humanities at the Expo.
Students praised the dining staff’s friendliness but suggested improvements like easier access to the ingredients list and more transparency into sustainable practices.
“We kept sentences short, quick, and efficient,” says Mvuri, when describing their final presentation. “We included pictures of the food that students liked and disliked.”
She greatly appreciates Girma’s work in helping them refine the survey to engage as many students as possible. “She went through and told us which questions were too long and showed us how to narrow them down, reminding us of who we were talking to,” she says.
Next semester, they plan to turn the research into recommendations for Spartan Dining. “Now we have the data, and we have to put it into action,” says Mvuri.
Quinrose’s Presentation advice
“Find what you’re passionate about. Find something that drives you, what you want to change. Dig deep into that. At first, I thought my research was insufficient, that it wasn’t ‘science.’ Don’t be afraid to venture out beyond what you think counts as ‘science.'”
Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications
UNCG’s Wind Ensemble Embarks On a Tour That Sparks New Academic Insight
Posted on June 20, 2025
“I never imagined I would have the chance to go on a tour this extensive.” UNCG performers spent this spring barnstorming across more than 1,000 miles of the American South.
Humanities at Work Preps Spartans for Real-World Applications of Their Majors
Posted on June 06, 2025
Abundant Life Ministries cohort present at the Humanities at Work showcase.
“It’s not your typical final exam.”
This is how Jennifer Feather, UNC Greensboro’s Humanities at Work program’s co-principal investigator, described the showcase that would wrap the first class of students’ work in the program. But for all in attendance, the student presentations perfectly displayed all the knowledge and experience they absorbed during their internships.
Putting Degrees (and Funding!) to Work
The Humanities at Work (H@W) program kicked off its pilot season in August 2024 after receiving the largest Mellon grant in UNCG ‘s history. The $5 million grant covers five years of the program including intern wages, program staffing, and funding for a curriculum that actively prepares students to apply their humanities degrees in the workforce. In an age where students are constantly questioned about how they’ll make money with their college degrees, H@W provides a solution.
“I’m humbled everyday by the talent and dedication of the team that runs this program, Dr. Jennifer Feather, Dr. Heather Adams, Dr. Lauren Shook and Dr. Megan Walters,” said Maura Heyn, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Humanities at Work brings together talented students with productive and transformative community partners and demonstrates to the world that pursuing a degree in humanities is a choice that students can and should make.”
Undergraduates accepted into the program are placed into paid internships with local nonprofits, but real-world experience and income represent only a portion of the benefits they receive from the program. Weekly classes allow them to reflect on their work and share experiences with peers, practice job-seeking skills, and attend seminars led by humanities majors with successful careers in various fields.
The first class of students in the program clearly recognized the need for their skills in the community, a need that is acutely appreciated in the nonprofit sector. It’s a win-win partnership for the University and for the nonprofits who participate.
Elijah Young is an international and global studies major with a unique appreciation for the ways his peers have helped focus him for purpose in his career. He arrived at UNCG with the motivation of a competitive athlete and a curiosity about other cultures that drove his academics.
Young’s grandfather played basketball in Argentina, so he has always wanted to connect with his extended family there. But he wasn’t sure how his global studies degree would translate to a career.
“I chose global studies because I didn’t want a major that would put me in a box, but leading up to this year, I still felt a little lost about what I want to do in the future,” Young explains. “My peers in the H@W program have really inspired me. We all do different things, but we bring different specialties to the nonprofits we serve.”
Young’s cohort worked with Abundant Life Ministries (ALM), which provides underserved communities with assistance including translation services, spiritual guidance, health clinics, and food programs. The students helped with ALM’s Monday Market, where community members can “shop” for free groceries, and Tuesday night family dinners, where Young gravitated towards youth who were regulars. He soon became a trusted mentor for 9-year-old Cameron.
“In my internship, I learned about different cultures, religion, community, and communication,” Young explains. “And although unexpected, I really embraced the role of being a mentor at Abundant Life. I’ve learned so much about myself from Cameron.”
In the weekly reflections in his H@W class, Young has explored nonprofit career paths, working with youth, and improving his Spanish skills. He hopes to study abroad next semester before graduating but also hopes to continue working with Abundant Life Ministries.
“It’s intimidating coming to college, but the people I’ve met along the way have made a big impact on me” he says. “My peers and advisors in the H@W program and the people I work with at ALM have helped me find my purpose. Being around like-minded people brings out the best parts of you and helps you grow.”
Young serves at ABL’s Tuesday dinners and mentors young Cameron with his fellow Humanities at Work intern, Shemar Rice. (Right and center photos provided by Young.)
Learning How the World Works
Daniella Campbell ’25
When Spanish major Daniela Campbell ‘25 was chosen to work on a two-person team of interns for UNCG Special Collections and University Archives, she hoped she would get along with her assigned teammate. But it turns out, working with history major Magnus Holland would be the least of the real-world challenges she would tackle in her H@W experience.
Campbell and Holland learned early the benefits of leaning into their strengths. “Our work was so interdependent,” she says. “My strengths were communication and public speaking, and he was much more comfortable with the research.”
They began working on a project to organize and categorize UNCG student oral histories in the library’s digital collections. Then, weeks into their work, the system crashed. Realizing that nothing’s more real-world than problem solving because of technological difficulties, they accepted the learning opportunity and considered a pivot while the digital files migrated to a new system.
Keeping true to their mission, they decided to collect physical artifacts and design an exhibit of student life from the early 1960s through the mid 1980s. Their finished project is on display in the Blakeney Hodges Reading Room.
Despite the roadblocks, Campbell describes her H@W experience as a “confidence boost.”
“The way it’s structured is very unique in that you have a classroom and work component,” she explains. “In the classroom, I could feel my confidence building with this diverse group of peers who are all really good at their disciplines. It’s refreshing to see different people bring their own perspectives, but also value what you bring to the table.”
Campbell’s favorite part of the program was the weekly agora. Named for the Greek word for marketplace, these Friday seminars featured guest speakers who shared how they applied their humanities degrees in successful careers.
“I felt like I was going to a conference every Friday,” she explains. “Extremely intelligent people just talking about what they love.” As a result, she considered working in career fields that she never imagined before: “Just because you are a humanities major, doesn’t mean you have to teach or go to grad school right out of college. You have options!”
As a business minor, Campbell will cast a wide net for jobs after graduation. “I really don’t have a preference, as long as it allows me to use my second language,” she says. “I just want to get out there and learn how the world works.”
Campell and Holland build their exhibit at the Jackson Library (photos provided by Campbell) and present at the showcase.
Doors to Unexpected Spaces
Hana Ishige ’25
Hana Ishige ‘25 is an English major whose H@W internship with the Weatherspoon Art Museum has already helped her land a job.
Ishige was among 121 honors-students selected to hold one of three highly prestigious Journal Internships of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society. This summer, she’ll be editing submissions and formatting the organization’s journals. The program is national, and Hana is the first editor from North Carolina in Sigma Tau Delta history.
Arriving at UNCG during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ishige remembers changing her major from math to English so she could pursue her passion for publishing. She’s never looked back. When she heard about the H@W pilot program, she was so excited: “I loved that it wasn’t just a paid internship program, but also a class where we could meet up and hold space for the potential of humanities majors.”
At the Weatherspoon, she worked with a cohort of students who catalog, research, and group objects by theme. Their “object tagging” labels art for public access beyond art historians, to broaden engagement of the Weatherspoon’s collection.
Although she was initially concerned that her internship would only be beneficial to art or history majors, Ishige soon understood that English majors with writing skills are needed everywhere. In writing art descriptions and preparing for art chats, she found her skills absolutely necessary to help the Weatherspoon connect with the greater Greensboro community.
Aside from the rewarding work at the museum, Ishige appreciated the ways she was able to network with faculty through the program. Heather Adams, H@W internship coordinator Lauren Shook, and her supervisors at the Weatherspoon – Raechel Cook and Hannah Southern – were always available with advice. Ishige refers to the program as a “huge open door” for students to get experience, help from faculty, career preparation, and validation that their passions and academic interests will pay off for them.
The Weatherspoon Art Museum cohort prepares for an art chat.
Hope for the Future
At the beginning of the program, Megan Walters, director of Career and Professional Development, posed a question to the group: What are you going to do with your humanities degree? And at the showcase, Ishige concluded the pilot program’s student presentations by saying, “The answer is right here in this room.”
Feather added that the 17 students in the pilot group “knocked their socks off” with the “joy and commitment they brought to their projects.” “I am beyond grateful to my colleagues, our community partners and these students,” she said. “They give me hope for the future every single day.”
And speaking of the future, next year’s Humanities at Work program will include 50 students and 12 partner organizations! As director Heather Adams pointed out, “That’s more connections, more experience, more working, and more community engagement.”
Walters praised the program, noting that “even in a short time, it feels like we are celebrating a signature part of what makes UNCG so special.”
“These students didn’t just intern this semester, they contributed, collaborated, found their voices, learned about accountability, and dealt with conflict,” Walters said. “They celebrated a job well done, and I have no doubt that they left their work sites better than they found them.”
Feather was right. The showcase was way more than an exam. It was the beginning of these 17 students’ careers, and UNC Greensboro made it happen.
Story by Becky Deakins, University Communications. Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications.
UNCG Professor Awarded Summer Fellowship Centered on Student Writing Experiences
Posted on July 08, 2025
Dr. Amy Vetter, a professor in Teacher Education and Higher Education has been awarded a fellowship from North Carolina Humanities. She will finalize a systematic literature review around student perspectives of their writing experiences in and out of school.
Eyes to the Sky: Alumna’s Exhibit Brings Space Down to Earth
Posted on June 30, 2025
The newly graduated public history major enhances the interactive learning potential of museums.
A new exhibit at the Greensboro Science Center is grabbing the attention of visitors of all ages. They can learn how to get ready for a mission to Mars. They can ride a space elevator or spread their arms and fly with migrating geese. They can design a drone or supersonic fighter jet. They can look at artifacts on loan from NASA, Boeing, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, and laboratories that are busy advancing our capacity for flight and space technology.
All are part of Above and Beyond at the Science Center this summer and fall.
On their way inside, guests will get to see the hard work of a new UNC Greensboro alumna. Alexcina Wartski ’25 MA will see months of research manifest in the corridor leading to the Science Center’s new exhibit. It’s a fitting finish to work that will lead families into an exhilarating summer museum experience.
The traveling display, which opened in May, fills about 6,000 square feet of the museum. It chronicles the history of aerospace travel and atmospheric discoveries. Interactive displays let visitors look back on historical flights or peek at how aerospace travel might look in the future.
Interaction is key, given the Science Center’s history centered on families and children. “We know we can get them excited about science before they become too old to feel bored by science,” says Jessica Gouge ’21 MA, the education, events, and collections manager. “Guests can manipulate screens to learn what it takes to fly through the air or in space. They can build their own jet and fly it in a flight simulator.”
Gouge asked Wartski to lead the creation of a supplementary exhibit. It added an additional tie to its temporary home in Greensboro. “I incorporated people from Guilford County,” says Wartski. “Some of them are Virginia Tucker, one of the human computers for NASA; and Dr. Lynnae Quick, who is working on the exploration of Jupiter’s moon Europa and the Dragonfly missions.”
Her work adorns the windows of the hallway to the main exhibit. She worked with the Science Center’s exhibits team on the design and with the Greensboro History Museum to borrow items from their collection related to space exploration.
Wartski says, “I really hope that putting Guilford County members into that exhibit will help younger kids realize there’s a lot of different things in flight and space, more than being an astronaut or pilot.”
Above and Beyond stations “Spread Your Wings” and “Future Aircraft.”
Broaden the Horizons
While this project is set in one place, Wartski is hardly a wallflower. Marketing manager Bekah Robinson ’21, a sociology alumna from UNCG, also praised Wartski’s involvement in the Science Center’s education department. “She interacts really well with our guests at our Science on the Spot talks, the Penguin Talks, Shark Talks, really trying to educate them.”
After double majoring in communications and history at Salem College, Wartski got a full scholarship for graduate school at UNCG. Museum studies was a logical next step. She says, “It is a really applicable way to get history out into the community. It’s also really fun.”
She worked in other area museums and heritage centers, including the Kaleideum in Winston-Salem. But something about the Science Center felt right to her when she visited for a class trip, she says. “I cornered Jessica and asked if I could do my capstone here.”
“We have a longstanding relationship with UNCG’s media studies,” says Gouge, who got the same degree as Wartski from UNCG. “I like to make sure that students have, in the back of their mind, the idea that museums can be a lot of things: history museums, science museums, art museums, living history museums. There are a lot of potential avenues if you want to get into the profession.”
Grad Takes Flight
Thanks to working with Gouge and the rest of the Science Center staff, Wartski learned how much she loved the creativity of building exhibits. “One of the first things you learn is to not have a finished idea in your head. It never turns out how it’s ‘supposed to be.’ It’s okay to adapt,” she says.
Wartski will continue in that field with her new job as a curator at the Har-Ber Village Museum in Oklahoma. But her mark on local history will stick around. She also received an America 250 grant to help create a traveling exhibit for North Carolina’s celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary.
And her work for Above and Beyond will remain on display at the Greensboro Science Center through September 28.
Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications Photography courtesy of the Greensboro Science Center and Above and Beyond
