鈥淐ommuteNC is a wonderful addition to 乱伦视频鈥檚 sustainability efforts because it gives our community a practical way to make a difference in their daily lives. By connecting people who share similar commutes, we can help reduce transportation costs, lower emissions and build a stronger sense of community across campus,鈥� said Kelly Harer, associate director of sustainability for education and outreach.

Create your 乱伦视频 CommuteNC account by September 11 for a chance to win prizes, including a hammock or a $50 local restaurant gift card! Be sure to use your 乱伦视频 email address when creating your account because 乱伦视频鈥檚 CommuteNC program is an 乱伦视频-specific network.

Want an extra chance to win? Refer another 乱伦视频 employee or student! If they create a CommuteNC account by Sept. 11 and complete , you鈥檒l receive an additional raffle entry.

CommuteNC directly supports the Transportation Goal in 乱伦视频’s Sustainability Master Plan 2025.聽 Learn more about the Sustainability Master Plan 2025.聽 聽

The 乱伦视频 Academy Summer Academy program is a three-week residential program, that models day-to-day life on a college campus. Scholars attend classes taught by various 乱伦视频 faculty and staff, eat in a dining hall and build connections amongst cohorts.

乱伦视频 Academy fosters a supportive culture rooted in the mentorship that EA staff, student leaders and 乱伦视频 faculty/staff provide to scholars. The holistic support 乱伦视频 Academy has cultivated has been further strengthened through the incorporation of 乱伦视频鈥檚 health and well-being initiative, HealthEU.

During the Summer Academy, scholars take academic, life skills and college-prep courses. An important aspect of the program includes Evening Sessions, which have historically served as the scholars’ extracurricular programming ranging from cooking and art to physical activity like soccer, yoga and martial arts. This summer, 乱伦视频 Academy committed to a new approach, intentionally infusing the HealthEU framework into Evening Session planning and development. This was executed through the collaboration of 乱伦视频 Academy鈥檚 Faculty Scholar Evan Small and Coordinator for Well-Being, Melissa Chacon Villalobos.

All Summer Academy instructors participated in a four-part instructor development series in the spring facilitated by Small. During the first session, instructors received an overview of the 乱伦视频 Academy, as well as insights into Alamance County and Alamance-Burlington School System.聽 During the remaining sessions, instructors received information related to 乱伦视频 Academy鈥檚 new learning framework, course development and assessment resources. Evening Session instructors, which include 乱伦视频 faculty, staff and connected community members, received an additional piece of training that gave them an overview of HealthEU, its six dimensions of well-being, and insight into how to enact the HealthEU and Wellness-Centered Pedagogy Frameworks.

The goal of this training was to give evening instructors additional resources to support them in infusing well-being into their sessions. Instructors鈥� reflections from their overall experience of teaching evening sessions and how it influenced their own professional growth or perspective as an educator included feeling prepared to embrace new challenges like teaching new subjects, working with new student populations and stepping beyond their comfort zones.

鈥�(The training) helped me step outside of my comfort zone and learn how to teach a new subject to ages that I have never taught before,” said one Evening Session instructor.

In addition, they shared having a deepened understanding of diverse student populations and strengthening their commitment to outreach, particularly in supporting first-generation and low-income (FGLI) students.

鈥淚t is a humbling experience, and provides a more diverse lens of Alamance County,” said an Evening Session instructor.

“Well-being isn’t something we teach in a single session. It’s something we intentionally weave throughout the 乱伦视频 Academy experience,” said Emily Wiersma, director of the 乱伦视频 Academy. “Dr. Evan Small and Melissa Chacon Villalobos played a key role in translating that commitment into meaningful learning experiences by equipping and supporting our Evening Session instructors. Together, our faculty, staff, and community partners created opportunities for scholars to explore their purpose, build community and develop habits that will support them in college and beyond.”

Through several weeks of diverse sessions, scholars were empowered to align their values, skills and goals to their holistic well-being. Evening Sessions allowed scholars to connect career and personal interests such as entrepreneurship, health professions, and culinary arts, while learning how to infuse well-being into their day-to-day life. For example, one Evening Session encompassing the connection between career and personal interests was Introduction to Esports. In this session, Scholars were able to play games and expand the styles of games they play, while also learning about different career paths they can take with Esports. In another course, Introduction to Sports Medicine, scholars were able to blend their interest in sports and or/ medicine with the potential career routes of being an athletic trainer in the 乱伦视频 Athletic Training Room.

The intentional instructor development and integration of the HealthEU framework have further deepened the experiences and takeaways of the Summer Academy for scholars. The Summer Academy fosters independence within scholars to take ownership of their learning and goals for college, while fostering a sense of community and belonging.

When asked to describe the most important takeaways from their evening sessions as it relates to the specific dimension of well-being, scholars shared:

• 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to work together as a team and find something that makes you happy.鈥�
• 鈥淚 learned about myself, what I value, and how I can help others.鈥�
• 鈥淭he evening sessions taught me that everyday physical activity, even if it’s just an hour or thirty minutes, can help a lot.鈥�
• 鈥淜nowing how to grow and make my own food, and how to use that as a way to escape to focus on my own well-being.鈥�

Evening Sessions in particular, model the multidimensional aspect of well-being and convey to scholars the importance of taking initiative of their well-being. Scholars experienced firsthand how career interests can intersect with personal interests and purpose. The culminating outcome of Evening Sessions is that scholars feel empowered to actively explore and make intentional decisions about how they use their time that support their values, goals and well-being.

At 乱伦视频, community-based learning is fundamentally an academic endeavor in which engagement in projects and activities takes place through reciprocal and mutually beneficial partnerships with the greater community designed to advance the public good. It is an experiential education approach that involves collaborative relationships, guided by the expertise of professors and community-based practitioners, to combine student learning with community needs as an integrated component of a course. The partnerships between 乱伦视频 and communities engage students with entities such as nonprofit organizations, schools, government agencies, or locally owned businesses.

This year, 19 faculty members have been selected for four extended faculty development programs: Community-Based Learning Faculty Scholars, Community-Based Learning Research Scholars, Community-Based Learning Course Development Grants, and a First-Year Foundations Community Engaged Community of Practice.

Five 乱伦视频 faculty members have been selected as Community-Based Learning Faculty Scholars for 2026-27. Over the course of this academic year, they will meet regularly to learn more about pedagogy and practices, devise ways to incorporate these practices into their teaching, and receive a stipend for their work.Frank Gentry, Assistant Teaching Professor of Management
Meleena Gil, Assistant Professor of English
Lauren Guilmette, Associate Professor of Philosophy
Nina Namaste, Professor of Spanish
Nikita Shepherd, Assistant Professor of History

Three 乱伦视频 faculty members have been selected as Community-Based Learning Research Scholars for 2026-27. Each will work on an independent research project during the academic year and will receive a stipend for their efforts. They are:
Dillan Bono-Lunn, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Policy
Tony Reyes, Assistant Professor of Human Service Studies
Carol Smith, Professor of Wellness

Three faculty members have been awarded Community-Based Learning Course Development Grants for 2026-28. They will spend the next two years developing, teaching and assessing their community-based learning courses. Additionally, three faculty members were awarded these grants for 2025-27. They are now in the teaching and assessment phases of their grants. These grants are supported by the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and funded through a grant from the Frueauff Foundation.

2026-28 Community-Based Learning Course Development Grant recipients:
Donna Boyette, Assistant Professor of Accounting
Smaraki Mohanty, Assistant Professor of Marketing
Bethanny Sudibyo, Assistant Professor of Spanish

2025-27 Community-Based Learning Course Development Grant recipients:
Lisa Buchanan, Associate Professor of Education
Sandra Darfour-Oduro, Assistant Professor of Public Health Studies
Chris Nelson, Assistant Professor of Marketing

Five faculty are engaging in a pilot community of practice entitled 鈥淔irst-Year Foundations Community Engagement鈥� focused on broadening first-year student community-based learning opportunities. This community of practice is a partnership between the Kernodle Center and the 乱伦视频 Core Curriculum with support from Nina Namaste, Assistant Director of First Year Seminars in the 乱伦视频 Core Curriculum, Heather Lindeman, Coordinator of ENG 1100.
Rebecca Bagley, Assistant Professor of Communication Design
Catherine Bowlin, Assistant Teaching Professor of English
Archie Crowley, Assistant Professor of English
Brooks Depro, Associate Professor of Economics
Celia Hameury, Assistant Professor of Engineering

These faculty development programs are mentored by Elena Kennedy, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Faculty Fellow for Community-Based Learning.鈥� Applications for the 2027-28 programs will be available next spring. In the meantime, there are two upcoming faculty development opportunities:

Essentials of Community-Based Learning Workshop for National Campuses鈥��
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 3:30 – 5 p.m., Virtual

This virtual workshop is for faculty and staff at 乱伦视频鈥檚 national campuses.
Are you interested in creating a more authentic learning experience in your course by engaging with community partners? Could the learning鈥痮bjectives鈥痜or your course be enhanced through community engagement?鈥疕ave you ever wondered how community-based learning works and why reflection is central to that pedagogy? This workshop is鈥痑ppropriate for鈥痜aculty members who are developing a community-based course,鈥痙esigning a project or assignment that involves community鈥痚ngagement, or鈥痑re curious about community-based learning pedagogies in general. The workshop will allow for interaction with experienced faculty, and staff members from the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning.

Campus-Community鈥疦etworking Hour鈥�
Thursday, Oct. 22, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

You are invited to join the Kernodle Center for Civic Life for an afternoon of networking that will bring together 乱伦视频 faculty, staff, and community partners to discuss opportunities for collaboration, including community-engaged courses.鈥疎njoy hors d鈥檕euvres and a chance to connect with many partner organizations and campus departments. You will leave with valuable connections for future partnerships.

Recipients of the annual awards are nominated by their colleagues and selected by the College鈥檚 dean and associate deans.

鈥淓ach of these award recipients demonstrate dedication to their students and colleagues,鈥� said Hilton Kelly, dean of 乱伦视频 College, the College of Arts and Sciences. 鈥淚 am so pleased to recognize each of these faculty and staff members for all of their work and contributions to supporting the mission of the College.鈥�

The 2026 College Excellence Award recipients:

Excellence in Teaching Award

Kristen Mazur

Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics

Associate Professor Kristen Mazur builds her classrooms around the idea that students learn best when they are encouraged to take intellectual risks, embrace productive struggles and grow through challenges. She was the leader in the development of 乱伦视频鈥檚 Precalculus program and co-creator of the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Assistant Program, helping strengthen pathways into science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. She received the Trevor Evans Award, established by the Mathematical Association of America, for scholarship of an exceptional mathematics article that is accessible to undergraduates which was published in 鈥淢ath Horizons.鈥� Mazur also has multiple publications with undergraduate co-authors.

Excellence in Scholarship

Yanica Faustin

Assistant Professor of Public Health

Assistant Professor Yanica Faustin鈥檚 work focuses on health equity and understanding and dismantling the systemic and structural barriers that shape health and well-being for marginalized communities. Faustin was 乱伦视频鈥檚 first recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Equity Scholars for Action award, a national grant supporting groundbreaking scholarship that advances health equity. This award helped position 乱伦视频 on a national stage in public health research. In addition to peer-reviewed publications, invited presentations and public scholarship, she has built a research program committed to developing future scholars. Faustin has also advanced national conversations around maternal and reproductive health, racial inequities in birth outcomes, severe maternal morbidity and the health experiences of Black communities across the diaspora.

Excellence in Service-Leadership Award

Corey Roberts

Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies

Assistant Professor Corey Roberts’ service has been defined by a commitment to collaboration and community engagement. Through leadership of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation (OBSN) Heritage Language and Learning Working Group, Roberts helped secure multiple grants, develop educational initiatives, organize conferences and workshops and deepens the partnership between 乱伦视频 and the OBSN. These efforts brought together students, faculty, staff, tribal leaders and community members in meaningful and lasting ways. He helped to lead the creation and installation of a historic marker at The Oaks that includes Yesa:sah铆 language and a land acknowledgment, along with coordinating signage on OBSN tribal grounds. The dedication brought more than 120 members of the 乱伦视频 and tribal communities together. Roberts also helped organize the Undergraduate Conference on Languages and Cultures, coordinated Polyglot Lunches, co-advises the Native American Student Association and delivered guest lectures that embody language, culture, community and belonging.

Excellence in Mentoring Award

Lauren Guilmette

Associate Professor of Philosophy

Associate Professor Lauren Guilmette has created numerous opportunities for students to connect their academic work with the wider world. From mentoring independent research projects, Honors students, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience scholars and graduate school applicants, to creating programs that connect students with faculty mentors, community partners and scholars across the country, Guilmette bands the horizons of what mentoring can be. As an advisor to the Gender & Sexuality Living Learning Community, Guilmette has cultivated spaces where students find community, leadership opportunities and a sense of belonging. Through partnerships with local organizations, grassroots initiatives, and community leaders, students have been encouraged to see themselves not simply as learners, but as engaged citizens capable of making a difference in the world. She also has a gift for connecting people, students with mentors, students with communities, students with one another and students with a deeper sense of purpose.

Staff Excellence Award

Beth DeFord

Program Assistant for Psychology, Human Service Studies and Public Health

Program Assistant Beth DeFord has spent more than two decades tracking down the right answer, identifying a potential problem before it arises, navigating a complicated process, helping a colleague meet a deadline and working behind the scenes to ensure things run smoothly. Known for approaching tasks with professionalism, precision, kindness and a desire to help others succeed, faculty trust her expertise, students benefit from her support and colleagues rely on her wisdom and institutional knowledge. DeFord supports three academic departments, Psychology, Human Service Studies and Public Health, to provide assistance to faculty, supervise student employees, support hundreds of students and manages a building. One nominator described DeFord as a superhero who manages an enormous workload, yet somehow makes it all look effortless.

While relatively new to 乱伦视频, Moses-Brownson has been deeply engaged with NAAHP for many years. Moses-Brownson co-chairs the NAAHP Committee on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, sits on the Regional Board of Directors for SAAHP (the Southeastern Association for Advisors in the Health Professions), is part of the instructional team for the NAAHP Leads: Regional and National Leadership track professional development program, and serves as a liaison between NAAHP and the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) LASOR (Learner Access, Student Opportunities, & Retention) working group.

Since joining 乱伦视频 in 2024, Moses鈥態rownson has helped transform Health Professions Advising through new courses, expanded programming and strategic partnerships that support students and alumni pursuing careers in healthcare. Central to this impact has been a new suite of courses co鈥慸eveloped with Yuko Miyamoto, director of health professions advising and associate professor of biology, and Collier Lumpkin, associate director of career advising for pre-graduate school. Together, Moses鈥態rownson and Miyamoto created an application preparation course focused on helping students understand timelines, requirements and competencies for health professions programs.

Moses-Brownson and Lumpkin developed a standardized test preparation course designed to support students preparing for exams such as the MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE, and LSAT, which focuses on the non-content aspects of test preparation while providing deeply discounted access to high-quality test prep resources. These courses give students structured guidance, peer support and staff expertise as they move from exploring professional careers to actively applying.

Moses鈥態rownson has also prioritized outreach to prospective students and the broader community, reflecting 乱伦视频鈥檚 commitment to access and engagement. In 2026, Health Professions Advising and the Student Professional Development Center co-hosted Health Professions Exploration Day, welcoming local high school students and Union County Schools to campus to learn about a wide range of healthcare careers and see how 乱伦视频 can help them prepare for those futures. The event connected visitors with faculty, advisors, and current students, highlighting both the breadth of health professions and the many academic and co鈥慶urricular paths available at 乱伦视频.

To deepen connections between 乱伦视频 students and health professions programs, Moses鈥態rownson and the SPDC brought a health professions expo to campus, inviting schools and programs to meet directly with students. The expo gave students the chance to ask questions, compare programs, and build relationships with admissions representatives, all while receiving advising support on how to present their experiences and plan next steps. This kind of face鈥憈o鈥慺ace engagement helps students see the full landscape of opportunities, from medicine and dentistry to physician assistant programs, nursing, genetic counseling, nutrition/dietetics, pharmacy and other fields.

Another key initiative has been a partnership with Alamance Community College to offer an EMT course hosted primarily on 乱伦视频鈥檚 campus. By making this training more accessible, Health Professions Advising has opened additional pathways for students to gain hands鈥憃n clinical experience and patient contact hours, which are critical components of competitive applications to many health professions programs. The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to preparing students not only academically, but also through meaningful, real鈥憌orld exposure to healthcare settings.

On campus, Moses-Brownson has worked to develop new opportunities for students to engage in the transformative experiences that prepare students for the competitive application processes in the health professions. A partnership with Belk Library, specifically with Engineering & Physical Science Librarian and Assistant Librarian Ellen Cline, and Coordinator of Research and Publishing and Associate Librarian Jesse Akman, has provided a pathway for underclassmen who cannot access traditional research opportunities to pursue evidence synthesis research opportunities with mentorship and support from library staff.

Alongside these programs, Moses鈥態rownson has worked to deepen individualized advising and application support for both current students and alumni. Health Professions Advising offers one鈥憃n鈥憃ne appointments, workshops, and resources to help students design an academic plan, understand professional competencies, and prepare strong, reflective applications. Students can meet with Moses鈥態rownson through the 乱伦视频 Job Network using the 鈥淧re鈥慔ealth Advising鈥� appointment types and can connect with Miyamoto by emailing ymiyamoto@elon.edu to schedule advising focused on academic planning and application processes.

Together, Moses鈥態rownson and Miyamoto lead a Health Professions Advising program that supports hundreds of students and alumni as they explore, prepare for, and pursue a wide range of health careers. The NAAHP Outreach/Engagement Award underscores how intentional advising, new courses, campus鈥慶ommunity partnerships, and accessible programming can shape students鈥� pathways to becoming healthcare professionals, both at 乱伦视频 and beyond.

University Chaplain and Dean of Multifaith Engagement Rev. Kirstin Boswell opened the event with the invocation, followed by the tradition of the bell ringing by Student Government Association President聽Michael Swartz 鈥�27. The bell arrived in North Carolina in 1854 on one of the first North Carolina railroad trains. It was later used at Graham College, a predecessor institution to 乱伦视频 College.

During the event, three individuals with strong ties to the university were awarded the 乱伦视频 Medallion, the university’s most prestigious service honor: Jim Donathan, longtime associate director of academic advising and academic support; Mary Thornton, founder and president of Harvest Table Culinary Group; and Don Grady, associate professor emeritus of cinema and television arts.

Katy Rouse, professor of economics in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, was named the Trustee Chair for Excellence.聽For seventeen years, Rouse has taught 乱伦视频’s Principles of Economics and Intermediate Microeconomics courses, along with a capstone she built herself on educational disparities in the United States, earning student evaluations among the highest in her department for more than a decade.

She has personally mentored more than 30 senior and honors theses, co-authored research with undergraduates, chaired the Love School’s curriculum committee and published her teaching scholarship in the Journal of Economic Education.

“I truly believe that being a teacher scholar mentor at 乱伦视频 is one of the best careers I’m going to have,” Rouse said. “Every day we come to work, we have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on students during one of the most pivotal points in their lives.”

Mapping the course

During her annual Opening Day address, Book reflected on 乱伦视频鈥檚 progress while looking toward a year that will include the launch of new academic initiatives, continued work surrounding artificial intelligence, the opening of the Roberts Academy and the planned merger with Queens University of Charlotte.

Book centered her remarks around the idea of a map 鈥� the markers that show where 乱伦视频 has been and the guideposts that will help the university navigate what comes next. The theme was inspired by a visit this summer to 乱伦视频 students participating in the Summer Opera Workshop at the Accademia Europea di Firenze. The students came together for a historic production of 鈥淭he Light in the Piazza鈥� in Florence, Italy, where the musical is set.

As part of their work, students were also tasked with creating a map of the city, something that inspired Book.

鈥淭here is something powerful in this mapmaking assignment, and it left me wondering about our collective 乱伦视频 map,鈥� Book said. 鈥淗ow would we each draw it?鈥�

At the center of that map, Book said, is 乱伦视频鈥檚 mission. She highlighted several markers of progress during the past year, including the Odyssey Program surpassing 300 scholarships, record participation in undergraduate research, strong Fulbright success and new academic programs, including cybersecurity, Clinical Mental Health Counseling and the Charlotte PA program. She also celebrated the upcoming launch of the School of Engineering and Computing under inaugural Dean John Walz and the growth of the university鈥檚 nursing program.

Mapping new territory (together)

On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the first students of the聽Roberts Academy at 乱伦视频聽will arrive at the school’s temporary home in Trollinger House. The school will be the聽state’s only university-based private school for children with dyslexia. Book described the academy and the Center for Dyslexia and Engaged Learning as an opportunity that 鈥渨ill change lives from day one.鈥�

Among the most significant new territory is 乱伦视频鈥檚 planned merger with Queens University of Charlotte. Book noted that the institutions received accreditation approval this summer to proceed with their merger, with a single Board of Trustees now overseeing both universities. Sixteen administrative units are also becoming shared teams supporting the two campuses, while a federal review of the merger is expected to take 18 to 24 months.

Megan Isaac, professor of English, and Senior Vice President for Advancement and External Affairs Jim Piatt gave brief updates on the merger as part of the SOAR Strategic Planning Committee.

鈥淥ur two institutions will be stronger together, will better serve students together, and will have a brighter future together,鈥� Book said. 鈥淎nd now, we are working to build that vision together, to grow opportunity to advance learning 鈥� together.鈥�

Mapping a new look

Athletics Director Jennifer Strawley was also invited to the stage to announce a for the university鈥檚 athletics program, which had what Book called a 鈥渇ormidable year,鈥� with seven 乱伦视频 teams, the most in the university鈥檚 history, winning conference titles. A new physical mascot will be unveiled at the first College Coffee of the academic year on Aug. 25.

“The new Phoenix wears a gold sweater with a monogram ‘E,’ paying tribute to our first mascot, the Fighting Christian,” Strawley said. “The focused expression conveys the determination, confidence and purpose that defines our university community. The Phoenix continues to be fueled by the flames, symbolizing our rebuild from the ashes, and capturing the spirit and resilience of the 乱伦视频 community.”

Book acknowledged that the changing higher education landscape brings challenges, from enrollment pressures and federal regulations to declining public confidence. But she reminded faculty and staff that adapting to change has long been part of 乱伦视频鈥檚 history.

鈥淚 understand change can be daunting. Shifting national headwinds are challenging higher education,鈥� Book said. 鈥淔ortunately for us, 乱伦视频 has never succeeded by standing still. We鈥檝e joined together, developed new strategies and guided by our mission 鈥� built the number one institution for engaged learning and student success.鈥�

She closed by returning to the journey ahead, and the role faculty and staff play in shaping the lives of 乱伦视频 students.

鈥淚t is not simply education; it is a journey of human transformation,鈥� Book said. 鈥淭hank you for the everyday commitment, kindness and integrity that are our enduring guideposts.鈥�

Jim Donathan, longtime associate director of academic advising and academic support; Mary Thornton, founder and president of Harvest Table Culinary Group; and Don Grady, associate professor emeritus of cinema and television arts, heard from former mentors, friends and colleagues before being bestowed the honor by 乱伦视频 President Connie Ledoux Book.

Jim Donathan

Jim Donathan arrived to 乱伦视频 in 1994 as associate director of academic advising and director of academic support, drawn specifically to work with mentor Lela Faye Rich. He carried the largest advising load in his department, taught 乱伦视频 101 (now 乱伦视频 1010), and was known for his sustained support of students on academic probation and for mentoring students well beyond the classroom.

Rich, who served 乱伦视频 for 29 years and received the 乱伦视频 Medallion in 2008, read Donathan鈥檚 citation for the award.

鈥淛im Donathan is the only one on this stage that has two medallions. I just happen to be wearing one of them,鈥� Rich said. 鈥淚n the advising center, I was the loudmouth. I was a loud-mouthed advocate for students. Jim was the listener. The heart, the soul of academic advising. Without his total commitment to students’ success, to our academic advising staff, to mastering all those intricacies of creating an online degree audit. I would never have received this medallion.鈥�

Donathan advised 乱伦视频’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Order for 25 years and received the university’s Ward Family Excellence in Mentoring Award in 2012. His mentorship of one 乱伦视频 family led to the establishment of the聽Donathan-McAllister Endowed Scholarship in his honor. He retired in 2020, having shaped the academic support and mentoring experience for generations of 乱伦视频 students.

鈥淚 recently came across this quote from one of my favorite novelists, Pat Conroy: 鈥業 had read like a man on fire my whole life, because the genius of English teachers touched me with the dazzling beauty of language,’鈥� said Donathan when accepting the honor. 鈥溌衣资悠� does that for students. It touches them with the dazzling beauty of language. That might be the language of literature or biology, or political science, or art history, or so many other disciplines. Students can carry that language into their lives and into their future.鈥�

Mary Thornton

Mary Thornton is the founder and president of Harvest Table Culinary Group, the dining partner that has served 乱伦视频 since the company’s founding. She spent years in leadership roles at Aramark, including vice president of compliance beginning in 2007, before proposing in 2016 the creation of a culinary group built around healthy, sustainable food and transparency about where food comes from.

Harvest Table launched in 2018 as an independent division of Aramark, with 乱伦视频 among its earliest partner institutions alongside Wake Forest and the University of Rochester. Under her leadership, Harvest Table has emphasized locally sourced ingredients, chef-driven menus tailored to each campus, and deeper engagement with student communities.

鈥淗ighly respected for her work ethic, expertise, relentless commitment to excellence, Mary has demonstrated a deep understanding of 乱伦视频’s mission and the critical role dining plays in building community and contributing to a welcoming campus environment,鈥� said Janet Williams, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer.

Most recently, Harvest Table Culinary Group made a gift supporting 乱伦视频’s Slattery Center, reflecting the company’s ongoing commitment to student health and wellness. Her partnership has helped shape the dining experience for generations of 乱伦视频 students.

鈥淚 accept this medallion with humility and deep appreciation and as a reminder to continue serving others, leading with purpose and striving to make a positive difference,鈥� said Thornton, upon accepting the award. 鈥淭hank you very much for this incredible honor. It means more to me than words can express.鈥�

Don Grady

Don聽Grady聽served 乱伦视频 for 35 years. He arrived in 1985, before 乱伦视频 had a formal communications department, and taught broadcast courses and senior capstone classes throughout his career. He chaired the communications department from 1987鈥�1993 and again from 2004鈥�2009, became associate dean in 2010, and helped guide creation of the nation’s first undergraduate major in media analytics. He was twice elected to the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications and received the Broadcast Education Association’s Distinguished Education Service Award in 2022.

Gerald Gibson, the university鈥檚 first full-time communications professor and Grady鈥檚 undergraduate roommate at NC State University, read Grady鈥檚 citation.

鈥淒r. Grady distinguished himself as an outstanding teacher, mentor, and advisor, by teaching broadcasting, senior research capstone, … and study abroad courses, supervising as many as 50 internships a year,鈥� said Gibson. 鈥淢entoring students through research, internships, and professional employment, leading study abroad programs in Great Britain and Europe, and becoming much loved by students who sought him out for guidance, encouragement, and wise counsel, even long after graduation.”

Grady鈥檚 administrative leadership and personal investment in students and faculty helped build 乱伦视频’s School of Communications into a nationally recognized program. He retired in 2020, leaving a legacy colleagues describe as foundational to the school’s success.

鈥淪o many of our graduates (are) doing great work in media markets all over the country. 鈥㏕hey鈥檙e the reason we do this work,鈥� Grady said. 鈥淭oward the end of my time, it was my privilege to regularly teach the senior theory and research capstone course that gave students the opportunity to dig into why communication professionals do what they do, and how what they do ripples through the lives of individuals and society.”

Stephen 鈥淪teve鈥� Marquis will lead physical education activities, Cammie Berrier will inspire students with art lessons, Heather Pike will introduce students to dance, and Lara Davis will share her lifelong passion for music, expanding the range of learning experiences available to third- and fourth-grade students during the academy鈥檚 inaugural year.

The Roberts Academy uses the multisensory Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction and welcomes its first students in a temporary location on West Trollinger Avenue for the start of classes on August 18.

The academy will expand to grades 1-6 once a new building opens for the 2028-29 academic year on East Haggard Avenue near the university鈥檚 Danieley Neighborhood. Each classroom eventually will be capped at 12 students.

Roberts Academy at 乱伦视频 is the most recent of four university-based private schools established through transformational gifts from philanthropists Hal and Marjorie Roberts of Lakeland, Florida. Similar academies exist at Vanderbilt University, Mercer University, and Florida Southern College.

Roberts Academy at 乱伦视频 Enrichment Educators for 2026-27

Stephen 鈥淪teve鈥� Marquis

With three decades of experience as a physical education teacher and coach, Steve Marquis has focused his career on helping students develop physical fitness while understanding the connections among exercise, nutrition and healthy lifestyles.

A graduate of Springfield College with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in physical education, Marquis most recently taught at Kiser Middle School in Greensboro after spending nearly two decades at East Chapel Hill High School.

Marquis also brings extensive coaching experience to Roberts Academy. He served as head varsity cross country coach at East Chapel Hill High School from 2006 to 2020 and head varsity track coach from 2006 to 2017, along with coaching basketball. His work as a coach has been recognized with multiple Coach of the Year honors.

鈥淎s a young child, I was fortunate to have many positive role models who taught me the importance of physical activity and maintaining a healthy lifestyle,鈥� Marquis said. 鈥淭heir influence shaped my belief that physical activity plays a vital role in a child’s growth and development.

鈥淧hysical activity improves attention, memory, and muscular development while reducing the risk of many health problems. Most importantly, it supports a child’s mental and emotional well-being. I want my students to understand that overall health includes physical, mental, and emotional wellness, and that caring for each of these areas helps them lead happier, healthier lives.鈥�

Cammie Berrier

Cammie Berrier brings more than two decades of experience teaching art in Guilford County Schools along with extensive experience introducing children to art through museums, galleries and summer programs.

A magna cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Berrier earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in art education with a minor in English. She spent more than a decade as the art specialist at E.P. Pearce Elementary School in Greensboro following earlier service as an art specialist at 11 Guilford County elementary schools.

During her career in Guilford County Schools, Berrier held leadership roles among elementary art educators and mentored student teachers from UNCG. Student artwork produced under her instruction was selected for exhibitions at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh.

Since 2019, Berrier has continued working with children and the arts through Reynolda House Museum of American Art in Winston-Salem, where she serves as a docent and summer art camp instructor. In that role, she develops curricula for weeklong camps for elementary-aged children and leads museum tours.

鈥淚 believe the arts are absolutely vital to the development of children,鈥� Berrier said. 鈥淥ver the years I have taught visual art, I have seen students grow in confidence, creativity and joy in the art-making聽process. For many students, it is a rare chance to relax, to try new things without fear of failure, and to process and express their emotions. Through considering the work of other artists, students gain an appreciation聽of other cultures and discover unique ways of seeing the world.鈥�

Heather Pike

An experienced dance educator whose work has focused extensively on inclusive instruction, Heather Pike brings to Roberts Academy more than two decades of experience teaching dance to children with a wide range of abilities.

Pike earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance education from East Carolina University and a Master of Arts in dance education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where her graduate research focused on inclusive dance education.

She works in various capacities as a teaching artist, designing curricula and teaching dance residencies in the community. This includes her work as lead teaching artist with Arts Together in partnership with Access/VSA in Wake County, where she teaches dance residencies in public pre-kindergarten settings.

In addition, through her role as an artist in residence with The ArtsCenter in Carrboro, Pike has taught dance for students with profound disabilities in Orange County Public Schools. She has also worked through the United Arts Council鈥檚 Artists in Schools program to lead dance workshops and residencies that integrate dance with literacy instruction for students with different learning styles in elementary schools.

Pike previously served as a lead teaching artist for Carolina Ballet鈥檚 educational outreach programs that brought dance to Title I pre-kindergarten classrooms and elementary students through dance and literature integration. While working as a teaching artist, she has been on faculty at Barriskill Dance Theatre School teaching pre-ballet through advanced ballet for several years.

Pike more recently has served as a guest lecturer in 乱伦视频鈥檚 Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education, sharing expertise in dance pedagogy and integration with students studying special education and children鈥檚 literature.

鈥淚 am passionate about creating inclusive, accessible dance spaces for exploration of artistic expression and communication,鈥� Pike said. 鈥淏y sharing the joy of movement with my students, I believe integrating dance into everyday learning is a powerful way to strengthen self-awareness and build relationships with others. Dance not only gives students a creative outlet for moving their bodies, but it also provides access to kinesthetic learning and an opportunity to strengthen social-emotional skills.鈥�

Lara Davis

Lara Davis is the owner and founder of Kidstunes Music & Movement program, which聽serves thousands of children from birth through prekindergarten in dozens of childcare centers throughout聽central North Carolina.

Davis attended the University of North Florida as a National Merit Scholar and holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in music education, her Level 3 Certification with ECMMA, and has worked as a music educator with young children for over 25 years.

Davis began playing the piano at age 5. She also sings, plays recorder, ukulele, some guitar and percussion. Her background and experience include many years as both performer & accompanist for the renowned UNF Jazz Choir and Chamber Singers, extensive work with music and children in various settings from birth through middle school, varying exceptionalities classrooms, churches, and聽as director of numerous all-school musical & special event productions.

She has incorporated her experience and research into the very heart of the Kidstunes program, composing original music, continually updating the curriculum & resources, marketing and expanding their services, and personally mentoring each Instructor. Davis is a regular presenter at both national and regional conferences for various organizations in the fields of early childhood and music education, and her in-service training workshops are accredited by the NC Division of Child Development.

鈥淢usic has been a passion throughout years of teaching children from infancy through middle school, in public and private schools as well as individual settings,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚 have watched countless children who struggle in other academic or behavioral areas truly thrive through music, and I’ve often seen their increased involvement in music translate into growth in other areas such as math, focus, confidence, and self-discipline.

鈥淢ost importantly, music gives children a powerful way to express themselves, trust their creativity, experience joy, and find emotional release through listening, moving, playing, and creating. To me, that is the true gift of music. It meets children where they are and gives them another way to discover what they are capable of.鈥�

Ghoshal surveyed over a thousand Americans and asked a battery of questions designed to examine who adopts which view of racial group membership and under what conditions. His study, “,” was recently published in Social Currents, the official journal of the Southern Sociological Society.

Ghoshal鈥檚 research grows out of a tension between different ways of thinking about race. In formal contexts, racial group membership is usually conceived of as binary鈥攐ne simply is, or is not, part of a group. But informally, nearly all Americans are familiar with claims that people who lack cultural connection or shared experiences, are of mixed descent, look atypical, or do not speak the language associated with their ancestry, are less a part of the group than same-race others.

Ghoshal found that most Americans say that they see race only categorically and claim to reject the idea of varying degrees of membership, but frequently draw on gradational understandings of race in concrete scenarios. For instance, some respondents who said they rejected the idea of degrees of membership nonetheless indicated that they would think of a mixed-ancestry person as 鈥渓ess part of鈥� their racial group than someone whose parents both hailed from that group. The same pattern prevailed for prompts such as comparisons of those who do not speak the language traditionally associated with their ancestry to those who do, or of those who strongly self-identify as part of a group versus those who do not.

The study also found variation in these patterns by age, ideology and race. Americans who came of age after former President Barack Obama鈥檚 rise to prominence were more likely to embrace the idea of racial group membership as sometimes continuous, while very liberal and very conservative respondents united in rejecting the idea of gradational belonging more than other groups. Black Americans were especially rejecting of gradational ideas of race in the abstract, but all groups of color were more likely than Whites to embrace this idea when considering concrete examples.

The study contributes to a growing literature on the multidimensionality and complexity of race, especially research that has called attention to variation in treatment and identity based on skin tone, language proficiency and national origin.

乱伦视频 will soon welcome the Class of 2030 on Friday, Aug. 21, for Move-In Day, and 乱伦视频 Campus Safety and Police have provided information on changes in traffic and available parking areas.

All new students and families must report first to the central check-in at Schar Center. All incoming traffic should travel to Schar Center from the northern entrance to campus along North Williamson Avenue. At Schar Center, students will receive orientation materials and directions to their move-in location for their residence hall. Please follow the聽driving directions to the Schar Center and then to your Residential Neighborhood.

Due to the logistics related to Move-in Day, 乱伦视频 faculty and staff are asked to carpool if possible and to park in the following lots on Friday. The lots are highlighted in yellow on the map below.

• Koury lot
• Oaks lot (parking for staff working at Schar Center Check-in)
• Arts West
• South Campus (no parking in the spaces reserved for Acorn Academy at 乱伦视频)
• Station at Mill Point