Jay Hendrickson ’71 concluded his service in July nearly two decades after joining a governing body responsible for ������Ƶ’s long-term health, oversight for its strategic direction, educational policy, finances and operations, and for advancing the university’s mission. Hendrickson served as vice chair of the board’s athletic policy committee, in addition to other leadership roles.

“Few families have shaped ������Ƶ like the Hendricksons,” said ������Ƶ President Connie Ledoux Book. “Eighteen years at the Board table represents an extraordinary gift of time, judgment and trust. Steady, thoughtful leadership of the kind Jay brought to his role, with the unwavering support of his wife Amy, have influenced decisions that will carry ������Ƶ forward for decades, and his presence will be deeply missed.”

Hendrickson and his wife, Amy Hendrickson ’69, of Raleigh, North Carolina, have been unwavering advocates of ������Ƶ for many years through their transformative support of academic and athletic causes across multiple campaigns.��

The couple’s gifts have supported engineering and athletics, two priorities near and dear to their hearts. The Hendrickson Football Center in Alumni Field House honors Jay’s father, Horace J. Hendrickson, who served as director of athletics and was a football, basketball and baseball coach from 1937 to 1942 and is considered one of ������Ƶ’s all-time great coaches.

They have also generously supported athletics scholarships through annual gifts to the Phoenix Club. In 2000, the couple endowed the James A. ’71 and Amy T. ’69 Hendrickson Engineering��Scholarship, which has attracted outstanding students to the university’s engineering program.

The Hendricksons are members of The ������Ƶ Society President’s Circle, Palladian Society and Order of the Oak, the university’s planned giving society. Fourteen of their immediate family members have ties to ������Ƶ.

In 2011, Jay and Amy received the Distinguished Service to ������Ƶ Award in recognition of their tireless service to their alma mater. The couple were also among the 2009 recipients of the Southern Conference Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes those who have contributed to all aspects of the university.

“We are thankful for the transformative impact that Jay and Amy have had at ������Ƶ,” said Burney Jennings ‘87, executive chair of the Biscuitville restaurant chain and chair of the ������Ƶ Board of Trustees. “Their insights, ambassadorship, positive energy and generous stewardship of our university have contributed greatly to ������Ƶ’s growth and success.”

A recent graduate of Queens University of Charlotte has been elected to serve as a youth trustee for ������Ƶ, bringing to the role his record of student leadership on campus with a commitment to service across the community.

will serve a three-year term as��Youth Trustee, joining Elizabeth “Liz” Kwon L’23 and Rafi Dahdal ’24 G’24��in youth leadership roles for the university’s governing body.

The Board of Trustees��has ultimate corporate and fiduciary responsibility for ������Ƶ. It oversees ������Ƶ’s long-term health and strategic direction, educational policy, finances and operations, and overall advancement of the university’s mission.

As a Presidential Fellow in the Office of the President at Queens, Omari supported executive leadership through institutional research, governance analysis for the Board of Trustees, strategic benchmarking of peer institutions, coordinated executive-level events, and board communications.

Omari, who described his youth trustee appointment as “truly an honor,” also served as senior class president, a four-term international representative in the Student Government Association, president of the iBelong Mentoring Program and co-president of the Health Equity Alliance.

Additional leadership roles include service on the Student Alumni Council, the Data Analytics Student Association executive board and as an admissions ambassador. In recognition of his achievements, , the most prestigious undergraduate award bestowed at Queens.

Originally from Accra, Ghana, Omari attended Ghana National College before coming to the United States in 2021 through the AFS Intercultural YES exchange program and spending a year at Charlotte Country Day School. He later enrolled at Queens University of Charlotte as an international student and Presidential Scholar, graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in data analytics and minors in finance and mathematics. He begins working in September as an AI & Data Associate Consultant with Ernst & Young in New York City.”

With experience spanning data, artificial intelligence, institutional governance and student leadership, Omari said he looks forward to joining the ������Ƶ Board of Trustees as a youth trustee and contributing his recent student perspective informed by academic achievement, public service and cross-campus leadership.

“My role as a youth trustee presents an opportunity to help shape a historic moment for both institutions,” Omari said. “I’m excited to contribute a recent student perspective to conversations about how the traditions of both institutions might be honored while creating a stronger future together.”

About ������Ƶ

������Ƶ is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture.

At ������Ƶ, more than 7,000 students learn through hands-on experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are teaching and mentoring. The curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts and sciences with emphasis on global experiences and career development. More than 80 undergraduate majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care. ������Ƶ is ranked No. 1 for excellence in undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World Report.

������Ƶ’s academic divisions include ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Engineering and Computing; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, with programs in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 2025, ������Ƶ and Queens University of Charlotte announced plans to merge, pending final approval from SACSCOC and the U.S. Department of Education by 2028.

Former ������Ƶ trustee Anne Ellington Powell of Burlington, N.C., died June 27 at her home after a long and difficult illness.

Powell was elected to ������Ƶ’s Board of Trustees in 2008 and was a highly involved supporter and longtime friend of the university. She was the wife of ������Ƶ life trustee and former chair of the Board Dr. James B. Powell and the daughter of the late Dr. Robert E. (Bob) Ellington and his wife, Helen Ellington, who served many years as distinguished ������Ƶ staff members.

“We are deeply saddened by Anne’s passing,” said ������Ƶ President Connie Ledoux Book. “For decades, she was among ������Ƶ’s most loyal advocates, serving on boards and committees, hosting university events in her home and telling the story of our university wherever she went. She and her family have generously contributed to every dimension of ������Ƶ’s growth, supporting scholarships, academic programs, and facilities – always focused on the student experience and excellence. We will always be grateful for her positive spirit and steadfast support.”

In 1986, the Anne Ellington Powell Master Artist Series was established by a gift by the Powells, bringing internationally renowned performers to ������Ƶ for nearly 20 years. In 1988 the Powells dedicated ������Ƶ’s Jimmy Powell Tennis Center to the memory of their first son, who died in early childhood.

Anne Ellington Powell joined ������Ƶ’s Board of Visitors in 2000. She served on the campaign leadership committee for the Ever ������Ƶ Campaign and was on the executive committee of the ������Ƶ Society. The Koury Business Center, which opened in 2006, includes the James B. and Anne Ellington Powell Lobby in recognition of the couple’s leadership support for the building’s construction.

The Powells have contributed to the R.N. Ellington Health Center, the “It Takes a Village” Project, several scholarship funds and ������Ƶ Athletics. The Powells also provided key funding for the Caroline E. Powell Building, the Maude Sharpe Powell Professorship and the T.E. Powell Endowed Professorship. They are members of two ������Ƶ giving societies, the Order of the Oak and the 1889 Society.

Anne Powell was also active in many Alamance County boards and organizations and supported efforts to increase support for K-12 education.

At the center of Anne’s life was her loving family, including her husband, Jim; their three children John Banks Powell, Ross Powell, M.D., and Helen Powell Bode, M.D.; her mother Helen Ellington; and many other loving relatives. She was a devoted friend to hundreds of people who cherished her.

From

Anne was preceded in death by her beloved son, James “Jimmy” Bobbitt Powell Jr.; her father, Dr. Robert “Bubba” Norwood Ellington; and her sister-in-law, Alison Westmoreland Ellington.

She is survived by her devoted husband of more than 41 years, Dr. James Bobbitt Powell; her mother, Helen Arendell Ellington; her brothers, Robert Norwood Ellington Jr. and Dr. Kenneth Scott Ellington (Linda); her sister, Ruth Helen Ellington; her son, John Banks Powell (Samantha) and their daughters, Maeve Eileen and Clara Banks; her son, Dr. James Rosser Powell; her daughter, Dr. Helen Powell Bode (Paul) and their children, Anne Arendell, John Bridges, and Mary Ellington; her stepdaughter, Daphne Powell Markcrow (Craig) and their children, Anna and Henry; along with countless nieces, nephews, cousins, and treasured friends.

A Celebration of her life will be held at Front Street United Methodist Church in Burlington on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 12 p.m. A private family burial will precede the service, and the family will receive friends following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Duke’s Tisch Brain Tumor Center (Duke University Medical Center, DUMC 3624, Durham, NC 27710), ������Ƶ Tennis Program (CB #2615, ������Ƶ, NC 27244), or the Brain Aneurysm Foundation (269 Hanover Street, Building #3 Hanover, MA 02339).

Eric Sklut P’14, an entrepreneur and longtime community leader in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Amy Muntner P’24, a retail and strategy executive based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, will bring extensive experience in business, innovation and civic engagement to the university’s governing body.

The ������Ƶ Board of Trustees has ultimate fiduciary responsibility for the institution, providing oversight of its mission, strategic direction and long-term sustainability.

Sklut is the founder of Perfection Automotive, a Charlotte-based company known for producing custom trim components for high-end vehicles. His development of the BumperPlugs product line grew from an entrepreneurial solution to a gap in the luxury automotive market and has since become a widely used product among car enthusiasts.

In addition to his business success, Sklut has demonstrated decades of philanthropic leadership across the Charlotte region. He has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including and the , and has led major fundraising campaigns supporting community initiatives.

His efforts have helped generate more than $70 million for charitable organizations, including a recent campaign exceeding $23 million for a regional hunger relief initiative.

Sklut previously served on ������Ƶ’s Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2023 and has maintained a deep and sustained commitment to the university. He and his wife, Lori, have been transformative supporters of Jewish life and Jewish Studies at ������Ƶ, including naming the Sklut Hillel Center and establishing endowed faculty and scholarship support.

Their son, Mason, is a 2014 graduate of ������Ƶ.

Muntner brings a global perspective shaped by a career in consulting, consumer products and retail strategy. She began her career with Andersen Consulting before joining , where she advised major international corporations. Her additional leadership positions have included Executive roles with Toys “R” Us and , where she led brand and business strategy initiatives.

Her work has spanned multiple international markets, including Asia and Europe, and has focused on strategic growth, partnerships and product development. At Sesame Workshop, she played a key role in cross-functional efforts to expand the organization’s reach and impact through new character development and brand initiatives, including the introduction of the popular

Muntner’s connection to ������Ƶ grew through her daughter Lucy’s enrollment as a member of the Class of 2024. She and her husband, Kevin, are members of the university’s 1889 Society and have supported scholarships, Hillel and university priorities through philanthropic giving.

Their broader civic engagement includes support for international relief organizations, and education and community well-being in Scotland, Hong Kong and the United States.

About ������Ƶ

������Ƶ is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture.

At ������Ƶ, more than 7,000 students learn through hands-on experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are teaching and mentoring. The curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts and sciences with emphasis on global experiences and career development. More than 80 undergraduate majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care. ������Ƶ is ranked No. 1 for excellence in undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World Report.

������Ƶ’s academic divisions include ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, with programs in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina.

������Ƶ student Rony Dahdal ’26, and his brother, alumnus��Rafi Dahdal ’24 G’24��were highlighted in a The Assembly article chronicling their family’s journey from war-torn Syria to North Carolina in search of educational opportunity.

The story, details how the Dahdal family’s commitment to learning endured despite the dangers of civil war and the challenges of rebuilding their lives in the United States.��

After fleeing Damascus in 2012 amid escalating violence, the Dahdal family settled in North Carolina, where education remained central to their long-term goals.��Rafi Dahdal is��an ������Ƶ graduate through the Accelerated 3+1 Dual Degree Program in business administration and business analytics. He has gone on to serve as a Youth Trustee for the university.

At ������Ƶ, Rony Dahdal has distinguished himself as a Lumen Scholar and Goldwater Scholar, conducting innovative research using LiDAR technology to explore noninvasive ways to detect vital signs — work aimed at improving health outcomes through emerging technologies.

“I felt so encouraged to continue research because I’ve seen my parents value higher education,” said Rony. “It was very hard to deal with as a little kid, but I look back on it now, and I’m grateful.”

• Granted��tenure��to: Douglas Jurs.
• Granted��tenure��and��associate professor to: Heather Barker, Dan Burns, Nicholas Bussberg, Yanica Faustin, Keshia Gee, Jeanine Hill, Katrina Jongman-Sereno, Dinidu Karunanayake, Waseem Kasim, Travis Maynard, Drew Peabody, Travis Phillips, Jonathan Poquette, Devin Proctor, Tony Reyes, Ilyssa Salomon, Alex Traugutt, Elizabeth von Briesen, Khirey Walker, and Long Xia
• Promoted��Rosa Newman and Srikanth Reddy��to associate professor.
• Promoted Adam Aiken, David Bockino, Oliva Choplin, Jennifer Hamel, Chris Harris, Heidi Hollingsworth, Baris Kesgin, Patricia Perkins, Federico Pous, Chris Richardson, Andrea Sinn, Tracey Thurnes, Jen Uno, Kate Upton, Scott Windham, and Rena Zito��to full professor.
• Promoted Binnan Gao, David Moura, Brittany Riggs, Jacob Rutz and Staci Saltz-Spieker to associate teaching professor.
• Promoted Polly Cornelius, Paula Patch, Randy Piland, Clay Stevenson, Amanda Tapler and Marna Winter to teaching professor.
• Promoted��Shaunta Alvarez and Alison Van Norman��to associate librarian.

• Continuance in a continuing track appointment was approved for Russ Dailey and Jeanmarie Koonts.
• Continuance in a teaching track appointment was approved for Larry Cantwell, Micah Daw, Richard Dutton, Emily Elrod, Devon Hawkins, Jeremy Hohertz, KC Kasserman, Laura Lacy, JP Lavoie, Mena Marino, Craig Morehead, Ben Murphy, Scott Oakes, Jasmine Powell, Karen Wirth and Deidre Yancey.
• Continuance in a continuing appointment was approved for Ellen Cline.

Founded in 1889 and 1857, respectively, both ������Ƶ and Queens have histories that emphasize engaged learning, community service and student-centered innovation. With a merger, ������Ƶ’s national reputation for experiential education and undergraduate teaching excellence will meet Queens’ nearly 170-year legacy in Charlotte’s civic and academic ecosystem. The merger is described as “combining complementary strengths, shared values and a deep commitment to Charlotte.”

At the conclusion of the merger, ������Ƶ will operate Queens. For students, the benefits are tangible. A combined institution promises expanded academic pathways, enhanced connections with regional employers and deeper integration of hands-on learning with real-world impact. And for Charlotte, the union signals a bold investment in local higher education, anchoring both campuses in a vibrant metropolitan region that is expected to grow in population by more than 50% by 2050.

The combined vision will preserve the traditions of both institutions while advancing a modern model of scale, opportunity and regional engagement.

A Landmark Meeting

In a historic gathering and a major step forward in the intended merger between ������Ƶ and Queens, the Boards of Trustees of both institutions — joined by dozens of faculty and senior leaders — gathered in October on the ������Ƶ campus for a daylong review of progress and collaborative planning.

The working session marked a significant milestone in the shared vision to create a merged institution positioned for academic excellence, operational strength and exceptional student outcomes.

During the session, leaders outlined a timeline for key regulatory and legal steps. The gathering included an ������Ƶ campus tour for the guests from Queens as well as a series of roundtable discussions in which board members provided feedback on each of the core integration areas.

Prominent Queens Alumni

Vi Lyles ’73
Mayor of Charlotte (2017-present)

Shirley Fulton MBA ’88
First African American woman to serve as a judge in the Superior Court of North Carolina

Malek Jandali ’97
Composer and pianist, founder of Pianos for Peace

Conrad Ricamora ’01
Actor

JB Brown MBA ’03
President of Hendrick Automotive Group

Maxwell Millington ’16
Entertainment reporter for Axios

Meg Rosenthal ’19
Author of “The Wingman” and “The Right Words”

Hannah Aspden ’22
Paralympic Gold Medalist

Dillon Lewis ’25
Drafted by the New York Yankees (currently at Hudson Valley Renegades)

Quick Facts About Queens

Campus

• 30 acres in the Myers Park neighborhood of Charlotte

Students

• Nearly 1,600 combined enrollment (undergraduate and graduate)
• 44 states and 50 countries represented

Academics

• 51 undergraduate majors
• 9 pre-professional programs and 9 master’s programs

Athletics

• 23 Division i NCAA Teams
• Mascot: Rex the Lion
• Name: The Royals

Timline

Queens University

1857: Founded as Charlotte Female Institute in uptown Charlotte

1891: Renamed Seminary for Girls

1896: Renamed Presbyterian Female College, located at North College & Ninth streets

1912: Renamed Queens College and moves to Myers Park

1930: Merges with Chicora College for Women to become Queens– Chicora College

1948: Begins admitting men to new co-ed evening college

1987: Becomes fully coeducational

2001-02: Trustees approve (2001) and implement (2002) the name Queens University of Charlotte

2025: Gains full NCAA Division I status and championship eligibility; Queens and ������Ƶ announce intent to merge

������Ƶ

1889: ������Ƶ College founded by the Christian Church (now the United Church of Christ) as a co-ed institution

1890: First classes held; original administrative and academic buildings constructed

1920: Toshio Sato, ������Ƶ’s first international student, graduates

1923: A fire destroys ������Ƶ’s main building, sparking a campus rebuild

1963: ������Ƶ admits its first Black student, Glenda Phillips Hightower, marking a major shift toward racial integration

2000:��Official name changes to ������Ƶ, signaling a rising national identity and expanded academic scope

2019: Named a Top-100 National University by U.S. News & World Report for the first time

2023: Announces expansion of national campus program to Charlotte, joining established initiatives in Los Angeles and New York

2025: Queens University of Charlotte and ������Ƶ announce intent to merge

To learn more about the merger, visit

The working session marked a significant milestone in the shared vision to create a merged institution positioned for academic excellence, operational strength and exceptional student outcomes.

Leaders of the integration process opened the session with updates from the joint “sprint teams” established earlier this fall to evaluate alignment opportunities across key areas including academics, finance, administration, student experience, graduate programs, technology and operations. The sprint teams are currently engaging in more than 60 side-by-side discussions with faculty and staff to inform integration planning and identify opportunities for innovation that will benefit students.

During the session, leaders also outlined a timeline for key regulatory and legal steps. The Boards of Trustees are scheduled to review and vote on a definitive agreement to merge on Nov. 20. The agreement would legally formalize the intent to merge and enable state, federal and accreditation processes to begin — including submission to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The final completion of the merger will be contingent on those approvals.

The gathering included an ������Ƶ campus tour for the guests from Queens as well as a series of roundtable discussions in which board members provided feedback on each of the core integration areas.

Throughout the sprint team presentations, participants emphasized the guiding principles driving the integration process: maximizing student impact, strengthening financial sustainability, ensuring operational and academic excellence, engaging all stakeholders in planning, and leveraging the unique strengths of each institution.

Presentation highlights illustrated how the merger will accelerate growth in areas that include academic programming, technology infrastructure, advancement and student services, while honoring the legacy, identity and mission of both universities.

Faculty leaders from both institutions discussed the strong alignment in academic values and program structures, as well as academic collaborations that could enhance learning on both campuses. Board members and faculty/staff also explored how shared traditions and student life experiences could help shape a unified, vibrant campus culture.

In presentations on operations and infrastructure, the sprint teams identified opportunities to enhance��systems in areas such as human resources and finance, improve academic and student life services, and position the merged institution to grow strategically in Charlotte — one of the nation’s fastest-growing talent and innovation hubs.

As the work continues, leaders reaffirmed their collective commitment to transparency, engagement and thoughtful planning. Additional joint updates will be shared with both communities as milestones are reached and continued collaboration impacts key decisions.

Rafi Dahdal ’24 G’24��will serve a three-year term as��Youth Trustee, joining Megan Curling ’23 and Elizabeth “Liz” Kwon L’23 in youth leadership roles for the university’s governing body.

The Board of Trustees has ultimate corporate and fiduciary responsibility for ������Ƶ. It oversees ������Ƶ’s long-term health and strategic direction, educational policy, finances and operations, and overall advancement of the university’s mission.

Dahdal was active on campus as a student advisor, tutor, teaching assistant, intern in the Center for Organizational Analytics, Graduate Advisory Board representative, and student worker in the university’s mail center. His academic work focused on the intersection of AI and business intelligence.

Dahdal today serves as a division business analyst at in Raleigh, N.C., and aspires to attend medical school, where he hopes to apply data-driven insights to improve patient outcomes and clinic operations.

“Being selected for this position is not just an honor, it’s an opportunity to represent student voices at the highest level,” Dahdal said. “It’s not just a title. It’s a platform.”

Building on his experience as a student leader at ������Ƶ, Dahdal said he looks forward to engaging broadly with peers and serving as a voice for the student body in the boardroom.

Born in Syria, Dahdal moved to Raleigh in 2012 and is the oldest of four siblings, including Rony Dahdal ’26. He graduated from in Raleigh where he pursued multiple internship and learning opportunities that he described as honoring the sacrifices his parents made for him.

A later recipient of the Leon and Lorraine Watson Scholarship through ������Ƶ’s Odyssey Program, and a graduate of the Accelerated 3+1 Business Dual-Degree Program in Business Analytics, Rafi Dahdal credits his campus mentors for helping him find a sense of purpose.

Dahdal said he always attempts to bring a thoughtful, data-informed mindset to leadership. “Meaningful change starts with listening and leading with intention,” he said. “My goal is to build bridges between students and leadership—to make sure every voice is heard.

“I’m excited to bring a fresh perspective grounded in collaboration and innovation with a deep commitment to making a lasting impact.”

About ������Ƶ

������Ƶ is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture.

At ������Ƶ, more than 7,000 students learn through hands-on experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are teaching and mentoring. The curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts and sciences with emphasis on global experiences and career development. More than 70 undergraduate majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care. ������Ƶ is ranked No. 1 for excellence in undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World Report.

������Ƶ’s academic divisions include ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, with programs in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina.

The ������Ƶ Board of Trustees has elected one of the university’s most devoted graduates to serve a four-year term on the board.

Cam Tims ’00, who majored in business administration in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, joins a governing body responsible for the university’s long-term health, oversight for its strategic direction, educational policy, finances and operations, and for advancing the mission of the university.

“The board deals with complex matters and, at times, is trying to navigate difficult situations,” Tims said. “What excites me is that I will continue to represent the ������Ƶ experience because I lived through it, and I now have 25 years of professional and life experience that I can bring to the dialogue.”

Tims owns Worth Generation Group, a real estate investment company in Raleigh, N.C., and serves as managing director of the interior design firm of Hue Home Interiors. He recently acquired , which produces custom, high-end home accents used by decorators and interior designers across the Carolinas.

A Business Fellow active as a student with ������Ƶ Volunteers! and Habitat for Humanity, Tims spent nearly two decades after graduation in banking industry leadership roles with Truist (formerly BB&T) and, before that, in financial analysis and accounting with IBM.

Tims has been involved with his alma mater through the ������Ƶ LEADS Regional Committee, the President’s Round Table, the ������Ƶ Alumni Board, and the Young Alumni Council where he was a founding member. In 2009, Tims was recognized for his dedication with a Distinguished Service to ������Ƶ Award.

In 2016, Tims established the Tims Access Endowed Scholarship, which assists students from his home state of Mississippi, as well as surrounding states. He has made gifts to the university in support of the Odyssey Program, ������Ƶ’s Greatest Needs, the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, the ������Ƶ Alumni Board ������Ƶ Engagement Scholarship, the Phoenix Club, and The Inn at ������Ƶ. He is a member of the 1889 Society and the Order of the Oak.

Tims’s election to the Board of Trustees on May 30, 2025, brings him back to where he started his service to ������Ƶ as a Youth Trustee from 2000-2002.

“One of the most important things that I do throughout any day is to make sure that I’m listening and learning,” Tims said. “That’s what ������Ƶ teaches its students: to be open, to listen, to learn, and to use those practices to guide decisions. And it’s one of the things that I love most about ������Ƶ.

“When I talk to prospective students and their parents, who are now my neighbors and friends, or when I talk with current students or young alumni, they all describe the feeling and experience I had. That impresses me so much. The core experience, even on the emotional level, remains after all these years.”

About ������Ƶ

������Ƶ is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture.

At ������Ƶ, more than 7,000 students learn through hands-on experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are teaching and mentoring. The curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts and sciences with emphasis on global experiences and career development. More than 70 undergraduate majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care. ������Ƶ is ranked No. 1 for excellence in undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World Report.

������Ƶ’s academic divisions include ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, with programs in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina.