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.

They were selected from a record pool of more than 230 applicants to the part-time, evening, in-person program hosted at 乱伦视频’s Charlotte Center.

Nearly 120 students are enrolled in the program as it enters its third year. Designed for place-bound students balancing law school with jobs and other commitments, the Flex Program offers a path to a law degree that can be completed in about three years and eight months 鈥� meaning this year’s new students could graduate as soon as March 2030 鈥� with the flexibility to adjust their pace and extend studies if needed.

Vice Dean and Professor of Law Alan Woodlief welcomed the class during Convocation ceremonies on Aug. 10 highlighting the academic achievement and professional experience its members bring to 乱伦视频 Law.

鈥淵ou were selected based on your many prior achievements, your demonstrated passion for studying law, and your immense potential for success in law school and in serving others through the legal profession,鈥� Woodlief said. 鈥淵ou should be proud of your admission to the Flex Program and motivated to live up to the high expectations we have for you.鈥�

48 鈥� Total Enrollment of the Entering Class of Fall 2026

154 鈥� Median LSAT

66% Female | 34% Male

31% 鈥� Students of Color

29 鈥� Average Age

20+ 鈥� Members holding advanced degrees

27% 鈥� First-Generation College Students

Nearly 90% of incoming students are the first in their families to attend law school.

Broad professional and educational experience

Entering Flex Program students earned undergraduate degrees from 34 colleges and universities. The institutions most represented in the class include:

• UNC-Chapel Hill with six students;
• UNC Charlotte with four;
• Appalachian State University and the University of South Carolina with three students each, and;
• North Carolina State University and Winthrop University with two students each.

More than 20 undergraduate majors are represented, ranging from art history to zoology. Political science is the most common major, with 12 students, followed by criminal justice with five, psychology with four and business with three.

Two members of the class have served in the military, and several competed as varsity athletes.

The class also brings substantial professional experience to the classroom. Eleven students 鈥� 23% of the class 鈥� already work in the legal field, including as paralegals and legal assistants. Others have built careers in banking and finance, real estate, nursing, journalism, teaching and sports coaching.

The class also reflects the Flex Program鈥檚 strong regional ties. Eighty percent of students are from North Carolina, while five are from South Carolina. Other members of the class come from Utah, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida.

鈥淲e look forward to witnessing firsthand your accomplishments to come 鈥� over the next four years and throughout your careers as 乱伦视频 lawyers 鈥� as you channel this energy, focus, and commitment to excellence and service in your new chosen profession as pioneering lawyer leaders,鈥� Woodlief said.

乱伦视频 Professor of Law Steve Friedland provided legal analysis for an Aug. 12 Washington Post article examining the Justice Department鈥檚 decision to convene a special grand jury in Washington, D.C., an uncommon legal mechanism that can focus on a single case or group of related cases and issue a report following its investigation.

The article, 鈥淧irro, in rare move, convenes special grand jury in Washington,鈥� reports that the special grand jury will be overseen by Steven Vandervelden, an ally of U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro. It remains unclear what the grand jury will investigate.

Friedland explained that special grand juries are governed by strict procedures but also provide prosecutors with some flexibility in how they conduct investigations.

鈥淭his could be very interesting,鈥� Friedland told The Washington Post. 鈥淓ach administration has its own approach to how it enforces the law and how it uses the tools available to it.鈥�

Unlike a typical grand jury, a special grand jury focuses on a single case or related cases. It can also issue a report at the conclusion of its investigation, potentially naming individuals even when prosecutors do not have enough evidence to bring criminal charges.

Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather III delivered the Call to Honor, challenging students to consider not only what they hope to accomplish as lawyers, but whom their work will ultimately serve.

鈥淭he lawyer, and the law student, who demonstrates fidelity to the field is always in the fight because they are thinking of what someone else needs from them 鈥� fighting for someone else鈥檚 interest as if it were their own,鈥� Merriweather said during ceremonies held Mon., Aug. 10, at 乱伦视频鈥檚 Charlotte Center at 330 W. Tremont Ave. in Charlotte鈥檚 South End neighborhood.

Merriweather leads the district attorney鈥檚 office for North Carolina鈥檚 26th Prosecutorial District, the state鈥檚 largest. His connection to 乱伦视频 Law is also personal: his wife, Lila Riley L鈥�10, is a member of the law school鈥檚 second graduating class.

Describing law as a vocation rooted in serving others, Merriweather reflected on experiences that shaped his own path, from witnessing lawyers pursue justice following a racially motivated killing in his hometown of Mobile, Alabama, to working with a grieving father as a first-year law student interning in the Mecklenburg County District Attorney鈥檚 Office.

鈥淭hose who are fulfilled in this practice believe that it is something that we are called to do,鈥� Merriweather said. 鈥淚f you truly commit to pursuit of this practice, you do so because you believe that you have a charge to keep: to speak up for someone, and to tell someone鈥檚 story with full impact.鈥�

Merriweather urged students to:

• Be ambitious, curious, studious and sharp, while never losing sight of the people the law is meant to serve.
• Build a reputation for integrity. 聽Future clients and colleagues must be able to rely on a lawyer鈥檚 word, competence and credibility.
• Find your own sense of purpose in the law. When the work becomes difficult, Merriweather encouraged students to return to a simple question: 鈥淲hat are you here to do?鈥�

The Flex Program allows students to earn a law degree through a part-time, in-person course of study designed for working professionals and place-bound students in the Charlotte region.

Flex Program Student Bar Association President Raygan Angel LF鈥�28, a member of the program鈥檚 inaugural cohort, encouraged new students to build a supportive community rather than view classmates as competitors.

鈥淭he relationships you grow here will matter just as much as the cases you鈥檙e going to have to study,鈥� Angel said. 鈥淪o introduce yourself, form the study group, share an outline and celebrate each other鈥檚 wins instead of measuring yourself against them. The legal profession needs more lawyers who compete with integrity and lead with generosity.鈥�

Vice Dean and Professor of Law Alan Woodlief opened the ceremony by recognizing the commitment required of Flex Program students, many of whom will balance full-time careers and other responsibilities with law school. He told the third cohort that faculty and staff 鈥渕arvel at鈥� and respect the work they have done to organize their lives around pursuing a legal education.

The ceremony concluded with an 乱伦视频 tradition connecting the newest law students to the university鈥檚 name and history. 鈥溌衣资悠碘�� is the Hebrew word for oak. The university has long used the growth of an acorn into an oak tree as a symbol of education, transformation and individual potential.

Woodlief presented each student with an acorn as they crossed the front of the room, where Dean and Professor of Law Zak Kramer greeted them and shook their hands. The students will receive oak saplings at Commencement.

Kramer closed the ceremony by reflecting on the significance of the third Flex Program cohort and the community that has grown around the program. He also echoed Merriweather鈥檚 message about finding a calling in the law, urging students to lean into the law school experience and promising that 乱伦视频 Law would take seriously their ambitions and dreams.

鈥淵our calling is what brought you here, and our charge, as we see it, is to make sure that you can answer that call, whatever that call is,鈥� Kramer said. 鈥淭he call is up to you. We will follow it, and we will do everything we can to support you and launch you into your career.鈥�

About 乱伦视频 Law

乱伦视频 Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required, full-time Residency-in-Practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school鈥檚 distinctive curriculum offers a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which provides exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.

乱伦视频 Law has graduated more than 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students and the law school is regularly featured in the top tier of preLaw Magazine鈥檚 鈥淏est Schools for Practical Training鈥� rankings. In 2026, 乱伦视频 Law received ABA approval to launch a full-time 2.5-year J.D. program on the campus of Queens University of Charlotte beginning in Fall 2027. The 乱伦视频 Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study for place-bound students at 乱伦视频鈥檚 Charlotte campus, welcomed its third cohort in Fall 2026.

One of the law school’s largest entering classes, the Class of 2028 begins its legal education this fall in 乱伦视频 Law’s accelerated 2.5-year Juris Doctor program.

Selected from one of the strongest applicant pools in the law school’s history 鈥� and a record of nearly 1,400 applications 鈥� the entering class includes students from across North Carolina and the nation who have excelled in the classroom, led organizations and teams, conducted research, studied abroad, served their communities and gained professional experience in legal and non-legal fields before beginning law school. Its average LSAT score was 155, a school record.

Assistant Dean of 乱伦视频 Tyler Parent formally introduced the entering class during Convocation on Aug. 4, highlighting the achievements and experiences that members of the Class of 2028 bring to 乱伦视频 Law.

“You were selected based on your many prior achievements. You demonstrated passion for studying law, and your immense potential for success in law school and serving others through the legal profession shined,鈥� Parent said.

Here’s a look at what the Class of 2028 brings to 乱伦视频 Law, as well as data annually submitted to the American Bar Association:

Total Enrollment (as of Aug. 7, 2025): 177

Average Age: 23 (ranging from 19 to 38)

Gender: 57% female, 42% male, 1% another gender identity

Students of Color: 21%

Top States Represented:

The class hails from 24 states across the U.S., with 46% from North Carolina.

• North Carolina: 96
• South Carolina: 18
• Virginia: 13
• Georgia: 8
• New York: 6

Florida and Maryland count five students each, and Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut count three students each.

Higher education

乱伦视频 Law鈥檚 Class of 2028 graduated from 83 different undergraduate institutions, including:

• North Carolina State University: 13
• Appalachian State University: 11
• University of North Carolina 鈥� Chapel Hill: 10
• 乱伦视频: 8
• University of South Carolina: 8

Other schools represented include the University of North Carolina 鈥� Charlotte, University of North Carolina 鈥� Wilmington, with seven students each; the University of North Carolina 鈥� Greensboro with six students; East Carolina University with five students; Western Carolina University with four students; and three each from Wake Forest University, Virginia Tech, North Carolina A&T State University, the University of Alabama, and James Madison University. Many others are represented, including Auburn University, Clemson University, the College of Charleston, Duke University, Liberty University, Penn State, the University of Kentucky, the University of Tennessee and the University of Virginia.

Experience, service and interests

Service is a defining characteristic of the Class of 2028. Parent noted:

• Four members of the class have served in the U.S. military, including three in the Army and one in the Marine Corps.
• At least five members are Eagle Scouts.

• Students have participated in mission trips, volunteered with organizations including Habitat for Humanity and Boys & Girls Clubs, organized charitable fundraisers and supported their communities in other ways.

Members of the Class of 2028 also arrive at 乱伦视频 Law with a wide range of professional experience in legal and non-legal fields:

• Students have worked for law firms and judges, as well as in district attorneys鈥� offices, public defenders鈥� offices, city attorneys鈥� offices and other legal organizations.
• Several worked full-time as paralegals or legal assistants, while others volunteered as guardians ad litem and child advocates or served as deputy clerks of court.
• Members of the class held legislative internships in Congress and state legislatures, worked in federal and state agencies, and participated in political campaigns.
• Outside the legal field, students have worked as teachers, sports coaches, real estate agents, nannies, face painters, banquet servers, baristas, restaurant hosts and servers, and retail employees.
• Some are entrepreneurs who started their own businesses.

Outside the classroom and workplace, the class brings an eclectic mix of athletic, artistic and media experience:

• Students have competed in varsity sports including rowing, squash, hockey, lacrosse, football, baseball and basketball, while others participated in club and intramural athletics. Several served as team captains and earned all-conference honors.
• The class includes runners, Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners, rugby players and golfers.
• Students have written for college newspapers and literary magazines, worked for college radio and television stations, and served as sports reporters and news correspondents.
• The class includes musicians who play guitar, ukulele, and trombone, as well as theater actors, a professional ballerina and a member of a hip-hop dance crew.

Parent also shared one new statistic during this year’s introduction: the most common first names among members of the Class of 2028. Four students are named Benjamin or Ben, four are named Matthew 鈥� and two are named Rachel Walker, who Parent joked will “have fun explaining who they are” over the next 2.5 years.

About 乱伦视频 Law

乱伦视频 Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required, full-time Residency-in-Practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school鈥檚 distinctive curriculum offers a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which provides exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.

乱伦视频 Law has graduated more than 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students and the law school is regularly featured in the top tier of preLaw Magazine鈥檚 鈥淏est Schools for Practical Training鈥� rankings. In 2026, 乱伦视频 Law received ABA approval to launch a full-time 2.5-year J.D. program on the campus of Queens University of Charlotte beginning in Fall 2027. The 乱伦视频 Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study for place-bound students at 乱伦视频鈥檚 Charlotte campus, welcomes its third cohort in Fall 2026.

“Your future will be shaped far less by the titles you earn than by the person you become while earning them,” said Taylor, delivering the annual Call to Honor in downtown Greensboro’s Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. “I hope people know you as someone they can trust. Someone who’s prepared. Someone who listens. Someone who treats everyone with dignity. Someone who uses the law not simply to make a living, but to make a difference.”

Taylor serves North Carolina’s Judicial District 8, hearing cases in Edgecombe, Nash and Wilson counties following her 2025 appointment by Governor Josh Stein. Drawing on her own path from 乱伦视频 Law graduate to assistant district attorney, private practice attorney, adjunct professor and judge, she reminded students that the most meaningful legal careers are built one opportunity 鈥� and one relationship 鈥� at a time.

Taylor didn鈥檛 imagine becoming a judge when she arrived at law school. In fact, she’d planned on a career in sports and entertainment law. But through her law school experiences, including a Residency-in-Practice with the Guilford County Public Defender’s Office and an internship at the Alamance County District Attorney’s Office, she found her calling.

She implored students to remain open to opportunities they cannot yet see, trusting that each experience will prepare them for what comes next.

Throughout her remarks, Taylor encouraged students to:

• “Walk through every door” 乱伦视频 Law opens, knowing that the lessons you learn and the skills you develop may prepare you for tomorrow’s unexpected paths.
• Never stop learning, remaining curious, humble and open to growth throughout your legal career.
• Remember the people behind every case, approaching each client with compassion and respect as well as legal skill.

Student Bar Association President Trey Sharpe McClenny L’26 echoed Taylor’s message, reminding students that the legal profession is defined by character.

“Law school will provide you a lot of titles beyond lawyer,鈥� McClenny said. 鈥淵ou will become a counselor, an advocate, an officer of the court. But to many, you will simply become their lawyer on speed dial. Wear those titles with kindness and compassion. Be someone that others trust and want beside them.鈥�

Provost Rebecca Kohn welcomed students to 乱伦视频 and introduced one of the university’s longstanding traditions. Named for the Hebrew word for “oak,” 乱伦视频 presents each new student with an acorn symbolizing the beginning of their academic journey. At graduation, students receive an oak sapling representing the growth they have experienced during their time at 乱伦视频 and the continued growth that lies ahead.

Kohn also highlighted the close faculty mentorship and academic rigor that define the 乱伦视频 experience.

“乱伦视频 Law faculty engage with students both inside and outside the classroom,鈥� Kohn said. 鈥淭hey’re known for their accessibility and responsiveness to students, and they will stretch you and challenge you more than you thought possible.鈥�

乱伦视频 Law Dean Zak Kramer closed the ceremony by reflecting on a conversation with with Taylor before Convocation. Taylor told him she hadn鈥檛 envisioned becoming a judge until an 乱伦视频 Law mentor recognized qualities in her that she had not yet seen in herself. Building on Taylor’s message, Kramer encouraged students to embrace every opportunity at law school, reminding them that each one will shape their careers in unexpected ways.

“We don’t know yet where your career is going to take you, but I promise you that each and every one of us at 乱伦视频 is completely committed to helping you get there,鈥� Kramer said. 鈥淲e will take your dreams seriously, we will hold them precious, and we will do everything in our power to launch you into the life that you have imagined.鈥�

Founded by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer, Imagine Entertainment is one of Hollywood’s most respected film and television production companies, with acclaimed credits including 鈥淎 Beautiful Mind,鈥� 鈥淎pollo 13鈥� and 鈥淔riday Night Lights.鈥�

Since joining the company more than six years ago, Choi has risen from an executive assistant to vice president of film, where she leads development across the department鈥檚 slate. Her projects include 鈥淒angerously Funny,鈥� a feature about the Smothers Brothers’ battle with CBS censors, and she secured the rights to the books 鈥�200 Monas鈥� by Jan Saenz and Rebecca Yarros鈥� 鈥淭he Last Letter鈥� for Amazon. Imagine鈥檚 upcoming releases include 鈥淗ow to Rob a Bank,鈥� 鈥淲halefall,鈥� 鈥淭he Mosquito Bowl鈥� and 鈥淪paceballs 2.鈥�

Choi said the recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the relationships she has built throughout her career.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 succeed in a vacuum, and I think the best part of this industry is the camaraderie and community that you can find if you look for it,鈥� Choi said. 鈥淭o be recognized by the company where I grew up as a producer is incredibly meaningful, and even more than that, to look around and be celebrated by my peers and creative partners is everything.鈥�

In her profile, the 乱伦视频 graduate reflected on the experiences that sparked her passion for filmmaking.

鈥淕rowing up, I wasn’t allowed to watch many movies, so the ones I did manage to see felt especially meaningful,” she told Variety. “That experience shaped the kinds of stories I gravitate toward today.”

Reflecting on her career path, Choi 鈥� a Leadership Fellow at 乱伦视频 鈥� offered advice for others hoping to break into the film industry.

鈥淣o matter how you got into the room or what room you鈥檙e in, make the most of it,鈥� she said. 鈥淒o everything you can to hone your craft so that, in an industry where opportunities are increasingly harder to come by, you鈥檙e the most prepared you could be to take full advantage of whatever comes your way.鈥�

Twenty-six students participated in Phoenix Summer, held July 6-17 on 乱伦视频鈥檚 campus, where they immersed themselves in hands-on, college-style academics while fostering curiosity, community and independence.

“The transition from high school to college is one of the biggest milestones in a student鈥檚 life, and after working with first-year students for many years, I鈥檝e learned that one of the most common things they say is 鈥業 wish I had known what to expect,鈥�” said Theresa Higgins, academic coordinator for alternative start programs. 鈥淧hoenix Summer gives students the opportunity to experience college before they get here full time.鈥�

Students lived in the residence halls, navigated campus, ate in the dining hall, learned from 乱伦视频 faculty, connected with staff and explored the academic and social opportunities 乱伦视频 has to offer.

Students selected two courses to take throughout the camp, including Order in the court!, An introduction to law and justice, taught by Shilanka Lewis, assistant professor of law; Chemistry in the kitchen, taught by Mary McManamy, associate teaching professor of chemistry; Exploring astronomical and poetic light, taught by Claudine Moreau, assistant teaching professor of physics; and Start-up Spring: concept to creation, taught by Elena Kennedy, associate professor of entrepreneurship and Dan Reis, assistant director of creative learning technologies.

鈥淭he Phoenix Summer faculty were truly the highlight of this pre-college experience,鈥� Higgins said. 鈥淭heir enthusiasm, passion and genuine engagement with their subject matter inspired students to see college as a place to explore their interests and discover new possibilities.鈥�

Each day the students spent time learning and engaging in the classroom through a variety of hands-on lessons.

“The law class was my favorite part of the camp,鈥� said Ava Hendricks, an eleventh grade student from Raleigh, North Carolina. 鈥淚 have always been interested in law and what we have been doing in the class to prepare for a mock trial has been so cool. Phoenix Summer gave me the opportunity to picture college. I would never have known what college would be like without this possibility.鈥�

During the day, students participated in their courses, while evenings and weekends were filled with social events, activities, several off-campus excursions and signature 乱伦视频 experiences to help students build community. Activities students participated in included a trivia night, human bingo, s鈥檓ore making, karaoke, a water balloon fight and a sip and paint.

“My favorite parts of the camp were meeting new people, living in a dorm and attending the classes,鈥� said Sienna Rohan, a twelfth grade student from Greensboro, Georgia. “It鈥檚 been nice meeting new people, and I鈥檝e learned a lot about 乱伦视频.鈥�

Higgins’ hope is that students left the camp聽with not only a greater appreciation for 乱伦视频, but also a renewed excitement about the possibilities that lie ahead as the students transition from high school to college.

鈥淭he primary goal of Phoenix Summer is to provide high school students with an authentic college experience that builds confidence, independence and a sense of belonging before they begin their college journey,鈥� Higgins said. 鈥淭he most exciting part of the camp was watching the students truly thrive in the experiences we intentionally designed for them.

鈥淚 watched them blossom from students who arrived on the first day feeling nervous and uncertain about what to expect into confident, engaged learners 鈥� and, in the case of our Order in the Court students, budding lawyers in training. I hope they leave believing in themselves. Whether they ultimately choose 乱伦视频 or another institution, I hope 乱伦视频 will always hold a special place in their hearts as the place where they first experienced college and began to see themselves as future college students.鈥�

For more information about Phoenix Summer and information about future camps, contact Theresa Higgins, academic coordinator for alternative start programs, at thiggings7@elon.edu.

聽in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she focuses on family law and immigration. In the profile, Seymour reflects on the challenges and rewards of changing careers later in life and encourages others not to let age stand in the way of pursuing meaningful work.

“The most obvious thing that anybody could ever say, but it had not occurred to me that I could actually be different or just change. It shifted for me,” Seymour told People.

Seymour has remained closely connected to 乱伦视频 Law since graduating in 2017. , she regularly mentors students, supports experiential learning opportunities and has partnered with the law school on pro bono initiatives that expand access to legal services while providing students with valuable hands-on experience.

Last year, Seymour supervised students participating in a power of attorney clinic in partnership with FaithAction International, a project that earned the North Carolina Bar Association’s 2026 Law School Pro Bono Project of the Year Award. She wrote the letter of recommendation to the bar association that led to the students’ recognition.

to learn more about Seymour’s inspiring career journey and the lessons she hopes others will take from it.

As they helped parents prepare legal documents designed to ensure their children would continue receiving care and education if the unexpected happened, students found themselves doing something equally important: listening to families navigating uncertainty and providing greater peace of mind.

Organized by 乱伦视频 Law’s Pro Bono Board in partnership with 鈥� an agency that advocates for and serves immigrants in the Triad 鈥� the May 2025 clinic responded to concerns from families who wanted to prepare for the possibility of sudden family separation. Under the supervision of licensed attorneys 鈥� including an 乱伦视频 Law alumna and a faculty member 鈥� students assisted parents in completing powers of attorney that would allow trusted caregivers to make educational and medical decisions for their children if needed.

“It was something concrete we could actually do,” recalled Molly Hohler L’26, who helped organize the clinic through the Pro Bono Board.

Families spoke candidly about their fears as they contemplated possible detention or deportation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Working alongside fellow board leaders Frank Edwards L’25, Adnan Omer L’25, Saniya Pangare L’25 and Cameron Riordan L’25, Hohler organized the clinic with FaithAction International, Professor of Law Andy Haile and attorney Abigail Seymour L’17. Together, they identified a way to use their legal training to meet a community need and serve real clients.

More than a year later, that student-led effort earned statewide recognition. during the association’s Annual Meeting this summer, recognizing an “outstanding law student group whose pro bono project advanced access to justice in North Carolina.

鈥淵ou have that script of what you want to say, and then all of that goes out the window because you recognize the emotions your client is experiencing. It taught us that you have to approach clients with empathy, not just legal answers.”
鈥� Adnan Omer L’25

The idea grew from conversations with FaithAction International, which identified an urgent community need and contacted the Pro Bono Board. Immigration legal advice was beyond the scope of what students could provide, but powers of attorney offered a meaningful way to serve clients under attorney supervision.

For Adnan Omer L’25 and others, the clinic quickly became much more than a legal exercise.

“People come to you on one of the hardest days of their lives,鈥� said Omer, now an associate attorney with Vrapi Weeks Immigration Attorneys in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 鈥淵ou have that script of what you want to say, and then all of that goes out the window because you recognize the emotions your client is experiencing. It taught us that you have to approach clients with empathy, not just legal answers.”

Seymour L’17, who founded Greensboro-based Camino Law in 2019, was the supervising attorney for the clinic. As a former Pro Bono Board member herself, she understood the value of the experience for students. Throughout the day, she observed, interpreted and worked alongside them during client meetings in the one-day clinic.

“The main purpose of this clinic was to give people a sense of control and preparation,” Seymour said. “Peace of mind to know that if the worst were to happen, they would have a plan.” 乱伦视频 Law students 鈥渨ere wonderful and jumped right in. They didn’t hang back.鈥�

“The most important lesson is learning to work with clients who are facing significant challenges that we as lawyers may never experience ourselves. In class, we can debate and discuss these abstract issues of law and policy, but when you see how they affect real people, that makes it a different lesson.”
鈥� Professor of Law Andy Haile

In recommending the clinic for the statewide award, Seymour praised the students’ “extraordinary professionalism, leadership and compassion,” writing to the NCBA that they approached the work “not as an academic exercise, but as a professional responsibility.” The project exemplified “the highest ideals of pro bono service in North Carolina,鈥� she wrote.

Haile, who also supervised students during the clinic, said the experience demonstrated why experiential learning is critical for legal preparation. Some skills can鈥檛 be learned in a classroom.

“The most important lesson is learning to work with clients who are facing significant challenges that we as lawyers may never experience ourselves,” Haile said. “In class, we can debate and discuss these abstract issues of law and policy, but when you see how they affect real people, that makes it a different lesson.”

For Pangare, whose family immigrated to the United States, the project carried special meaning.

“It was an opportunity to help people feel more secure in their homes, their surroundings and their communities,” said Pangare 鈥� now an associate attorney at Hall Booth Smith P.C. in Asheville, North Carolina. “We wanted to help a community we knew felt vulnerable and let them know we were there to support them.”

“We have unique skills as soon-to-be lawyers. The more we can use those skills to help people, the better lawyers we become in the process.”
鈥� Molly Hohler L’26

She joined Hohler and Shannon Ward L鈥�26, current Pro Bono Board co-director, in accepting the award on behalf of 乱伦视频 Law during the NCBA Annual Meeting on June 26.

Hohler said that public service has been a throughline in both her personal and professional life. Serving on the Pro Bono Board gives her an opportunity to channel that instinct alongside classmates who share a commitment to service.

“I love working with clients. It gives me new energy,” Hohler said. “We have unique skills as soon-to-be lawyers. The more we can use those skills to help people, the better lawyers we become in the process.”