Meet the University Marshals for spring 2025 commencement
University marshals are distinguished faculty members selected to represent their colleagues at ceremonial functions of the University, including commencement.
These honorees represent faculty excellence and leadership in teaching, professional achievement and service to the campus and community.
University marshals for Spring Commencement are Juan Luis Vivero-Escoto, Steve Schmid, Kelly Powers, John Taylor and Amy Good.
Juan Luis Vivero-Escoto
Juan Luis Vivero-Escoto, professor of chemistry, is the University marshal for the doctoral hooding ceremony at 4 p.m., Thursday, May 8.
Vivero-Escoto has been teaching at UNC Charlotte since 2012. His primary area of research focus is the design and synthesis of novel hybrid inorganic-organic materials for biomedicine and renewable energy.
Steve Schmid
Steve Schmid, Belk-Woodward Distinguished Professor in Engineering, is the University marshal for the commencement ceremony at 10 a.m., Friday, May 9, for the Belk College of Business, Cato College of Education and the William States Lee College of Engineering.
Schmid joined the William States Lee College of Engineering in 2020 as the first-ever Belk-Woodward Distinguished Professor in Engineering. A nationally known expert in manufacturing, Schmid collaborates with researchers in the college’s Center for Precision Metrology and with regional companies.
kelly powers
Kelly Powers, Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Scholar and associate professor in the School of Nursing, is the University marshal for the commencement ceremony at 3 p.m., Friday, May 9, for the College of Arts + Architecture, College of Computing and Informatics and the College of Health and Human Services.
Powers has been a faculty member at UNC Charlotte since 2008 and teaches in the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral nursing programs. Her current courses are focused on teaching and mentoring doctoral nursing program students to conduct scholarly projects, preparing master’s degree students for the nurse educator role and advancing graduate students’ interprofessional collaboration competencies.
john taylor
John Taylor, professor of mathematics and statistics, is the University marshal for the commencement ceremony at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 10, for the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences and the Klein College of Science.
Taylor has served as a professor of mathematics at UNC Charlotte since 2006, teaching undergraduate and graduate level classes and as a tutor in the Mathematics Learning Center. Taylor, known for his innovative and student-centered approach to teaching mathematics, was a finalist for the UNC Charlotte Award for Teaching Excellence in 2024.
Kirill Afonin
Kirill Afonin, professor of chemistry, is the University marshal for the commencement ceremony at 3 p.m., Saturday, May 10, for the Graduate School.
Afonin is internationally recognized as a leader in RNA nanotechnology, one of the most significant and rapidly evolving fields of science. Since joining UNC Charlotte in 2015, Afonin has received numerous honors and recognitions, including 10 patents, more than 30 research highlights published about his work and dozens of oral presentations and invited talks.