Gabie Stanfield: Looking forward to giving back

When Gabie Stanfield visited UNC Charlotte for the first time, she knew she had found her home. A first-generation college student from Burlington, North Carolina, she sought a bigger city to cultivate her creativity that also had smaller supportive spaces where she could thrive.

“I went to a K-12 school — I was at the same school for kindergarten to 12th grade — it was small with only 32 people in my graduating class. I wouldn’t have changed it, because I loved having the close-knit community, but a big school was a big shift,” said Stanfield.

“When I came to visit the campus, I knew that I wanted to be here. When you find where home is for you, and the college where you’re meant to be, you just know. I am so fortunate that I’ve created a home with the people I’ve met here. When I chose Charlotte, I knew that would be waiting for me,” said Stanfield.

She grew up with an older sister and her mom, “a family built on strong women.” Stanfield’s father died when she was 14, but she was able to find a positive. “He was an alcoholic, and we weren’t around him a lot, so my sister and I were sad about losing the possibility of him being a part of our lives, but it allowed us to get closer to that side of the family, and we connected emotionally. That was hard, but it was a turning point for me. I started a blog to express myself through creative writing,” said Stanfield.

“I love traveling, and while I was growing up, I would make little video essays when my family, and I would go on trips. I would record things constantly to make one video diary that would highlight my entire year. Coming into college, I decided I should try to see if I can do something with film,” said Stanfield. Expressing herself through film and writing helped Stanfield settle on her degree with a double major in communication studies and film and media production with an American studies minor.

“My sophomore year I took an introductory film class and fell more in love with it. Charlotte has been a huge help in learning those skills and finding my love for it,” said Stanfield.

Stanfield’s goal was a full college experience. She worked for Student Niner Media for the sports section of Niner Times and enjoyed covering athletic events courtside or from the sideline, interviewing coaches and players. After working the news angle, Stanfield wanted to flex her creativity, so she interned for the Charlotte 49ers Athletics Department handling social media for volleyball.

Participating in all the activities and organizations available to communication studies majors, Stanfield was inducted into Lambda Pi Eta, the communications honor society. She also was an ambassador for the Communication Studies Department. After speaking with academic advisor Jamie Sheppard, she decided ambassadors could be used in a more formal way if students reactivated a student organization. Stanfield began the process to start the Communication Studies Student Association to be a recognized student organization through the Student Government Association.

“I learned a lot about the process to screen new student groups, but I also learned how much people at the university want to help you and support you with your initiatives,” she said. “Mark Manning was super helpful getting us started and answering all our questions. Stephanie Norander and Dan Grano in communications studies helped every way they could. So many faculty, including Carol Leeman, were awesome to support us. You can feel it — you know how much everyone wants to help you and how much they want you to succeed,” said Stanfield.

Stanfield’s success resulted in being awarded the Cy N. Bahakel Communication Scholarship for two consecutive years.

“I wouldn’t have been able to continue going to school if it weren’t for the people on the communication committees who helped award these scholarships. I don’t know how I would have paid for the last two years, and I work 30 hours a week. The generous donors and the committee changed my life, and I’m able to become a Charlotte alumna. They chose me twice, and I truly wouldn’t be here without them,” said Stanfield.

“That’s my goal as an alumna, to give back in some way, for the proud moments and for the ‘I did this’ ones. I’m grateful for my academic accolades. I worked hard, and it got me here. My mom came to my first-gen ceremony and put my cord on me. Being a single mother, it was so tough for her, and I want to make her proud. I did it by myself as a first-gen student, but it was with her support of being there for me, my friends and roommates, and everyone giving me the best opportunities,” said Stanfield.