General News

Is it possible to define religion and enact laws regarding religious freedoms where there is no state-established religion? That question is the focus of UNC Charlotte’s 31st annual Loy Witherspoon Lecture in Religious Studies at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 2, in the Cone University Center, McKnight Hall.

Guest lecturer Winnifred Fallers Sullivan will present the free, public presentation “The Impossibility of Religious Freedom.”

In this brief video, Steve Serio talks about his role as president of the student body.

Students from UNC Charlotte and other universities will present research on American, European and local history, along with digital history projects that complement student historical research, during the Graduate History Association’s 27th annual Graduate History Forum.

Graduate and undergraduate students will attend and present at the forum, which will be Friday and Saturday, March 27-28, in the Cone University Center.

On Tuesday, March 31, the Charlotte Venture Challenge (CVC) will showcase 30 finalists selected from more than 110 startups to vie for cash awards and the opportunity to be introduced to investors, corporate executives and the business community.

This year’s CVC is being held in partnership with the Southeast Venture Conference (SVC), which is expected to draw 600-plus investors and Fortune 500 innovation executives. Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, and Scott Kupor, managing partner of Andreessen Horowitz, are scheduled to speak at the SVC.

Campus growth, light rail and academic resources were a few of the topics addressed by Chancellor Philip Dubois and campus administrators during a recent discussion with the student body in the Student Union Rotunda. 

Reading and elementary education professor Tracy Rock is a recipient of the 2015 UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award.

This annual honor recognizes one professor at each of North Carolina’s public institutions. The 17 recipients were nominated by individual campus committees and selected by the Board of Governors’ Committee on Personnel and Tenure. Each award winner will receive a commemorative bronze medallion and a $12,500 cash prize; the honor will be presented formally during the spring graduation ceremony on each campus. 

The PORTAL Building won the Design People’s Choice Award in the 2015 AIA Charlotte competition. A section of the American Institute of Architects, AIA Charlotte announced its design winners recently during a gala at the Foundation for the Carolinas.

The People’s Choice Awards involved an online vote open to AIA Charlotte members, allied members and the public.

During a recent spring break study abroad trip to India, UNC Charlotte students celebrated the spring festival of Holi at Jamia Milia Islamia in Delhi. Also known as the festival of colors, Holi is an ancient Hindu religious festival celebrated in early spring. The UNC Charlotte campus community will hold a Holi celebration at 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 24, on the front fields.

Shanti Kulkarni, social work, and Beth Racine, public health sciences, led the spring break program “Health, Empowerment and Gender Equity in India.”

Four graduate students in the College of Education’s Department of Middle, Secondary and K-12 Education have received summer fellowships to participate in the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s prestigious Teacher Seminar Program.

The School of Architecture Master of Urban Design program will present the symposium “Visualizing the Smarter City” from 1 to 6 p.m., Thursday, March 26. Registration begins at noon.