Academic Affairs

Throughout her time at UNC Charlotte, Provost Joan Lorden has constantly sought to bridge community needs with University assets. The results of her outstanding work are being recognized with the William M. Plater Award for Leadership in Civic Engagement from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).

Curt Walton is interim associate provost for Metropolitan Studies and Extended Academic Programs. In addition to this role, he will continue to serve as executive-in-residence with teaching and advising responsibilities in the Master of Public Administration program and as liaison with the city of Charlotte, University City Partners and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.

Twenty young leaders from high schools across the United States comprise the seventh class of UNC Charlotte’s Levine Scholars Program. They will join the University starting with the fall 2016 semester.

The University’s most prestigious merit scholarship is valued at approximately $105,000 for in-state students and $155,000 for out-of-state students. It covers full tuition, fees, housing, meals, books and summer experiences. Additional funding is provided to support community service work and professional development during the scholars’ academic years.

Gregory Mixon, an associate professor of history, is the recipient of the second annual J. Murrey Atkins Library Faculty Engagement Award.

Presented to a UNC Charlotte faculty member who has engaged in innovative or exceptional work with library collections, programs and services, the Atkins Library Faculty Engagement Award is given in the fall. It includes a $2,500 allocation for professional development that recognizes the faculty member’s outstanding contributions to the library’s mission, vision and strategic initiatives.

Christopher Ayers, executive director of the N.C. Utilities Commission Public Staff, will discuss “Utility Ratemaking 101” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, June 2, in EPIC, Room 1332. This presentation is part of the EPIC Energy Seminar Series.

Commencement was a family affair for nursing graduate Samantha Whitley and her mother Candace Yow.

Whitley, 21, originally thought about pursuing a law career; however, she began work as a certified nursing assistant at Novant Health Presbyterian and realized she liked caring for people, according to an article in the Charlotte Observer.

The Office of Disability Services has selected recipients of the 2015-16 Accessibility Excellence Award for Outstanding Faculty/Staff. Recipients, who were selected primarily from student nominations, exhibited a strong commitment to accessibility- and disability-related issues.

This year’s honorees were Jill Engle and Evan Houston (mathematics and statistics), Alex Frizzell (classroom support), Dane Hughes (College of Education), Michael Murphy, (chemistry), Per Norander (economics) and Suzanne Thomas (First-Year Writing Program).

UNC Charlotte will hold three ceremonies to bestow undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees upon approximately 4,390 students.

At 1 p.m., Friday, May 13, degree candidates for the Belk College of Business, College of Computing and Informatics, College of Health and Human Services and the Graduate School will gather in Halton Arena of the Barnhardt Student Activity Center for commencement.

Commencement is an opportunity for students to celebrate their accomplishments. This year, it also is a chance for UNC Charlotte to join #CountAllStudents, a coordinated campaign to share stories of 2016 graduates who transferred from other institutions or who attended part-time. It is these undergraduates who are missing from the federal graduation rate, often used to rank the effectiveness of colleges and universities.

The Graduate School will conduct an application information session from 11 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, May 25, in Cato Hall, Room 228, for University employees who hold a baccalaureate degree and wish to pursue a graduate education.