Faces

Lee Perkins has been a full-time UNC Charlotte employee for 10 years, but his association with the University began as a student.

The Asheville native enrolled as a prospective engineering major but later completed a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from the Belk College of Business.

And today, he works for the college as a technical support analyst after beginning in the Office of Classroom Support.

Lebra Nance focuses on students and views her role as one to assist them to achieve their goals of earning a degree and becoming engineers.

As a student services specialist in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science in the William States Lee College of Engineering, Nance is a point of contact for current and prospective undergraduates.

Challenging students to experience all that college affords them is one motivation for Kimberly Turner as director of the University’s Multicultural Resource Center.

“Student development – watching young people grow and mature during their undergraduate years is amazing,” said Turner. “Particularly, if they are connected to campus in a way that enables them to take advantage of all that the campus offers.”

Student-athletes excel on the fields and courts, and intercollegiate athletics plays a major role at colleges and universities. For Mark Verburg, the men and women who comprise Charlotte 49ers teams are students first.

Nearly 75 percent of UNC Charlotte’s student population receives some form of financial aid. Veteran employee Patti Bowman understands the importance this support plays in the educational process

Reliable, trustworthy and safe – important concepts in the field of transportation, and Helena Connors is focused daily on achieving these benchmarks.

As UNC Charlotte’s transportation manager, Connors oversees the University’s arrangement with CATS, the daytime and evening SafeRide program, the Zipcar rental program and other efforts to move students, faculty and staff around campus.

 “Every day is different,” said Connors. “We’re constantly exploring ways to improve our current services, and we’re researching new programs, such as a bike-share offering.”

As office manager for the Department of Aerospace Studies, Cole Carter often is the initial point of contact for prospective cadets for the University’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 592.

Since joining the University and aerospace studies in 2000, Carter has worked for seven department chairs or commanders, along with numerous other officers and non-commissioned personnel who oversee the University’s Air Force ROTC program. Lt. Col. Richard Sanders is the current ROTC commander.

Julie Howell really likes calling North Carolina home, so much so, that she sought the opportunity to settle in the Tar Heel State about 16 years ago.

A native of Olathe, Kan., Howell retired from the telecommunications industry after a 26-year career in which she lived in several large cities.

From student to alumnus to University employee captures Zachary Tarlton’s trajectory at UNC Charlotte.

Currently, the office manager for the Department of Dance, Tarlton completed a bachelor’s degree in architecture and the Bachelor of Architecture before joining the University as a full-time employee, first with the School of Architecture.

A one-time freelance writer, Denelle Eads still relies upon her communications background as the outreach and staff development librarian for the J. Murrey Atkins Library.

“I work with colleagues to promote professional development opportunities and coordinate outreach activities to enable us all in the library to get to know each other,” said Eads. “Currently, we have about 85 faculty and staff members in Atkins, and I interact with everyone.”