General News

In this message from the chancellor, he reflects on the one-month anniversary of the day that forever touched the University community.

For alumni Sharon Dowell ’02 and Justin Driscoll ’09, their passion for creativity was ignited during their time at UNC Charlotte. This summer, Dowell and Driscoll will pay it forward by serving as curators for the 2019 Spotlight Art Exhibition, which takes place Friday, June 7, at C3 Lab.

The Office of University Communications garnered a big dose of recognition in an awards program that attracts entrants from throughout corporate and nonprofit communications and the media.

The UComm team received 10 prizes in the Communicator Awards program, an annual competition that this year attracted more than 6,000 entries from top communications agencies, Fortune 500 companies and numerous nonprofits. Other higher education honorees included Harvard, MIT and Notre Dame.

Eight students who represent a number of educational disciplines are this year’s recipients of the Thomas L. Reynolds Graduate Student Research Award.

The Reynolds Fellowship was created by its namesake, Associate Provost and Graduate School Dean Tom Reynolds, to assist with costs that are overlooked in other funding sources and to help students stay focused on their research goals. The Reynolds Fellowship provides up to $1,500 to doctoral students who have completed three semesters and to master’s students who have completed at least one semester.

The University Recreation Center, scheduled to open during the upcoming fall semester, will respond to UNC Charlotte’s growing demand for dedicated student recreation and fitness space.

For the first time ever, UNC Charlotte’s speech team has placed in the top 20 in a national speech tournament, competing against more than 150 teams from across the nation in the National Forensic Association’s championship tournament held in Santa Ana, California.

Charlotte 49ers record-breaking running back Benny LeMay has earned a spot among The Sporting News’ Top 25 College Running Backs headed into the 2019 season.

LeMay ranked second in Conference USA and 20th in the FBS with a 103.6 rushing average in 2018. The second team all-C-USA choice ran for 1,243 yards, becoming the first 49er to rush for 1,000 yards at the FBS level. He scored 11 touchdowns, the most by a 49er at the FBS level and set a school record with four rushing touchdowns vs. FIU. 

The Charlotte 49ers had a record eight players named to the Athlon Sports preseason all-Conference USA teams. Five earned first team honors, second-most in the league.

Prolific running back Benny LeMay and offensive line anchor Cam Clark were named first team all-offense. Havoc-wreaking defensive end Alex Highsmith and safety Ben DeLuca were named first team all-defense. Standout sophomore kicker Jonathan Cruz was named a first team specialist.

Fred Whitfield, president and chief operating officer for the Hornets Sports & Entertainment, is the 2019 recipient of the UNC Charlotte Distinguished Service Award.

Cato College of Education alumna Tiffany Hollis ’17, an assistant professor at Coastal Carolina University, was recently named that institution’s 2019 Professor of the Year. Hollis earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction  with a focus on Urban Education from UNC Charlotte.