Alumni

Misty Morin ’18 eventually plans to earn a doctorate, but first, the next destination in her journey is Spain, where she will share her love of language through a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship.

Harry Gilliard ’11 accompanied American University students to Havana, Cuba, in March, to study the intersections of culture, religion, history and economics. In 2020, he is heading to Brazil through a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship.

Dance alumna Lillian Willis ’17 was awarded a Short-Term Research Fellowship from the New York Public Library for the project, “Seeking Accessibility: American Dance Practices for the Blind and Visually Impaired.”

UNC Charlotte alumnus Michael “Seth” Flynn ’19 is bound for the Duke University School of Medicine, and he can add another accolade—one of Phi Kappa Phi’s most prestigious fellowships.

Flynn recently received the Marcus L. Urann Fellowship; this $20,000 award will help support Flynn’s medical school education. The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary collegiate honor society, only bestows six Urann Fellowships annually.

Individuals who really know Yolie Seal ’14, ’17 realize she can’t bake. But even her closest family and friends were unaware that Seal had decided to expose her non-baking skills to millions of television viewers as a contestant on the Netflix reality baking show “Nailed It!”

A rambunctious little boy walked into the Arabelle Center for Education hand-in-hand with his grandmother. Robin Hedspeth ’89, envisioned opening the center as a fun, safe learning space for students of all ages.

For Sara Simmons ’15 MPA, the 2019 Spotlight Art Exhibition helped reignite a creative spark and pushed her to start a project she’d been considering for some time. During the show held on June 7 at C3 Lab, Simmons, UNC Charlotte’s assistant director of donor relations for engagement, exhibited portraits of her cats personified.

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.

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.

The Aruna Quartet, a saxophone group that includes UNC Charlotte alumnus Andrew Schoen, won the Grand Prize in the 46th annual Fischoff Competition. Hosted by the Fischoff National Chamber Music Association, the competition is the largest chamber music competition in the United States. The Grand Prize-winning ensemble receives $13,500, a winner’s tour of the Midwestern United States and select appearances at the Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy this summer.