Maya Barbee Closes Charlotte Career with Niner Pride

May 1, 2025
Categories: News, Student Stories
Maya Barbee stands near pink azaleas in front of the Fretwell Building at UNC Charlotte.

Maya Barbee, a double major in sociology and Spanish, is set to walk the stage at Halton Arena at spring commencement, closing the book on her time at UNC Charlotte. Barbee, an academic overachiever bursting with 49er spirit, says the moment will be bittersweet.

“It doesn’t feel real yet, but I’m excited to start a new chapter and close out all of my accomplishments at Charlotte,” Barbee said.

Barbee was raised in Michigan by two parents that were committed to activism and community impact. She grew up with refugee foster siblings and from a young age viewed the world with a wide lens. UNC Charlotte, due to the strength and breadth of its programs, was a dream institution for Barbee. When her family moved to Charlotte, Barbee enrolled and made the dream a reality. 

“It was my dream school and honestly, it’s been a dream experience,” Barbee said.

Building Connections, Achieving Excellence

Sociology seemed to be a natural fit for Barbee but it wasn’t until she took a class taught by Scott Fitzgerald, sociology department chair and her eventual mentor, that she focused her coursework. She would grow to become an active member of the Student Association of Sociology on campus. 

In the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences, she paired sociology with Spanish and developed close relationships within the department, which ultimately led to her study abroad experience at Universidad Nebrija in Madrid where she took classes taught completely in Spanish.

Maya Barbee stands in front of her research poster and talks with an attendee.
Barbee presented her poster with the Office of Undergraduate Research in the summer of 2024.
Scott Fitzgerald listens to Barbee’s research presentation.

Barbee, a four time Chancellor’s List member, accumulated prestigious honors at Charlotte including being an Office of Undergraduate Research Scholar, undergraduate preceptor, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society and the National Society of Leadership and Success. She graduates with the toolkit necessary to pursue a career in activism after graduation.

“The career competency skills that I learned through all my classes: intercultural communication, critical thinking and teamwork I know are going to help me in the future,” Barbee said. 

Barbee recommends college students cultivate relationships with their professors. Her connection to sociology department chair Fitzgerald proved invaluable. As a junior, she served as a facilitator alongside Fitzgerald for Sanctuary Discussions, a program promoting healthy dialogue practices. Barbee then assisted Fitzgerald in research on stress factors amongst college students by coding and then presenting research on students’ perceptions of student loan debt. 

“I just thought that the effect of student loans was an interesting aspect because it’s relevant to basically everyone I know,” Barbee said. “Through coding I became really interested in how students understand and manage their debt.”

Becoming One With Niner Nation

Despite having family in the area, Barbee opted to live on campus for three of her four years. She said this allowed her to fully immerse in everything Charlotte had to offer. 

“I made some of my closest friends living on campus and it really made me feel like I was truly part of the community,” Barbee said. “I loved my residence halls.  I love a good event. I love all that stuff.”

Barbee, left, with friends at a campus event.
Four women wear green graduation gowns over white dresses, standing against a white railing in the atrium.
CHESS besties, from L to R: Barbee; Emilia Maj, psychology and organizational communications double major; Arianna Monaco, Professional Studies with sociology minor; MacKenzie Ridge, political science and English double major with a history minor.

She also participated in a number of student organizations during her time, including community engagement groups Activate and SPARK, mentorship organization Students Achieving First-Year Excellence (SAFE), and wellness club SKY. For Niners at the beginning of their journey, Barbee advises to “don’t be afraid to get involved.” 

“I was one of those people who wanted to meet as many people as possible my freshman year and I know that’s not easy for everyone,” Barbee said. “Try to find one group on campus that matches an interest and go to an interest meeting because there’s a good chance that you’ll connect with someone.”

A Family Affair

Charlotte sports are particularly special to Barbee and her family. Her sister Janelle, who lives with Down Syndrome, was UNC Charlotte’s 2025 Dream On 3 kid which granted her a dream weekend where she practiced with the cheer team and cheered on and off the court during a men’s basketball game. This engagement has formed a deeper connection between the University and the Barbee family. 

“My parents love to attend Charlotte sporting events, and they are so grateful for the opportunities the University has provided for both me and my sister,” Barbee said.

Maya Barbee and her mom, dad and sister wear Charlotte gear and stand on the court at a Charlotte basketball game.
The Barbee family: mom, dad, Maya and Janelle.
Janelle Barbee, Maya’s sister, was involved with the Dream On 3 program and spent the weekend as a Charlotte cheerleader.

When Barbee receives her diploma Saturday, May 10, she will be cheered on by her parents, sister and aunts and uncles from Michigan, South Carolina and Georgia. Barbee had a drive-thru high school graduation due to the COVID-19 pandemic so her family is going all out. Barbee exits with lasting memories of Charlotte. 

“The thing I will miss most is definitely being part of the campus community,” Barbee said. “I just love the Charlotte spirit, walking around campus and seeing groups of students. It was nice to be a part of something like that, so I’ll definitely miss it.”

Story by Alex Reynolds, communications specialist. Photos by Jenn Conway, director of communications, and courtesy of Maya Barbee.