News

Three CHESS faculty named finalists for UNC Charlotte Teaching Excellence Awards

Three faculty members in the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences have been named finalists for UNC Charlotte’s 2026 Teaching Excellence Awards, reflecting the college’s commitment to innovative instruction, student success and transformative learning experiences. Erin Basinger, professor and chair of communication studies, is a finalist in the tenured faculty category. Sayde Brais, […]

CHESS environmental studies senior Jasmine Oliver earns Newman Civic Fellowship

Jasmine Oliver, a senior environmental studies major in the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences, has been selected as a 2026-27 Newman Civic Fellow, a national recognition awarded by Campus Compact to students who demonstrate a commitment to community engagement and positive social change. The yearlong fellowship recognizes student leaders from colleges and […]

TEDx Editor’s Pick spotlights UNC Charlotte professor’s research on chronic health conditions at work

A TEDx talk by UNC Charlotte’s Alyssa McGonagle is gaining national attention after being selected as a TEDx Editor’s Pick.  McGonagle, professor of psychological and organizational science in UNC Charlotte’s College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences, delivered her talk “Creating supportive workplaces for chronic conditions” at TEDx UNC Charlotte on Feb. 21.  TEDx […]

Jack Scheff joins Charlotte Talks to discuss Charlotte’s summer of record heat and drought

Jacob (Jack) Scheff, Ph.D., associate professor in UNC Charlotte’s Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, joined Randall Hitt of Roof Above and WFAE climate reporter Zachary Turner on Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins to explain how warmer summers and longer dry spells are reshaping daily life, local ecosystems and the regional economy. The conversation […]

CHESS recognizes faculty earning promotions and tenure

The UNC Charlotte College of Humanities and Earth and Social Sciences is proud to recognize 17 faculty members who have earned promotions and tenure this year. This milestone reflects their sustained excellence in teaching, research, scholarship and service, as well as their contributions to their respective disciplines. Through their dedication to student success, academic excellence […]

CHESS welcomes 27 faculty and staff into new roles

Categories: News

As UNC Charlotte begins a new academic year, the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences is excited to welcome 23 new faculty and four new staff members who have joined the College in a variety of roles. These talented professionals were recognized during the annual All CHESS Faculty and Staff Meeting on Aug. […]

Hands-on anthropology research at UNC Charlotte propels Mayah Clark’s student success

Mayah Clark’s path to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte began just 30 minutes down the road in Gastonia, but the distance she traveled academically and personally during her four years on campus stretches much farther. She arrived seeking a university with a strong anthropology program, access to the vibrancy of Charlotte, and the […]

Remembering Jeffrey Leak, beloved UNC Charlotte professor

Jeffrey B. Leak, a longtime professor of English and Africana Studies whose mentorship and leadership shaped generations of UNC Charlotte students and colleagues, died June 29, after a two‑year illness. He was 57. Across nearly three decades at the University, Leak became a cornerstone of campus life. His work as a scholar illuminated Black literature […]

Megan Smith interviewed by Spectrum News 1 for ‘Craft Cafe as a Third Space’

Categories: In the News, News, Sociology

Megan Smith, Ph.D., assistant teaching professor in the Department of Sociology, was interviewed by Spectrum News 1 for the feature “A craft cafe in Charlotte is another way people are connecting in third spaces.” Spectrum News 1 profiled La Bodeguita, a Charlotte craft cafe created by therapist and artist Michelle Fernandez. The community-building space offers […]

Rogelberg honored with North Carolina’s top volunteerism award

Chancellor’s Professor Steven G. Rogelberg has been honored with the 2026 North Carolina Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service, the state’s highest recognition for extraordinary community impact. The award, presented by VolunteerNC in Raleigh on May 11, celebrates individuals whose service strengthens communities across North Carolina. Rogelberg was nominated through Mecklenburg County’s process, supported by […]