Student Stories

Ashley Williams knows no boundaries and shows no fear when asking big questions. Williams is one of the rare UNC Charlotte students to double major across two colleges and also begin a master’s program while working on her undergraduate degrees. She sees her wide-ranging choices as critical preparation for her future.

Scholarship benefactor Jason Bonsall wants people to know that he does not consider himself to be unique, or special, or extraordinary. He’s just a regular guy who has found a way to help others. He has done so by starting a scholarship fund while an undergraduate philosophy major at UNC Charlotte.

Joseph Albertson is spending this summer studying Hindi in Jaipur, India, with a fellowship from the American Institute of Indian Studies. This is his second fellowship from the institute, which funded his studies in Jaipur last summer as well. Albertson is pursuing his master’s degree in religious studies at UNC Charlotte.

People who live in food deserts in Charlotte struggle to find healthy fresh food. Lauren Whipp, who as an undergraduate anthropology major began researching the topic, takes this issue personally. While she has long been interested in the topic, Whipp expanded her formal research into food access issues as an undergraduate Charlotte Research Scholar in the summer of 2013.

As competition for talent heats up worldwide, UNC Charlotte researcher Qingfang Wang has identified critical factors that appear to give some communities a competitive edge. Wang’s research considers highly skilled immigrants and immigrant entrepreneurs – what attracts them, what fosters their growth and what deters them from fully using their skills and knowledge.

Effective volunteers are the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations. Without them, nonprofits can wither and even die, so understanding their needs is critical. UNC Charlotte’s Volunteer Program Assessment helps nonprofits understand and respond to their volunteer programs’ strengths and weaknesses. Since 2009, VPA has helped over 120 organizations in 20 states address their needs.

During a spring break studying abroad for nine days in England alongside 15 other students in UNC Charlotte’s ‘Shakespeare in England’ class, undergraduate Lauren Dockery learned to live in the moment and to leave familiarity behind.

Of the ten exemplary students who were acknowledged during the annual university Honors and Awards Program held in mid-April, 3 are majors in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. The awards recognize students’ outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.

A UNC Charlotte graduate student team has moved one step closer to a $1 million prize in funding to launch a sustainable social venture, in the world’s largest student competition and start-up platform for social good. The Hult Prize Foundation recently announced that the UNC Charlotte team had advanced to the regional finals of the fifth annual Hult Prize.

Editor’s Note: Periodically, we will share stories of global experiences, in students’ or faculty members’ own words.  If you wish to submit articles for consideration, we invite you to do so through our “submit news” form. Thanks! By Sarah Obeid I never thought in this lifetime I would eat a boiling, teriyaki-flavored snail on the […]