Student Stories

When Kennedy Frink first stepped onto UNC Charlotte’s campus as a teenager attending soccer camp, she felt a sense of belonging that she could not explain. Years later, as she prepares to graduate from the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences with a B.A. in Communication Studies with a concentration in public relations […]

Twelve students from the Advanced Model United Nations class in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration traveled to Lima, Peru, to compete at Harvard World Model United Nations (WorldMUN) from March 15-19, joining more than 650 delegates representing over 80 countries. Over five days of intensive debate, students served on committees simulating United […]

When Madison Black walks across the stage this December, she will have more than a diploma. She will carry memories of discovery in the classroom, mentorship from faculty and a network of friendships forged in residence halls and on the volleyball court. Black is graduating from the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences […]

Madison File, a junior Levine Scholar majoring in psychology and chemistry, has been named a 2025–26 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact, recognizing her commitment to driving meaningful change on campus and beyond. As a researcher in the Collective Wellness Lab, led by Victoria Scott, Ph.D., MBA, associate professor in the Department of Psychological Science, […]

Students from the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences swept the 2025 Honors College Dean’s Prizes, which were awarded for their outstanding honors capstone theses/projects. A virtual award ceremony was held this summer, with winners each receiving a $500 prize. Students were nominated by their respective Honors Program director after they met the […]

Pennda Arami ’22, was selected as the bell ringer for UNC Charlotte’s first-ever summer commencement ceremony. At this graduation, Arami added two more degrees from the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences to her résumé: a Master of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master of Arts in Ethics and Applied Philosophy. Arami […]

Skylar Tirotta fell in love with UNC Charlotte a decade ago, during a Charlotte 49ers Football home game, in the pouring rain.  “Looking back, going to the football game is one of my fondest memories. It was my birthday. There was a hurricane and we got rained out, so my friend and I had to […]

Seth Collings Hawkins, M.D., is embracing lifelong learning by graduating with yet another degree. The emergency medicine physician is building upon the anthropological foundation he began at Yale decades ago, even with one of his same professors. While successfully holding a ton of jobs—emergency and wilderness medicine physician; contract medical director, officer, and adviser to […]

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 […]

Award-winning Communications major follows his passion for sports journalism Bryson Foster ’23 became a lifelong sports fan in 2009 when he witnessed outfielder Jonny Gomes hit three home runs while attending his first-ever major league baseball game. Foster’s family took him to the Cincinnati Reds home game during a stay for some medical appointments at […]