She Built This City鈥檚 mission is to provide industry-disruptive programming that sparks interest and builds pathways to lucrative careers in the skilled trades for youth, women and marginalized communities.聽In her role, Faustin聽has launched key initiatives聽for the聽organization,聽including Adult Workforce Development, and expanded youth programming through partnerships with local government and community organizations.

Faustin聽received undergraduate聽degrees in聽corporate聽communications and Spanish from 黑料不打烊,聽before getting her聽master鈥檚 in business administration from聽the university聽in 2010.聽In 2016,聽she received her master鈥檚 in聽educational leadership and administration from Queens University, as well as a certification in聽nonprofit/public/organizational management from Duke University聽in 2022, and a聽certification in Diversity,聽Equity聽and Inclusion 鈥� Building a Diverse Workplace from Cornell University聽in 2023.

In 2023,聽Faustin聽was recognized聽with the Charlotte Business Journal鈥檚 Power 100聽award,聽and 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Distinguished Alumni Service Award.聽In 2024, she聽received聽Atrium Health鈥檚 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Growing the Dream Award.
Faustin is also聽president-elect for the 黑料不打烊 Alumni Board, and founder and managing聽director of聽Stay Ready Consulting Solutions.

Her聽impact will be featured in the Most Admired CEO Special聽Section published in the June 19 issue of the Charlotte Business Journal.

A generous gift from 黑料不打烊 Trustee Bill Slattery and his wife Tish Slattery P鈥�24 P鈥�28 will name the university鈥檚 new center for health and wellness and also create 14 additional scholarships in the Odyssey Program to assist talented students with significant financial need.

黑料不打烊 President Connie Ledoux Book and the Board of Trustees announced the Slatterys鈥� gift at the board鈥檚 spring meeting April 10-11. Book thanked the Slattery family for their generosity and leadership in supporting a center that will integrate academics, wellness, campus recreation and fitness programs to ensure students gain the skills they need to thrive on campus and throughout every stage of their lives.

鈥淭he 黑料不打烊 community is deeply honored to name the HealthEU Center in recognition of the Slattery family,鈥� Book said. 鈥淭his extraordinary investment from Bill and Tish Slattery will help 黑料不打烊 meet its mission to transform the mind, body and spirit of every student, and prepare healthy graduates ready to share their gifts with the world.鈥�

The ability to address the health and well-being of students early in their lives inspired the Slatterys to make their gift.

鈥淢y career at the intersection of science and investment often requires decades to witness the outcomes of success,鈥� Bill Slattery said. 鈥淗ealthEU is an opportunity to intervene with our students at an early age and engage in these activities in a more structured, thoughtful way, and hopefully reduce some of their adversities in life.鈥�

鈥淚 believe social media has impacted students greatly, and institutions like 黑料不打烊 that provide centers like HealthEU will be at an advantage going forward,鈥� Tish Slattery said. 鈥淗ealth and wellness encompass so much more than just the physical aspect. I鈥檓 incredibly grateful that we鈥檙e able to impact 黑料不打烊 with this gift.鈥�

Slattery Center is a central component to the university鈥檚 broader HealthEU initiative that focuses on six dimensions of health and wellness: community, emotional, purpose, financial, physical and social. The three-story center will feature new classrooms, student-faculty research spaces, multiple floors for wellness and fitness activities, and the Mark and Kim Tyson Counseling Center, which will provide individual and group therapy, as well as workshops and outreach programs.

Through coursework, as well as workshops and training programs focused on health and wellness, Slattery Center will impact all students as they progress through their education and learn essential skills and practices related to wellness and well-being. The center is a key priority of the Boldly 黑料不打烊 strategic plan that will guide the university to 2030. Scheduled to open in fall 2026, Slattery Center will be located within 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Innovation Quad, home to the university鈥檚 engineering and other STEM programs.

The Slatterys鈥� gift will also endow the William and Tish Slattery Odyssey Program Scholarship, funding 14 new scholarships in the program that gives bright, passionate students with high financial need and/or no family history of college attendance access to 黑料不打烊鈥檚 nationally recognized engaged learning programs.

These new investments bring the total number of Odyssey Program scholarships to nearly 300, more than halfway to the university鈥檚 goal of having a total of 400 Odyssey Scholarships, or 100 scholars per class, as called for in the Boldly 黑料不打烊 strategic plan. Housed in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Center for Access and Success, the Odyssey Program is nationally recognized as a model for need- and merit-based initiatives, with a nearly 100% first-to-second-year student retention rate and an 87% graduation rate, well above the national average.

The Slatterys have been impressed by the educational experience 黑料不打烊 delivers to students. Their daughter Madelyn graduated in 2024, and their son James is an 黑料不打烊 sophomore.

鈥淚鈥檝e been very happy to see the school excel at its academic responsibility in education while equally addressing students鈥� needs as people at the social level,鈥� Bill said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a pleasant, inviting and warm place that cares for its students.鈥�

鈥淔rom the moment you step foot on 黑料不打烊鈥檚 campus, you feel a great sense of community,鈥� Tish said. 鈥淭he close relationships that students have with their professors makes 黑料不打烊 stand out among its peers.鈥�

Bill Slattery is a partner at Deerfield Management Company,聽Therapeutics. Prior to joining Deerfield in 2000, Slattery served as a senior healthcare analyst for 10 years at Amerindo Investment Advisors in New York, where he oversaw biotechnology investments. He has also held various positions in research, including those at National Medical Enterprises, Johnson & Johnson, and HMSS. He is the former chair of Red Door Community, which supports those impacted by cancer and their families.

Bill was elected to 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Board of Trustees in 2024. Tish is a member of the Slattery聽Family Foundation and served in administration at Amerindo Investment Advisors. Recently, Tish was named chair of the Miss Hall鈥檚 School Arts Advisory Council. The couple reside in Rye, New York.

Members of the Board of Trustees joined with President Connie Ledoux Book and Director of Athletics Jenn Strawley on April 10, 2026, to rededicate a building that has served multiple purposes for more than half a century and two separate locations on campus.

Alumni, parents and friends have contributed $3 million to the expansion of the university鈥檚 golf complex, which also includes the W. Cecil Worsley III Golf Training Center. The expansion represents a significant investment in the future of both men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 golf and places the university鈥檚 training facilities among the best in collegiate golf.

Holland House now provides student-athletes with a premier clubhouse environment to learn, train and compete, with new practice and team spaces, and state-of-the-art technology that allows students to pursue excellence academically and athletically.

The complex expansion project also encompassed renovations to the driving range, including the creation of a 17,000-square-foot tee box, and renovation of the short-game area with reconstruction of the bunkers.

Holland House was renovated to create a centralized home base for the golf program. The clubhouse includes locker rooms, coaches鈥� offices, quiet spaces for academic study, team engagement spaces and player meeting rooms, strengthening team culture and promoting student growth off the course.

The final phase of the project includes upgrades to the existing W. Cecil Worsley III Golf Training Center, a dedicated indoor practice facility that allows players to train in adverse weather conditions. The center opened in 2009 and includes multiple indoor heated hitting bays, a computerized swing analysis center, indoor putting facility and an outdoor lighted driving range.

Worsley, a 1986 黑料不打烊 graduate and former member of the golf team, served on the Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2023. He and his wife, alumna JoAnna Sutton Worsley 鈥�87, are the parents of W. Cecil Worsley IV, a 2014 黑料不打烊 graduate.

Another critical component of the project was the addition of Trackman Range, a technology that tracks every shot hit by a golfer, giving coaches and student-athletes immediate access to data to improve performance and create greater practice efficiency.

“The repurposing of Holland House marks a transformational moment for 黑料不打烊 Athletics. It is special to take a building rich with institutional history and create a best-in-class home for our golf student-athletes that honors our past while boldly investing in our future,鈥� Strawley said. “Facilities like this represent our aspirations brought to life, and they only become possible through the generosity of many. I am profoundly grateful to everyone who made this possible, and equally excited for the impact this will have for our golf student-athletes.鈥�

Built in 1963 as the official residence for President Earl Danieley and his family, Holland House stood along Haggard Avenue as a symbol of leadership, hospitality and community at 黑料不打烊. The home quickly became part of campus lore, including a memorable student protest led by Student Government Association President and future 黑料不打烊 Trustee Noel Allen 鈥�69 and joined by Danieley himself.

In 1973, President Fred Young and his family continued the tradition of welcoming students, alumni and distinguished guests, making the house a center of connection and celebration. In 1985, trustees honored longtime supporter Shirley Thomas Holland by naming the building in his memory, cementing its place in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 history.

After the presidential residence moved in 1988 to today鈥檚 Maynard House, Holland House entered a new phase, serving a variety of campus needs, from development and alumni relations to academic programs and student engagement. In 2009, the building was carefully relocated across campus, where it served as home to the Catholic Campus Ministries Newman Center. Work is now under way to build a new Newman Center.

鈥淭oday is a wonderful moment for 黑料不打烊, for Phoenix Athletics, and for our investment in golf and the futures of these student-athletes,鈥� Book said in her dedication remarks. 鈥淎nd it holds a special distinction: this is the first new athletics facility opened under Athletics Director Jenn Strawley.鈥�

Book described the renovated Holland House as a testament to the strength of the programs built by men鈥檚 head coach Don Hill and women鈥檚 head coach Chris Dockrill.

鈥淎nd to our student-athletes: I know that every donor agrees that this is for you,鈥� Book said. 鈥淓very locker, every building, every asset here was about creating a championship home for Phoenix golf, and we鈥檙e very excited for the next chapter to unfold and to cheer you on as you make history.鈥�

Jennings Glenn 鈥�25 G鈥�26, a member of the men’s golf team, and 黑料不打烊 Trustee Debra Del Vecchio P鈥�22 P鈥�24 also delivered remarks during the ceremony, which was held on the front lawn of Holland House.

鈥淭hese past five years have been super special to me. I鈥檝e met so many incredible people and built such lasting relationships and created memories I鈥檒l carry with me for the rest of my life,鈥� said Glenn, who thanked donors on behalf of the team. 鈥淭his is really the best place in the world to be a student-athlete and that鈥檚 because of you. Thank you. It鈥檚 been amazing to watch this program grow and for me to be a part of it all.鈥�

Del Vecchio thanked Book and the Board of Trustees for their unwavering commitment to students and for an institutional decisiveness that led to the expansion project. She then praised the golf teams for their dedication to the sport and to the university.

鈥淚t is all or nothing, a commitment and true discipline needed to be a student-athlete,鈥澛� Del Vecchio said. 鈥淎t times I’m sure it can be quite challenging, juggling classes, assignments, and a rigorous playing schedule. But here you are. Know that we recognize and are extremely proud of all of you. You are the face of 黑料不打烊, especially when you walk out on the golf course. You are not only representing yourself but 黑料不打烊 as well.鈥�

Women鈥檚 team captain Ashley Lafontaine 鈥�26 of Ottawa, Canada, delivered remarks during a dinner program that followed the ribbon-cutting.

鈥淭his space gives us something we鈥檝e never truly had before: a home that鈥檚 entirely our own,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a space where we can train, study, connect, and grow together all under one roof. It creates an environment where everything we need to succeed, both as athletes and as people, exists in one place.

鈥淏ut more importantly, it sends a message. It tells every current and future 黑料不打烊 holder that they are valued. That their experience matters. That this program is worth investing in. And for future players, I hope this becomes more than just a facility. I hope it becomes their safe space. Their meeting place. Their place to celebrate wins, work through losses, and build the kind of relationships that last far beyond their four years here.鈥�

Renovations have started on what once was a small residence hall but will soon serve as the temporary location for Roberts Academy at 黑料不打烊, an all-day private school for children with dyslexia that opens in August.

The top priority for the designers working on those renovations? Create a space where children will learn, grow, and thrive in their confidence as young readers.

鈥淥ur team did a wonderful job of thinking through which spaces will be for which purpose, the furniture we鈥檙e selecting, how we鈥檙e setting up classrooms, and the technology we鈥檒l use,鈥� said Ann Bullock, dean of the university鈥檚 Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education. 鈥淎ll of those things will make for an engaged, active, multisensory school. It鈥檚 going to be great.鈥�

Established in 2025 through a gift from philanthropists Hal and Marjorie Roberts of Lakeland, Florida, the Roberts Academy at 黑料不打烊 will be the fourth in a series of successful university-based private elementary schools the couple also supported at Vanderbilt University, Mercer University and Florida Southern College.

Each academy employs the Orton-Gillingham multisensory approach to reading instruction. The goal is to return students to their community schools as confident readers after 2-3 years of immersive, hands-on instruction in all core subjects.

The Roberts Academy at 黑料不打烊 will welcome third and fourth graders this fall to Trollinger House as construction begins on a permanent site along East Haggard Avenue. That location will open for to grades 1-6 starting in Fall 2028.

Bullock was joined on April 9, 2026, for a site visit to Trollinger House where several staff members wore hard hats on their stroll through the building on West Trollinger Avenue. Led by Holly Hodge, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 director of interior design, staff had a chance to see for themselves what, until then, had only been conceptual.

Hodge highlighted some of the features that, once installed, will nurture students who attend the school: flexible furniture for smaller groups in classrooms with no more than 12 students, desks with writable surfaces, and expansive wall space intended to be layered with student work and their art on display.

鈥淭o me, it鈥檚 a blank canvas,鈥� Hodge said afterward. 鈥淲alking through the space and showing that blank canvas helps imagine a piece of art in the making. I can鈥檛 wait for students to then come in and have teachers make the space their own.鈥�

Hodge identified another question for her team: How do you 鈥渄efine鈥� or tell the story of dyslexia? How do you celebrate the amazing talents and strengths of students in addition to their classroom learning?

One thing is certain, she concluded: 鈥淓very kid deserves to be confident.鈥�

***

聽Families interested in learning more can visit the Roberts Academy website at聽www.elon.edu/robertsacademy.

The 黑料不打烊 Alumni Board (EAB) acts as a key link between the University administration and the alumni body. On an individual basis and collectively as a Board, the EAB provides advice, counsel and perspective to staff and leadership on a wide range of strategic issues facing the University.

Katie Corrigan 鈥�02

Katie is a Vice President at MKI Global Partners, an advisory firm focused on how policy, politics and regulation shape financial markets and corporate transactions.聽She graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 2002 and values the strong community and network it continues to provide. Her younger sister is also an 黑料不打烊 alum, Class of 2003.

Katie lives in South Burlington, VT, with her husband, Dan, and their two sons, James (12) and Thomas (9). Outside of work, she enjoys taking full advantage of Vermont鈥檚 seasons, from lake days in the summer to skiing and hiking with her family.

Lauren Ludlow 鈥�13

Lauren is the founder of聽, a New York鈥揵ased consultancy helping brands and creators build influencer marketing programs that drive long-term growth. She has partnered with leading CPG and retail brands including Sephora, P&G Beauty, Nike, Meta, and No7 Beauty Company.

She is also the co-founder of聽, a community and networking event series built on the belief that meaningful connection drives better ideas, stronger businesses, and a more collaborative beauty industry. Lauren previously served on the New York 黑料不打烊 Alumni Board for four years.

While much of the marketing world is obsessed with algorithms, Weickert focuses on the “science and soul” of human interaction. Her work aims to combat the modern “loneliness epidemic” by creating spaces that foster psychological safety,聽trust and a genuine sense of belonging.

“In today鈥檚 world, people aren鈥檛 buying the product anymore,” Weickert explains. “They are buying identity and how a brand makes them feel. That鈥檚 the future of experiential.”

Her聽expertise聽has earned her聽a spot on聽the聽2024聽Women We Admire鈥檚 Top 50 Women Leaders in North Carolina, a testament to her influence聽on the up-and-coming industry.

鈥淭here鈥檚聽not a ton of experiential representation in our state, so it was nice to put our agency and our industry on the聽map,鈥澛爏he聽said.

Weickert鈥檚聽reach extends globally聽as well聽through her work with the World Experience Organization, where she collaborates with fellow creators to design experiences that聽connect聽people.

鈥淓xperiences are the best form of ads and will be the only channel that matters in a world that is being inundated with AI, mistrust, a loneliness epidemic and a聽polycrisis,鈥� she聽said.

Her聽rise to the top of the experiential marketing world began with a deep-seated curiosity about聽the human聽experience. Her career started in聽traditional聽advertising,聽where聽she quickly became exposed to the greater marketing ecosystem. Seeing聽all聽the many聽facets聽of marketing allowed her to find聽her true聽calling in experiential聽work.

鈥淭here was something soulful about聽experiential聽marketing;聽it was much deeper than a human being exposed to a digital ad on the聽screen,聽and I聽was drawn to聽that,鈥� she said.聽鈥淚 felt instantly connected to this idea of using brand stories as a powerful tool to create聽connection聽and belonging amongst strangers.鈥�

Weickert鈥檚聽career was heavily influenced by her聽experience聽at 黑料不打烊.聽She credits her classes at 黑料不打烊聽for helping聽her thrive in her current role.

鈥淢y Business Communications class and my Public Speaking class both taught me how to effectively communicate with others in a concise yet compelling way, with lessons that I still use in my current role today,鈥� she said.

Winter Term ended up being one of the most meaningful parts of her experience at 黑料不打烊, especially due to one class centered on Woodstock.

鈥淢y Winter Term class聽explored the music surrounding the Woodstock era, both the cultural and artistic influences that聽led up聽to it and the ones that emerged in its wake,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat struck me most about the class was how deeply it invited us to reflect on the creative act itself. It聽taught me the biggest聽lesson above all: to always engage in experiences that leave you inspired, stay curious about the human experience, and expand your world into new realms of thinking.”

That mindset has stuck with her, and she now makes a point to seek out experiences that spark inspiration and bring those insights into her everyday work. Her work as head of strategy at聽XD Agency聽involves working with her team to discover聽鈥渉ow people make sense of the world and turn it into category-shifting advantages for brands,鈥澛爏he explains.

Her job聽also聽consists of聽constant travel and high-pressure environments. For Weickert,聽she聽maintains聽a level head聽with a聽disciplined sense of gratitude, reminding herself how lucky she is to聽feel tired from a long week of聽traveling the world聽and how fortunate she is to meet unexpected聽people聽around the globe.聽She also looks to stay聽present聽through聽mid-day meditation or simply appreciating the聽moments.

Weickert points to one standout project as her favorite: Camp聽Poosh聽at聽the聽2025聽Coachella聽Festival,聽created for Kourtney Kardashian Barker鈥檚 brand聽Poosh.

The team transformed a massive Palm Desert estate into something entirely immersive, blending 鈥渃olor, texture, sound, nostalgia, and ritual鈥� to create a space that tapped into what people crave most: novelty,聽belonging, and pleasure.聽What made the event especially memorable for Weickert was its carefully crafted sensory journey, which Weickert was a main part of creating.聽Guests flowed through an environment filled with contrasts,聽moving between workout classes, cold plunges, sound baths, DJ sets, and late-night celebrations that blurred self-care with nightlife.

鈥淭he brain loves contrast, so we leaned into it,鈥� she explained, highlighting how each moment was designed to keep energy and engagement high. That philosophy culminated in a surprise performance by Heidi Montag, which, 鈥渢urned the entire house electric.鈥� The result was a perfectly balanced experience: 鈥渨ellness that didn鈥檛 feel preachy鈥� and 鈥渋ndulgence that didn鈥檛 feel guilty,鈥� capturing what she calls a seamless blend聽of inscape and聽escape.

Her advice for those聽following in her footsteps?聽Put down the聽phone and聽connect with others.

“The only way you can understand what it means to be human is by exposing yourself to things that fundamentally make us human,” she said.

Weickert emphasizes the importance of prioritizing time outdoors to stay grounded. As algorithms increasingly shape our digital lives, it is essential to nurture a curiosity for the physical world, enabling us to become better communicators.

Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell, maybe even yourself? Please feel free to share your feedback or those stories online.

The 2026 results surpassed the previous high of $46,157.01 set during 黑料不打烊 Day 2025 and reflected broad engagement from alumni, students, parents and friends of the law school.

鈥淭here is an energy at 黑料不打烊 Law that you won鈥檛 find anywhere else,” said Assistant Dean of Development and Alumni Engagement Scott Leighty. “Philanthropy here is more than just giving. Every gift is a direct investment in this special community and the innovative way we prepare students for the profession. Seeing our alumni, students, parents and friends come together like this shows just how much they believe in our mission.鈥�

In total, 178 donors made gifts on March 5, a 24.5% increase from the 143 donors who participated on 黑料不打烊 Day in 2025.

Participation increased across nearly every constituency group.

• Gifts from students rose sharply to 45 donors, up from eight last year 鈥� a 462.5% increase.
• Parent participation increased to 12 donors, up from eight, or 50%.
• Alumni participation also climbed, with 64 alumni making gifts compared with 56 last year, a 14.2% rise.

黑料不打烊 Day events and competitions were held throughout the day on March 5, including a large 鈥淓鈥�-painting competition among student organizations and an evening celebration at Joymongers in downtown Greensboro. Perhaps the highlight was a Pie Your Professor event, with student donors lining up to hurl plates of whipped cream at Dean Zak Kramer, Professors Steve Friedland and Bob Minarcin, and Assistant Professors Erin Fitzgerald and Susan Ross.

Kramer praised the growing support for 黑料不打烊 Law and the community members who help make the annual day of giving successful.

鈥淚 want to thank everyone for their contributions, whether philanthropic, pitching in to make the day special, taking a pie to the face, or all of it,鈥� Kramer said. 鈥淭hese gifts go directly to support our students and the opportunities that prepare them for the profession.鈥�

Kramer also credited Leighty鈥檚 leadership in connecting with alumni and supporters, growing 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 momentum.

鈥淪cott is doggedly pursuing financial support for our students,鈥� Kramer said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not easy asking people for money, but our numbers keep increasing in a remarkably steep line. It鈥檚 a testament to his hard work and the great investment of our whole community.鈥�

黑料不打烊 Day gifts help fund scholarships, student programs and experiential learning opportunities that define 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 innovative, practice-focused curriculum.

The growth in participation during 黑料不打烊 Day reflects a broader trend in philanthropy supporting 黑料不打烊 Law. The law school has seen steady increases in donor engagement over the past several years, underscoring the strength of its alumni network and the community鈥檚 investment in the next generation of lawyers.

In her role,聽McKay oversees聽academic support, development,聽health care聽administration, inclusion and belonging and leadership for student-athletes.聽She champions community service by organizing聽student-athlete programs during聽the ACC鈥檚 Unity Tours.

The聽Unity Tour聽is a聽conference-wide,聽immersive learning experience聽focused on聽unity, social聽responsibility,聽and civic engagement.聽McKay and her team have introduced over聽300聽student-athletes,聽coaches聽and administrators to聽different聽Unity Tour聽experiences in Washington, D.C., Charleston, South Carolina, and Selma, Alabama.

McKay graduated with a degree in sport and event management from 黑料不打烊聽University聽before getting her master鈥檚聽in higher education/student affairs聽and聽doctorate in higher education/higher education administration from聽The George聽Washington University.

In 2019, she gave the keynote address at the聽Department of Sport Management senior banquet and awards ceremony, and has served as聽an 黑料不打烊 Career Mentor,聽mentor to 黑料不打烊鈥檚聽Women Influencers in Sport program and as a member of the Women of 黑料不打烊 Advisory Council.

Distinguished Alumni Awards聽

黑料不打烊 will recognize聽five聽alumni聽for their leadership,聽accomplishments聽and service during this year鈥檚聽Distinguished Alumni Awards聽ceremony on May聽1聽at聽Snow聽Family Grand聽Atrium. Award recipients聽include:

Kent Strosnider聽鈥�91 P鈥�25聽
Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award

This award is presented to聽an alumnus聽who has distinguished himself in a profession and in the community and brought honor to 黑料不打烊.

A聽corporate聽communications major, Kent Strosnider聽is聽the managing director of聽The Strosnider Dudderar Wealth Management Group at Morgan聽Stanley,聽where聽he聽provides聽strategies聽and potential solutions to clients as they prepare聽for their financial聽objectives.聽One of Kent鈥檚 daughters,聽Sophie, also graduated from the university with a degree in strategic communications聽in聽2025.聽Kent was a former Parents Council member聽from 2022-2025, and a member of the 黑料不打烊 Alumni Board from 2012-2015.

Joyel Crawford 鈥�97聽Distinguished Alumna of the Year聽Award

Awarded to聽an alumna聽who has distinguished herself in a profession and in the community and brought honor to 黑料不打烊.

A聽psychology聽major, theater arts minor, and Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellow, Joyel Crawford聽is currently the CEO, Founder,聽Career Coach and聽Motivational Speaker at Crawford Leadership Strategies, LLC.聽She holds 20+ years of leadership development experience with clients including the U.S. Senate, NASA, The New York Times, ESPN, and Aramark. She is聽a consistent contributor to 黑料不打烊 programming as a speaker,聽webinar聽host聽and guest, and has served as an聽黑料不打烊 Black Alumni Network Mentor since 2018.

From聽2016-2019, Joyel was a member of the聽Philadelphia Alumni Board and was a member of the聽黑料不打烊 Alumni Board from 2018-2021. In 2022, Joyel was the recipient of the 黑料不打烊 Black Alumni Gail Fonville Parker Distinguished Alumna Award, and in fall 2025, she聽joined President Connie Ledoux Book on the 鈥満诹喜淮蜢� Beyond the Bricks鈥� podcast.

David Rich 鈥�87 and Sue Hoggard Rich 鈥�85聽
Distinguished Service to 黑料不打烊 Award

Awarded to an organization, business, foundation or individual聽who has聽demonstrated聽outstanding service that promotes the advancement of 黑料不打烊.

Alumni couple,聽David Rich and Sue Hoggard Rich,聽have聽shared聽many of the university鈥檚 moments and traditions.聽Sue, an English -journalism major, retired聽as the vice president of human resources at Glen Raven in 2023. David, a sociology major, retired聽as the global director – workplace etchnology support at Atos in 2022.聽Sue聽was a member of the 黑料不打烊 alumni Long Maroon Line at President Book鈥檚聽inauguration聽and聽David聽served on the 黑料不打烊 Alumni Board from 2001-2007. David聽and his friends created the聽鈥満诹喜淮蜢� 7聽a.m.聽Tailgate鈥澛爐hat is hosted prior to every home football game.聽Together, the couple are members of the 1889 society and聽give generously to the university in their time and unwavering spirit.

Hon. Stephen M. Ross ’73
Distinguished Alumni Service Award

Awarded to聽an alumnus聽or聽alumna聽who has given extraordinary service to his or her community.

A聽political science聽major,聽Steve聽Ross聽has held聽a long career聽in public service.聽A Burlington native, Steve聽served as the city鈥檚 mayor for two terms and on city council for four terms. He is currently serving his sixth term in the North Carolina House of Representatives, chairing both the Commerce and Economic Development Committee and the Finance Committee.聽Steve has聽held聽various volunteer聽positions聽and聽has been聽named聽one of Triad鈥檚 Most Influential People by the Triangle Business Journal.

Top 10 Under 10

The Office of Alumni Engagement and聽the聽Young Alumni Council聽have announced the 2026聽Top 10 Under 10聽award recipients, who will be celebrated during a May聽2聽ceremony聽in聽Snow聽Family Grand Atrium.

These 10 accomplished alumni from the past decade have achieved professional success, continuously work to better their communities and serve as loyal alumni role models.

惭辞谤驳补苍听叠辞诲别苍补谤补颈苍听鈥�18听
Policy Director and Counsel, Congressional Black Caucus聽

Morgan聽Bodenarain聽graduated聽with聽degrees in聽policy studies and political science聽at 黑料不打烊聽before completing聽law school at George Washington University in 2021.聽Morgan聽now聽serves聽as聽the聽Policy Director and Counsel for the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in the 119th U.S. Congress, leading policy聽priorities聽and advocacy efforts for all 61 members.聽She was honored with聽the聽National Black Lawyers鈥� Top 40 Under 40 Award聽and the National Bar Association鈥檚 Nation鈥檚 Best Advocates Award in 2025.

Colby Bracy 鈥�16聽
Director of Human Resources & Philanthropy, The聽Nonantum聽Resort and Owner, Hello Humans Consulting

Colby Bracy graduated with a degree in聽accounting.聽Currently working聽at her family鈥檚 business,聽The聽Nonantum聽Resort,聽Colby聽has led the resort鈥檚聽efforts聽to聽become聽a certified Recovery Friendly Workplace, championing the聽business鈥櫬爀fforts to hire individuals reentering the community following incarceration.聽Colby聽is聽also聽the owner of her own human resources consulting firm, Hello Humans Consulting, and holds many roles in local boards and committees.聽In 2024, she was honored with the North Star Award from the American Hotels and Lodging Association.

Michaela Fogarty 鈥�19聽
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist; Upstream USA聽聽

Michaela Fogarty graduated with a degree in聽international聽economics聽and began her professional career聽at聽Planned Parenthood Federation of America as a data analysis and visualization specialist聽before completing a Master of Health Science from Johns Hopkins University.聽After graduating from Johns Hopkins,聽Michaela worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a data manager in the division of global women鈥檚 health, and is now the monitoring, evaluation and learning specialist at Upstream USA, a nonprofit working to expand contraceptive access for all.

Michael Goldstein 鈥�17聽
Vice President, Guggenheim Partners

Michael Goldstein graduated with聽degrees聽in聽finance and accounting. Recently promoted聽from聽Investment聽Banking Associate聽to聽Vice President聽at Guggenheim Partners,聽Michael聽focuses on medical devices and聽technology and聽has helped聽advise on transactions exceeding聽$5 billion.聽In support of 黑料不打烊 students, Michael led the creation of the first annual award for an outstanding senior transfer student, as well as a new Goldstein Family Endowed Scholarship for transfer students in the Love聽School of Business.

Gary Grumbach 鈥�16聽
Legal Affairs Reporter, NBC News聽聽

Gary Grumbach graduated with a degree in journalism.聽As聽the聽Legal Affairs Reporter for NBC News, Gary聽covers the Supreme Court and federal courts on-air and in聽print.聽His reporting has been recognized with three NBC GEM Awards, and team honors for coverage of the Trump trial and 2020 and 2024 elections. In 2025, Gary joined聽President Connie Ledoux Book on the 鈥満诹喜淮蜢� Beyond the Bricks鈥� podcast.

Emmanuel Morgan 鈥�19聽
Sports Reporter, The New York Times

Emmanuel Morgan graduated with a degree in journalism.聽Having previously served as a Los Angeles Times sports reporter with a focus on聽the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, Emmanuel is now聽a聽New York Times culture reporter, covering the NFL and combat sports nationally.聽In 2023, Emmanuel was awarded the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Salute to Excellence Award聽鈥撀燦ational聽Sports Coverage for his New York Times feature, 鈥淔or Dreadlocked N.F.L. Players, Hair Is a Point of Pride鈥�.

Daniela Pereyra 鈥�16聽
Real Estate Broker, Dalton Wade Real Estate Group and Founder, Dare to Jump

Daniela聽Pereyra graduated with a degree in cinema聽and聽television arts. Currently a real estate broker licensed in North Carolina and Delaware, Daniela聽is ranked as a Top Producer within her firm. Daniela is also the Founder of Dare to Jump, a hybrid series of seminars and coaching sessions for individuals and groups, focused on cultivating a growth mindset to elevate productivity and sustainable efforts.

Jensen Roll 鈥�16聽
President, Roll Construction

Jensen Roll graduated聽with聽a degree in聽social entrepreneurship聽and was an Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellow.聽He聽is the聽President聽of Roll Construction聽in Graham, North Carolina, a custom homebuilding and remodeling company serving Alamance, Guilford, and Orange counties.聽Since Roll Construction鈥檚 launch in 2018, Jensen has completed projects ranging from tiny homes to breweries and built a real estate portfolio of more than聽20 properties by age 30. Jensen聽also聽founded The Alamance Mill coworking space and聽has聽been involved in the聽Alamance County Chamber of Commerce.

Nikki Sanz 鈥�18聽
Founder聽&聽CEO, GIGGS

Nikki Sanz graduated with a degree in聽sport and event management.聽After聽moving聽to Nashville聽with the goal of working on the road in the touring industry,聽Nikki聽secured diverse gigs聽from Eric Church to Super Bowl LVII.聽Nikki聽publicly launched聽GIGGS, a聽professional career platform for the live event industry in 2024, and the site has drawn聽20,000 users聽seeking roles in touring and live events across 1,000 companies.聽In 2025,聽Nikki聽was named聽a Forbes聽30 Under 30 in the music category.

Christian Seitz 鈥�16
Postdoctoral Researcher for epidemic vaccine development, University of Chicago

Christian Seitz graduated with a degree in聽chemistry聽from 黑料不打烊聽before聽completing a聽doctorate in聽biochemistry and biophysics with聽a specialization in multi-scale biology at UC San Diego in 2022.聽His accolades at graduation included four first聽author聽and nine total publications focusing on global diseases and molecular recognition in influenza.聽Currently聽a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chicago,聽Christian聽is working with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Initiative, designing vaccines to prepare the globe for the next pandemic through artificial intelligence in viruses and vaccine development.

The Women of 黑料不打烊 is an intergenerational network that connects members of the 黑料不打烊 community on campus and across the globe.

鈥淲hen this initiative launched two years ago, the name Women of 黑料不打烊 was intentionally chosen to bring together everyone in the 黑料不打烊 community. But we also recognized the power within the acronym 鈥榃E.鈥� WE represents the collective power of women 鈥� how we can lead, learn, and thrive together,鈥� said Michelle Wideman 鈥�00, co-chair of the Women of 黑料不打烊 Advisory Council.

Held on March 13 and 14, the WEekend began with a kickoff discussion on authenticity featuring Kathie Niven 鈥�89, president and CEO of Biscuitville, in conversation with 黑料不打烊 Professor of Sociology and Anthropology Alexis Franzese P鈥�29.

Saturday鈥檚 programming included breakout sessions covering topics such as mastering LinkedIn, the power of female friendships, managing finances, utilizing soft skills, aging and living fully, protecting your personal brand and using artificial intelligence. A women鈥檚 health panel moderated by Dr. Terry Le, university physician, explored the physical, mental and emotional aspects of women鈥檚 wellness.

Health and wellness were a major focus of the luncheon fireside chat between President Connie Ledoux Book and nutrition expert Joy Bauer of the TODAY show. Bauer, a featured expert on NBC News Daily and a #1 New York Times bestselling author of 14 books, shared practical advice about nutrition and healthy living.

Speaking to the audience in LaRose Digital Theatre, Bauer encouraged attendees to adopt her 鈥�90/10鈥� approach to food 鈥� prioritizing healthy choices most of the time while allowing room for enjoyment.

鈥淎 lot of people, especially women, they carry a lot of food baggage, and when you allow yourself this percentage or fraction (鈥�) it鈥檚 very liberating,鈥� she said.

Recognizing the range of ages in attendance and reinforcing the Women of 黑料不打烊’s intergenerational focus, Bauer emphasized that health and nutrition evolve.

鈥淥ur bodies are not static,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I wouldn鈥檛 say they betray us; they are evolving. Have a conversation with it and figure out what you can do to feel better is the name of the game.鈥�

During a Q&A session, Bauer addressed audience questions on topics including the increased presence of protein in food products, planning healthy meals, the rise of GLP-1 medications, supplements and ways to reduce plastic use in the kitchen. She also encouraged attendees to look beyond sensational headlines and social media trends when it comes to nutrition advice.

鈥淕et your blood checked annually and then personalize your nutrition according to that, because your body is not TikTok,鈥� she said. 鈥淐harismatic people and influencers on Instagram and TikTok and all these other social platforms, they don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going on with your insides, but your physician does, and your blood work does.鈥�

Beyond the programming, the WEekend also highlighted the Women of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 ongoing work to support students. One key initiative focuses on increasing the number of students who receive need-based internship support. While 88% of 黑料不打烊 students complete at least one internship, 43% of those internships are unpaid.

Recent support has helped advance that goal. A $250,000 gift from former 黑料不打烊 trustee Bill Herbert 鈥�68 and his wife Marsha helped the Women of 黑料不打烊 surpass their $2.5 million fundraising goal three months ahead of schedule, bringing the total raised for internship support to $2,679,610.

鈥淲hile the Herbert family鈥檚 gift helped push us past the goal, it was the collective power of Women of 黑料不打烊 that made this possible,鈥� said Priscilla Awkard 鈥�95, co-chair of the Women of 黑料不打烊 advisory council.

To see highlights from the聽weekend,聽.

, 鈥淲E Talk: Inside Careers in Communications & Entertainment,鈥� moderated by Nneka聽Enurah聽鈥�11聽on聽April 2.

Explore聽how to get involved聽by visiting the聽Women of 黑料不打烊 website.