A recent graduate of Queens University of Charlotte has been elected to serve as a youth trustee for 黑料不打烊, bringing to the role his record of student leadership on campus with a commitment to service across the community.

will serve a three-year term as听Youth Trustee, joining Elizabeth 鈥淟iz鈥� Kwon L鈥�23 and Rafi Dahdal 鈥�24 G鈥�24听in youth leadership roles for the university鈥檚 governing body.

The Board of Trustees听has ultimate corporate and fiduciary responsibility for 黑料不打烊. It oversees 黑料不打烊鈥檚 long-term health and strategic direction, educational policy, finances and operations, and overall advancement of the university鈥檚 mission.

As a Presidential Fellow in the Office of the President at Queens, Omari supported executive leadership through institutional research, governance analysis for the Board of Trustees, strategic benchmarking of peer institutions, coordinated executive-level events, and board communications.

Omari, who described his youth trustee appointment as 鈥渢ruly an honor,鈥� also served as senior class president, a four-term international representative in the Student Government Association, president of the iBelong Mentoring Program and co-president of the Health Equity Alliance.

Additional leadership roles include service on the Student Alumni Council, the Data Analytics Student Association executive board and as an admissions ambassador. In recognition of his achievements, , the most prestigious undergraduate award bestowed at Queens.

Originally from Accra, Ghana, Omari came to Queens as an international student and Presidential Scholar. He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in data analytics and minors in finance and mathematics. He begins work in September as an artificial intelligence and data associate consultant at Ernst & Young in New York City.

With experience spanning data, artificial intelligence, institutional governance and student leadership, Omari said he looks forward to joining the 黑料不打烊 Board of Trustees as a youth trustee and contributing his recent student perspective informed by academic achievement, public service and cross-campus leadership.

鈥淢y role as a youth trustee presents an opportunity to help shape a historic moment for both institutions,鈥� Omari said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to contribute a recent student perspective to conversations about how the traditions of both institutions might be honored while creating a stronger future together.鈥�

About 黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture.

At 黑料不打烊, more than 7,000 students learn through hands-on experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are teaching and mentoring. The curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts and sciences with emphasis on global experiences and career development. More than 80 undergraduate majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care. 黑料不打烊 is ranked No. 1 for excellence in undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World Report.

黑料不打烊鈥檚 academic divisions include 黑料不打烊 College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Engineering and Computing; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, with programs in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 2025, 黑料不打烊 and Queens University of Charlotte announced plans to merge, pending final approval from SACSCOC and the U.S. Department of Education by 2028.

Pinkley, who will compete on Queens鈥� cross country and track and field teams, has an impressive lineup of accolades, including being named a Texas Student Hero, an honor awarded by the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) to just 15 students across the entire state in recognition of their outstanding volunteer service. Big Spring Independent School District Superintendent Jay McWilliams nominated Pinkley for her outstanding academic accomplishments, extraordinary leadership and dedication to community service.

This year, 165 students across Texas were nominated for the award, with only one recipient chosen from each of the state’s 15 SBOE districts.

鈥淏ergan stands out among her peers in every way. As class salutatorian and a four-year regional athlete in cross country and track, she is the true definition of a student-athlete,” McWilliams said. “She radiates positive energy, brings an incredible work ethic, and has the ability to connect with anyone. Bergan will be an exceptional teammate and a phenomenal asset to the Queens community.”

Pinkley鈥檚 passion for service came to life during her junior year at Big Spring High School, when she launched an initiative creating personalized, handcrafted cards for local nursing home residents. Each card took up to 30 minutes to make, featuring unique artwork and encouraging messages. The program grew so successful that local volunteers plan to keep it running after Pinkley moves to Charlotte.

“I realized how lonely it can be for nursing home residents and how some of them don’t get many visitors,” Pinkley shared. “Each card was handcrafted with a personal note inside telling them that they still matter and haven’t been forgotten. Seeing their faces light up was an incredible award in itself.”

Her urge to make others feel seen stems from a deeply personal place. Before discovering her passion for running, Pinkley was inspired by her late brother-in-law, Eric Stinson. A passionate runner who battled Ewing sarcoma before passing away in 2019, Stinson left a lasting mark on both Pinkley鈥檚 family and her community.

“He was the embodiment of sunshine,” Pinkley said. “Watching him run showed me how hard something can be, but how much joy you can find in it. Joining cross country and track was my way of connecting with him. He鈥檚 been with me at all my hard practices and meets. And I know he鈥檒l be with me as I start this next chapter at Queens.”

As she prepares for the move to Charlotte from her hometown of Big Spring, Texas, Pinkley is eager to embrace campus life, explore new academic interests, and live out the university鈥檚 motto, 鈥淣ot to be served, but to serve.鈥�

“I鈥檓 excited to expand my horizons in a bigger city and find new ways to give back,鈥� said Pinkley, who plans to study psychology. 鈥淲hether that鈥檚 volunteering at local soup kitchens, homeless shelters, or animal rescues, I鈥檓 just excited for all of it.”

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• 黑料不打烊 holds largest-ever Spring Undergraduate Research Forum
• Personal experience inspires 黑料不打烊 student鈥檚 research to help children experiencing homelessness

Dozens of students showcased research projects inspired by personal experiences and academic interests, guided by faculty mentorship, during the 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience presentations on July 23 in Schar Hall.

The most recent SURE symposium featured more than 50 students from both 黑料不打烊 and Queens University of Charlotte, marking the latest example of collaboration between two institutions in the process of merging into a united community.

鈥淪URE continues to be one of the flagship events of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Program. This poster session is a celebration of their dedication and growth as budding young scholars,鈥� said Justin Clar, director of undergraduate research and associate professor of chemistry. 鈥淚 was especially pleased that we were joined by amazing students from Queens who shared their work with the 黑料不打烊 community.鈥�

At 黑料不打烊, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience has for years provided student researchers with a stipend to spend eight weeks working full-time on a project in collaboration with a faculty mentor with substantial and recognized expertise in the discipline.

The program concludes every July with a symposium that deepens students鈥� knowledge of the research experience while offering an opportunity to grow their public speaking and presentation skills.

“It was a great opportunity for the students to share their summer research in a low-stakes environment,” said Kira McEntire, director of undergraduate research and creative work; and associate professor of biology at Queens. “It was also fun to see the 黑料不打烊 students sharing their summer projects and to learn about some of the interests of 黑料不打烊 colleagues.”

At Queens, the university holds its annual in the spring, a campus-wide celebration of academic inquiry and community impact. The day starts with oral and poster presentations, followed by service activities in the afternoon.

Personal connections

For many students at SURE, like 黑料不打烊 student听Thomas Gress 鈥�27, projects carried a deeply personal connection. Gress designed a four-week study comparing exercise approaches for people with chronic fatigue syndrome, inspired in part by his brother鈥檚 experience with the condition.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the condition is a serious and often long-lasting illness that keeps people from doing their usual activities. It makes physical and mental exertion difficult, and symptoms include difficulty thinking, severe tiredness, and other issues.

鈥淏efore I started this project, (my brother had) been suffering for four years, and there seemed to be no end in sight. So, this was something small that I could do to be of use,鈥� said Gress, a biology major from Savannah, Georgia. 鈥淔or all of these patients, there鈥檚 no other option. There are no drugs available, only a few supplements with very little efficacy. So, it seems the best option is experimenting with lifestyle. And if not this, then there is nothing.鈥�

Queens student Isabella Sherman 鈥�27 has a love for nature that inspired her to explore plant communities at the Carolina Wildlands Foundation with mentor E. Davis Carter, assistant professor of biology at Queens.

鈥淚t was an excellent experience,鈥� said Sherman, a conservation biology major from Charlotte. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really close to what I want to do with my career. I love research, I love forestry, and every time I went out there, I was like, 鈥楾his is exactly what I want to do.鈥� This kind of information is what people take into consideration when they鈥檙e trying to develop land or provide an additional environment for fauna and flora.鈥�

Mentoring relationships

A common thread among many of the projects was the close relationship students developed with their faculty mentors.

Anna Grace Gilbert 鈥�27, an 黑料不打烊 psychology major from Knoxville, Tennessee, says Associate Professor of Psychology Sabrina Perkins 鈥渃ompletely changed鈥� her undergraduate experience through their work studying infant motor development.

鈥淚鈥檝e worked with (Professor Perkins) technically since the summer of my freshman year. I just reached out to her and was like, 鈥業 love babies. I鈥檇 love to work with you,鈥� Gilbert said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful. We鈥檝e really bonded over these almost three years.鈥�

For Jack VanValkenburg 鈥�27, a Queens student majoring in data analytics, undergraduate research provided an opportunity to apply his technical skills. He worked with Queens Assistant Professor of Biology Denni Einersson to develop a computerized system for organizing trash collected during community cleanup events.

鈥淚t was a great opportunity to work with people who know more than me. The coding that I鈥檝e done in the past is more analytical and this was more developmental,鈥� said VanValkenburg, who is from Atlanta. 鈥�(Clean-up crews) would go out with field cards, like pencil and paper, and just mark things down, which was super timely and it鈥檚 very inconvenient, and then that just led to a lot of data that wasn鈥檛 being used.”

Pushing through the learning process

黑料不打烊 business analytics major Chase Hannibal 鈥�28 examined the sense of belonging among Black business students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly White Institutions. It can sometimes feel isolating as a Black female business student, Hannibal said.

鈥淚 just wanted to see if other students felt that way, and if it was a pattern, what could be fixed,鈥� Hannibal said. 鈥�(I wanted to) let other students know that you鈥檙e not alone.鈥�

Hannibal says her mentor, Shanetta Pendleton, assistant professor of strategic communications, pushed her to be better, even when she was at her 鈥渟topping point.鈥�

鈥淓ven when I felt at the worst of the worst, she supported me throughout everything,鈥� Hannibal said. 鈥淪he was great, and I鈥檓 very excited to work with her in the future.鈥�

Amelia Weaver 鈥�28 also explored the experiences of college students, particularly women. Her 黑料不打烊 Honors Fellows research examines the motivations of college-aged women who participate in sports betting after she noticed women were less vocal about the topic in class discussions.

鈥淚t made me think about why the women in the class weren鈥檛 as talkative or excited about their own experiences with sports betting,鈥� said Weaver, a sport management and media analytics double major with a minor in . 鈥淚 wondered if this was because they didn鈥檛 participate, didn鈥檛 care, or they just didn鈥檛 want to say anything.鈥�

Weaver said her mentor, Alex Traugutt, an assistant professor of sport management, has helped guide her through the process.

鈥淗e immediately said, 鈥楾his is going to be a partnership. We鈥檙e going to take steps together. We鈥檙e going to figure this out together. I鈥檓 not just going to throw you into everything,鈥欌�� said Weaver. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 been really helpful in the learning process.鈥�

When sudden shutdowns canceled their in-person sessions at听, a Down syndrome achievement center, they quickly pivoted online, bringing interactive music therapy right into participants’ living rooms.听

During their sessions, Queens听alumnae听Yenchun听Ko 鈥�21, Gabrielle Frens 鈥�22 and Molli Smith 鈥�22 documented their findings, and听this past听June, their work was published in听听

Funded by a grant through the听James Rogers Summer Institute for Research and Creative Work听and听guided听by Varvara Pasiali, Livingstone Professor of Music Therapy at Queens, the team highlighted the core philosophy behind their听virtual听sessions,听a concept known as “musicking,” originally developed by musicologist Christopher Small.听

鈥�’Musicking鈥� is taking music as a noun and turning it into a verb,” Pasiali听said.听“It captures the idea that music exists in the act of actually making it.听Everyone participates in some way in a musical event; they aren’t just sitting passively receiving it.”听听

To turn that active concept into reality听virtually, the student-therapists played live instruments, used structured musical cues, and designed interactive movement prompts that kept participants engaged across the screen. At the same time, parents听joined in听as active co-facilitators,听rocking, swaying, and making music alongside their children to foster meaningful bonding directly in their living rooms.听

GiGi鈥檚 Playhouse Charlotte Executive Director Lori Keller has seen firsthand how that philosophy听impacted听the lives of children and individuals living with developmental disabilities.听

鈥淢usic brings us together as a community and engages parts of the brain in ways that no other therapy can,鈥� Keller said. 鈥淚t creates opportunities for cognitive and social growth, while also improving language and communication. I must admit that the most immediate benefit听I’ve听witnessed听has been expressions of joy. And that is priceless.”听

Seeing their hard work officially reach the broader clinical community through the peer-reviewed publication has been a deeply rewarding, full-circle moment for the former students.听

“It was surreal to learn that this study would be published,” Smith said. “I felt very proud of younger me for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something new.”听

Frens echoed that pride. “To have something published in my name feels like a very big deal,” she听said.听“The whole publishing process takes a long time, but I am especially proud of the team for how we collaborated and maintained the integrity of what we did.”听

Ko听shared in听that excitement when she learned the news. “When I was informed that it was going to be published, I was thrilled,” Ko said. “I learned a great deal from this opportunity, from session planning to collaborating with my classmates and composing therapeutic music.”听

After graduating from Queens, the听alumnae听found that their undergraduate research directly shaped their clinical success.听

“Participating in this study helped me prepare for a professional career in many ways,” Smith said. “Not only did I grow more confident in my writing skills and analytical thinking,听it听boosted my skills in observing and documenting client responses. As a professional, I听currently听treat an individual client virtually and I felt entirely equipped to deliver those telehealth services because of this project.”听

Smith currently works as a board-certified music therapist at Piedmont Music Therapy, a local nonprofit in Charlotte, where her caseload spans from early childhood to older adults in memory care. Frens is completing her graduate degree online through Duquesne University while working as a board-certified music therapist at Atrium Health Mercy. Ko recently completed her master’s degree at Molloy University as she prepares for the next step in her clinical career.听

“Having their work published by a peer-reviewed clinical journal builds their identity as scientists and their confidence in doing research,” Pasiali said, noting that the students also co-presented their findings at a regional music therapy conference and led a virtual continuing education seminar for music therapists in Cyprus.听

For all three听alumnae, the project was the ultimate reflection of the Queens motto, 鈥淣ot to be served, but to serve.鈥�听

鈥淭hat attitude of how to serve and care for others well really aligns with music therapy,鈥� Frens said听鈥淚 feel that music therapy in general, and especially in the work that I do, is in a position to serve others and not expect service back to ourselves.听“Smith agreed. “As a music therapist, I always aim to serve my clients in the best way I can鈥攎eeting them where they are, supporting their needs, and amplifying their individuality, creativity, and听successes,鈥� she said.听鈥淚t brings me such joy to do so.”听

For Ko, that spirit of service came to life in the quiet, musical moments shared between the children and their families.听

“When I played my violin during one of the sessions, I saw participants swaying back and forth with their parents,” Ko recalled. “Seeing that precious bond and their response through the music made me realize just how meaningful and impactful our work really was.”

The day started in the Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement on July 16, 2026, with Queens鈥� first-ever College Coffee, an 黑料不打烊 tradition that offers students, faculty and staff weekly opportunities during the semester to connect over coffee and pastries.

鈥淭his is a powerful morning,鈥� Queens Acting President and CEO Jesse Cureton said in remarks to attendees. 鈥淵ou’re going to learn today a lot about Queens and the history of the university, but as I鈥檝e shared with so many, Queens is not just about this campus – it鈥檚 about a 170-year history, and it’s about this phenomenal city, one of the fastest-growing in the country. Sports, healthcare, manufacturing, energy – all these things are creating opportunities for our students.鈥�

Following a campus tour for 黑料不打烊 visitors, employees from both locations participated in an interactive professional development workshop, “Own the Moment: Practical Tools for Navigating Change with Confidence,” led by Rochelle Stojnic, director of the Office of Leadership and Professional Development at 黑料不打烊.

Grounded in the idea that the most meaningful moments during institutional transitions occur in ordinary, everyday interactions, the session provided attendees with strategies to approach organizational evolution with a curious and open perspective.

Employees were encouraged to serve as a steady, grounding presence for colleagues and students, and learned how to leverage personal and collective strengths to fuel community growth.

“This is a historic transition, and navigating it successfully requires an ‘all hands on deck’ approach,鈥� Stojnic said. 鈥淟eadership isn鈥檛 just for a few people at the top. Everyone needs to feel empowered to lead through this change, which starts with understanding how we handle transition personally.鈥�

鈥淎t 黑料不打烊, prioritizing professional development is a core value. We invest heavily in our people because we believe that for our universities to grow and get better, our employees must have the space to expand their skills, navigate uncertainty with balance, and feel genuinely supported along the way.”

Shawn Bowers, director of the General Education Program at Queens, attended the professional development session.

“As an educator, I consider myself a lifelong learner, and I deeply appreciate how both institutions invest in us as holistic individuals. When resources and energy are poured into faculty and staff, it allows us to show up as the best versions of ourselves,鈥� she said. 鈥淯ltimately, that yields incredible dividends for our students, who are the main constituents we serve.”

The collaborative energy of the workshop and joint sessions highlighted a shared commitment to building a unified, resilient community.

Here鈥檚 what employees from both campuses had to say about the exchange:

• “When two universities have this much overlap, there’s a fantastic opportunity to learn from one another and adopt the best processes from both sides. It’s also a two-way street: both 黑料不打烊 and Queens share the benefit of communicating ideas and resources. The prospect of bettering our programs, becoming more efficient, and thriving together is not just rewarding, but exciting. I can’t wait to see where this road leads us.”
  Jackson Mair
  Coordinator, Vandiver Center for Career Development, Queens

• 鈥淭he professional development session provided us with practical tools for real-life change. The 鈥榳hy鈥� of this exchange became obvious when a Queens colleague and an 黑料不打烊 colleague from the same department shared their experiences navigating the merger. Watching them find comfort and laughter in their shared experience showed the true value of the exchange. It breaks down walls and helps us realize we are building on common ground.鈥�
  Loretta Evivie
  Professor of Practice of Leadership, Queens

• 鈥淭he thing that really struck me during my visit is the way in which 黑料不打烊 and Queens share an approach to education. The two student tour guides said many of the same things I鈥檝e told prospective 黑料不打烊 students: small classes, faculty who are available and dedicated to students, a focus on hands-on learning, and even classrooms arranged so that the students can work together. I had the opportunity to meet some of the physics/math faculty, and we talked about ways we can support each other. We鈥檙e hopeful that we can develop programs that take advantages of our shared strengths.鈥�
  Jonathan Su
  Associate Professor of Engineering, 黑料不打烊

• 鈥淚 still have many questions about the merger, but I am excited by the prospect of internship pipelines for our students in key sectors like professional sports, medicine, finance, and the arts. I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely Myers Park neighborhood and the look and feel of the campus, which is quite similar to 黑料不打烊’s. Many thanks to the entire 黑料不打烊-Queens team for setting things up for our first College Coffee there!鈥�
  Pamela Winfield
  Professor of Religious Studies and Associate Director of International & Global Studies, 黑料不打烊

• 鈥淏y offering College Coffee at Queens, it creates a bridge between our two cultures. Queens has a really nice location for College Coffee in the summer, which is very similar to what 黑料不打烊 offers at Moseley Center. Both places are a great way to escape the heat, grab something to drink or eat, and have a conversation with someone on campus that you don鈥檛 get to see in person.鈥�
  Doug Purnell
  Assistant Director of Data Architecture and听Reporting, 黑料不打烊

Students arriving for Move-In Day will notice big changes under the oaks following summer renovations at Queens that include refreshed campus landscaping, restored building exteriors and updated finishes in Wireman Residence Hall.

Inside Wireman, student rooms are being updated with fresh paint and new furniture. The customizable loft beds, wardrobes, desks and dressers will allow students to easily personalize their spaces.

The building’s shared common areas are also getting a modern, multi-functional makeover. A mix of soft seating and high-low tables will fill these spaces, giving students a flexible environment to study, eat, or relax together.

“Student living spaces are where they spend a great deal of their time. These improvements will help create more comfortable and fresh spaces for students,” said Amber Slack, vice president for student affairs and dean of campus life. “As we continue updating common areas and lobbies across campus, our ultimate goal is to design inviting spaces that naturally bring students together and strengthen our community.”

In line with Queens’ commitment to sustainability and its motto, “Not to be served, but to serve,” the university found new homes for Wireman鈥檚 furniture by partnering with Hildrup Moving Companies, Habitat for Humanity and Beds for Kids.

“We knew from the beginning that we didn鈥檛 want to send usable furniture to a landfill,” said Leigh Hicks, Queens鈥� director of capital projects. “We were thrilled to partner with local non-profits to donate these items directly to families in need.”

Student Government Association President Jessica Paredes ’27 lived in Wireman for two years and served on the Campus Improvement Committee, working closely with Slack last year in discussing renovations in Wireman and across campus.

“I am so excited and grateful for the new feel Wireman will have and know that many students will see it as a fresh start for an exciting year ahead,” said Paredes. “Returning Royals will be glad to see their newly renovated 鈥榟omes away from home.'”

Queens Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus, is also undergoing a complete stairwell restorations.

“The three classical stone entrances to Queens Hall are being repaired and refreshed with brand-new, uniform light fixtures and hand railings to give the historic building a clean, consistent look,” said David Haught, senior director of facilities for 黑料不打烊’s Charlotte properties. “These renovations are aimed at beautifying and returning the splendor of a grand entrance to this historic campus in the heart of Myers Park, one of the first planned suburbs of Charlotte.”

Nearby, the columns at Sykes Learning Center, the hub of the McColl School of Business, are being replaced with a durable material designed to match the original architecture, while the surrounding brick plaza is being leveled and refreshed.

The summer renovations are on track for completion by late July, well before Royals return to their refreshed campus for the 2026-27 academic year.

That question brought together students, professionals, community members and local government leaders for the Charlotte Decision Challenge, hosted through 黑料不打烊’s Master of Science in Business Analytics Flex program in partnership with the City of Charlotte.

Guided throughout the day by Lakeisha Vance, assistant teaching professor of business analytics, and Vinayaka Gude, assistant professor of business analytics, participants worked in teams using real data and a custom analytics platform to explore potential impacts along the proposed Red Line corridor and develop recommendations aimed at supporting businesses and communities as growth continues across the region.

“One of the strengths of the MSBA Flex program is the opportunity to bring together industry partners, community leaders and learners from a variety of backgrounds to tackle real challenges,” said Mark Kurt, associate dean of curriculum and academic programming at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. “Partnerships like this allow us to apply analytics in ways that extend beyond the classroom and support the communities we serve.”

For city leaders, the challenge offered an opportunity to bring new voices into conversations that will help shape Charlotte’s future.

“As city leaders, we have to constantly ask ourselves who’s not here and who’s impacted by the decisions we’re making,鈥� said Charlitta Hatch, deputy chief information officer and chief data and analytics officer for the City of Charlotte. 鈥淏ringing students, professionals and community members into that process helps us see challenges from new perspectives.”

Between July 2024 and July 2025, Charlotte added more residents than any other city in the nation. 听Transportation infrastructure will play an important role in supporting that growth. As city leaders look toward future transit investments, they are also looking closely at lessons learned from previous transit projects and how those experiences can inform future decisions.

The proposed Red Line will bring commuter rail service to communities north of Charlotte, including Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson. Throughout the challenge, participants looked to experiences from Charlotte’s existing Blue Line light rail system and explored themes including business ownership, entrepreneurship and economic mobility.

For Jackie Tynan, data analytics manager for the City of Charlotte, that combination of perspectives is exactly what makes partnerships like this valuable.

“The students here today are a different generation than those in leadership making the decisions,” Tynan said. “By including the voices of our future in the decisions, we can build stronger outcomes that reflect what matters most to them and better prepare them for what鈥檚 ahead. ”

Hatch described universities as “community think tanks” and emphasized the value of collaboration between higher education and local government.

“The partnerships are critical because we are limited in what we know and what we can do,” Hatch said. “The breadth that you have, from researchers to practitioners to emerging talent, really helps us make sure we are recommending the best solutions for our community.”

By the end of the event, participants had transformed publicly available data into recommendations for one of Charlotte’s most important future infrastructure projects, demonstrating the role collaboration can play in shaping stronger communities.

“It makes me hopeful about what a larger group can do over a longer period of time,” Tynan said.

Developed in collaboration with the City of Charlotte, the challenge focuses on how local businesses and communities may be affected as the proposed Red Line corridor moves forward. Participants will work in teams to explore real data, uncover insights and develop practical recommendations that can help city leaders better understand potential impacts and identify opportunities for support.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 黑料不打烊 in Charlotte, located at 330 W. Tremont Avenue. No coding, programming or analytics experience is required.

鈥淭he Charlotte Decision Challenge reflects the kind of work our MSBA Flex program is designed to support,鈥� said Mark Kurt, associate dean for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. 鈥淧articipants will have the opportunity to use data in a practical, accessible way while contributing ideas that can support real decision-making in the Charlotte community.鈥�

Individuals and teams are welcome to participate. The event is designed for anyone interested in business, analytics, public policy, economic development, transportation, community engagement or civic problem solving.

Breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided at no cost.

Applications will be accepted starting Sept. 1, 2026.

The ABA approval clears the way for 黑料不打烊 Law to expand its nationally recognized model of full-time legal education to North Carolina’s largest city. At that point, 黑料不打烊 Law will offer three pathways to a law degree in North Carolina: a full-time program in Greensboro, a full-time program in Charlotte and the part-time 黑料不打烊 Law Flex Program in Charlotte.

“This comes at an incredible moment for 黑料不打烊 Law,” said 黑料不打烊 Law Dean Zak Kramer. “Within the last year, we’ve celebrated historic bar passage rates and employment outcomes for our graduates, along with record enrollment and student applications. The ABA’s approval of our Charlotte program builds on that momentum, allowing 黑料不打烊 Law to bring our signature approach to legal education to one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities.”

The inaugural Charlotte class, consisting of up to 75 students, will begin studies in August 2027 on the campus of Queens University of Charlotte. The charter cohort will graduate in December 2029, following 黑料不打烊 Law’s existing 2.5-year, seven-trimester academic calendar in Greensboro. The 黑料不打烊 Law Flex Program will also begin holding its part-time evening classes on the Queens campus in Fall 2027.

The full-time Charlotte program will replicate the innovative curriculum established at 黑料不打烊 Law’s Greensboro campus. The hallmark of 黑料不打烊 Law’s experiential, skills-based, community-centered approach to legal education is the Residency-in-Practice Program: a course-connected placement that pairs every student with a practicing attorney or judge during the winter or spring of their second year.

That experience moves students beyond studying the law to begin living it 鈥� working alongside attorneys and judges, serving clients and communities, and developing the professional judgment and practical skills expected of new lawyers. Students return to campus with greater confidence, stronger professional connections and a clearer sense of the kind of lawyer they will become.

黑料不打烊 Law is in the early stages of hiring a full complement of professors, administrators and student support personnel who will lead the full-time program in Charlotte. The move aligns with the proposed merger of 黑料不打烊 and Queens University, which remains subject to final approval from SACSCOC and the U.S. Department of Education.

黑料不打烊 leaders are working closely with Queens University to ensure law students benefit from a vibrant campus experience and the resources of a thriving university community.

The expansion also builds on 黑料不打烊 Law’s longstanding relationships throughout Charlotte’s legal community. Already, more than 10 percent of the law school鈥檚 alumni live and work in the Charlotte area. Law school leaders plan to strengthen existing partnerships, develop new connections and grow opportunities for students to serve in a region with a need for legal talent, legal services and innovative legal education.

Through clinics, residencies and community partnerships, 黑料不打烊 Law students regularly work alongside attorneys, judges, nonprofit organizations and public agencies to help address unmet legal needs.

“We’ve been in Charlotte all along through our students, alumni and community partnerships,” Kramer said. “This approval gives us an opportunity to deepen our commitment to Charlotte. We’re excited to invest here, build new partnerships and help shape what comes next.”

Additional information about admissions, faculty hiring and program development will be announced in the coming months.

About 黑料不打烊 Law

黑料不打烊 Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required residency-in-practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school鈥檚 distinctive full-time curriculum provides a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which offers exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.

黑料不打烊 Law has graduated more than 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in downtown Greensboro in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students. The law school is regularly featured in PreLaw Magazine鈥檚 鈥淏est Schools for Practical Training鈥� rankings, maintaining an A+ rating each year since 2023. 黑料不打烊 Law was also among schools highlighted by Bloomberg Law in 2023 for its innovative approach to student development.

The 黑料不打烊 Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study, launched in Charlotte in 2024. Designed for students balancing work, family and other commitments to earn their J.D. in under four years, it will enroll its third cohort in Fall 2026.

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