“I was in this no-man’s land of just going to the gym recreationally because I had nothing to train for, and since rowing was so demanding, the gym was simply not enough,” Taylor said.

Growing up, Taylor’s mother ran marathons and suggested running and triathlons to satisfy Taylor’s fitness needs. However, Taylor, who describes himself as an “overachiever,” believed running was not enough and started researching Ironman races.

An Ironman race is a full-distance endurance event consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run. SportsEvents Magazine characterizes it as one of the world’s most challenging one-day endurance events, totaling 140.6 miles with an average 17-hour time limit. Taylor saw this as a great opportunity to challenge himself and keep his physical health and fitness at the top of his priorities. In 2024, Matthew Taylor signed up for The Ironman 7.3 Eagleman race in Cambridge, Maryland. The Eagleman race is half the distance of the full Ironman, featuring a 1.2-mile swim in the Choptank River, a 56-mile flat bike course through the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and a 13.1-mile flat run.

As a finance and entrepreneur double major, an Innovation Scholar, and a servant leader for ������Ƶ’s Catholic Campus Ministry, Taylor had six months to train for the Eagleman.  He used the Beck Pool in the Koury Athletic Center for his morning swims, and the Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex to practice his long-distance runs. When the day of the Eagleman came, and Taylor crossed the finish line, he knew he was ready for the full Ironman race.

“This wasn’t my first time testing my limits in a triathlon. Crossing that finish line was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It proved to me that I was capable of pushing past the point of exhaustion and that the real challenge wasn’t only physical, it was mental,” Taylor said

Since that day, Taylor’s training has only intensified. The 70.3 Eagleman taught him that success in endurance racing is built on discipline, consistency and the ability to embrace discomfort. Balancing college life with the demands of Ironman preparation was one of his greatest challenges. Between early morning swim sessions before class and hour-long bike rides on the weekends, Taylor realized that recovery became as important as the workouts themselves. Nutrition, sleep, and mindset all became part of the equation. Taylor values ������Ƶ’s Health EU initiatives, not only because health is a big part of his identity, but he also wants his generation to become healthier.

“Growing up, especially with the strain of screens, had taken a toll on my generation’s mental and physical health. So, it is reassuring that ������Ƶ pushes mental and physical health and provides many resources for students to get active and feel better,” Taylor said.

On Nov. 1, 2025, he stood at the edge of the Gulf of Mexico in Panama City Beach, Florida, waiting for the horn to sound. At 20 years old , Taylor dove into the Gulf waters at sunrise and crossed the Ironman finish line after sunset. The moment marked the culmination of a journey that began a year earlier and was shaped by every early morning run, every swim lap and every mile pedaled on tired legs.

“It was unlike anything I’ve done before. I knew there would be moments of struggle, when fatigue set in and doubt crept up. Every mile I accomplished reflected months of dedication and determination,” Taylor said.

During this experience, Taylor was able to connect with many of his peers who were also training for similar races and researching health studies. Taylor had the opportunity to participate in a caloric burn research study with Assistant Professor Amanda McGrosky, which utilized carbon dioxide levels from a person’s breathing to determine the number of calories being burned. Through Taylor’s participation and McGrosky research, they were able to discover weight gain should be credited towards overeating, rather than decreased physical activity. Taylor is also a member of the recently founded ������Ƶ Triathlon Club.

“For me, this race wasn’t just about athletic achievement. It was about proving what’s possible when you commit fully to a goal. It was about representing the power of perseverance and showing that even as a student balancing studies, commitments, and training, you can still chase something extraordinary,” Taylor said.

“������Ƶ, overall in my experience, is very good at helping students find opportunities to explore their interests and involve community members within that,” said Baker, a biology major.

In their class, students analyze live and dead specimens of mites, scorpions and spiders. Using stereoscopes, students study the behavior of mites when light and heat is applied, as well as observe the fluorescent natures of smaller scorpions. From there, students discuss their preconceptions of these animals and how seeing them in person has changed their perspectives.

Burst the Bubble sessions are free, non-credit sessions that aim for students with niche interests and new perspectives to have a space where they can share with others and engage with unfamiliar topics during Winter Term.

Nix Viscomi ’26 is not a biology major but does have a common fear of spiders. She observed the wet specimen of a tarantula and drew conclusions about its exoskeleton.

“I was inspired to go to this class because I don’t really like spiders, but thought you need to confront that fear and get over it or work to get over it,” said Viscomi, a psychology major.

Baker hosted the class during their first year and decided to bring it back their last year at ������Ƶ with all the new-found knowledge about arthropod biology, the study of invertebrates with jointed legs, for example crabs, spiders and some insects. Their number one passion is teaching, as they aspire to be a professor of arthropod biology. Baker’s Burst The Bubble class gives them a unique opportunity to practice curriculum design as well as open ������Ƶ students’ eyes to species that are misunderstood.

“Anything related to more appreciation towards these species and seeing people say ‘oh that spider is cute’ or ‘this scorpion is pretty,’ makes this class worth it to me,”  Baker said.

Cooking is Melanie Rogers ’26 passion and her love language. She thought everyone, especially college students, should know how to flavor and season their own food, especially since it is common for college students to be on a tight budget.

Rogers wanted to show people that ramen and pasta does not have to stay on a base level, and seasonings, garnishes, and flavoring can spice up someone’s life. Rogers’s class, Dorm Room Gourmet: Flavors on a Dime, teaches ������Ƶ students how to add easily sourced ingredients like eggs and vegetables into their ramen, use different types of seasonings, like ginger and lemon pepper, on their pasta and design their own signature sauces to add to anything.

Students were able to cook, try new pallets, make mistakes with friends by their side and eat their creations. Rogers, a communication design major with a minor in food studies, chose to teach about ramen, pasta and sauces specifically because they are mainstream food items that many college students will have some experience with, but not always the creativity to make something new.

Noah Raney ’27, a music production & recording arts major, has recently become interested in cooking, but only by following recipes. He saw the Burst the Bubble session as an opportunity to get better at cooking on his own accord and stepping away from the normal ‘boring’ meals.

“I think next time I make packaged ramen, I will put in some seasonings because it takes two seconds, and it will make me feel more adventurous when I cook,” Raney said.

Students were able to save their favorite seasoning combination in their own personal seasoning jar, where they could come up with unique names for their creations.

“People will say that you are born with the talent of seasoning or cooking, and you can not learn it later on. I want to show everyone that regardless of what area of life you are in, you can teach yourself something new and it can follow you forever,” Rogers said.

������Ƶ Cares has been an annual tradition for almost two decades, celebrating queer art and supporting Broadway Equity Fights Aids, one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. The event is hosted by students in the Department of Performing Arts, in partnership with ������Ƶ’s Gender & LGBTQIACenter. Each year, event organizers aim to raise more than $2000 and typically exceed that amount.

“We are always singing and dancing, but now there is a reason that we are doing it. It’s something we are fighting for and a message we are sending too,” said Laird Sterns ‘28, an art administration and music theatre double major, who is one of the co-directors of this year’s performance. He participated in the benefit cabaret during his first year and saw it as a future opportunity to further his interest in art administration as well as be a leader in “something greater.”

The cabaret brings together those interested in performing arts, regardless of major, and allows many leadership opportunities within the creative team. This year’s performance will feature some selections from queer artists and Broadway hits like “Death Becomes Her” and “Cabaret.” The event will host tables from the GLC and the Triad Health Project, an organization that encourages sexual health and justice through radical care, love, and equity while working to fight against HIV. There will also be a canned food drive.

“It’s a great opportunity to come together as a community in the new year and it brings joy to people who may not have looked into the arts before at ������Ƶ. We all get to learn and grow with each other as performers and overall people in a safe space,” Sterns said.

Malia Horst ’26, the primary director for the event, recognizes the charity production as a safe environment to let students within the performing arts department “do what they love with no stress and for a great cause.”

“For me, it’s a super important space to let people create with queerness in mind,” Horst said, “This is not a show where you just come and sit and applaud nicely. This is a hooting and hollering celebration.”

The event takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 14, with two shows at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. in Yeager Recital Hall, in the Center for the Arts. For more information about the event, visit . Each donation comes with an entry into a raffle for various prizes. Prizes from previous years can also be viewed on the same website as event information.

Donations by cash or check will be collected at the performances. Online donations can be made by viewing the event homepage. Visit for more information about Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

His mom’s coworker, an ������Ƶ alum, suggested the school to Hriciga, knowing what Hriciga wanted from his college experience. With his talent in math, his love of cars and his goal of having a profession in motorsports, Hriciga decided on being an engineering major.

“It was the first school I toured and I loved the campus and then nothing else could compare, ” Hriciga said.

Hriciga began riding bikes when he was young because of his father’s love for mountain biking. From third grade to fifth grade, Hriciga raced cyclocross using road bikes redesigned into off-road bikes that could handle different terrains like mud, snow and rocky areas. He began training on a mountain bike in the fourth grade and then finally racing in competition during middle school. He credits his mountain biking success to having early access to bikes and experience on different types of roads.

“It was scary, because there are hills and you don’t really know what you are doing because you are little. But you push through and then it’s fun,” Hriciga said

Although Hriciga was not the fastest when he first started riding, after joining First Flight USA Cycling Elite Junior Development Team, a mountain bike race team based out of Chapel Hill,, he realized he “could be fast.” First Flight was created by one of Hriciga’s coaches from his high school biking racing team, which gave its racers exclusive access to another professional coach and development training required to get better at the sport. He participated in the Cane Creek Cup MTB series, a sequence of cross-country mountain bike races held predominantly in the North and South Carolina regions, and earned titles as the 2023 State Champion and regional champion.

“The feeling of winning after putting in all that work and training, it pays off,” Hriciga said.

When he first learned how to ride a mountain bike, it was through the organization KOBRA (Kids On Bikes Riding Around). Through his racing career, Hriciga maintained many of the relationships he had found with those coaches and was asked to volunteer back at the same organization that helped him. It was a “full circle moment” for Hriciga as he can share his passion by teaching elementary school students how to ride and leading trips that introduce them to the sport.

Despite the “rigorous ” nature of being an engineering major, Hriciga is determined to do his best to be successful. He is excited about the physics classes and the Grand Challenges in Engineering, a set of courses usually taken in an engineering student’s first year that focuses on teamwork and engineering design through hands-on projects. Hriciga will also be looking into the study abroad opportunities, specifically in Germany.

At New Student Convocation Under the Oaks on Aug. 23, 2025, Bodhi was one of four students from the Class of 2029 who were spotlighted by Randy Williams, vice president for inclusive excellence and associate professor of education, due to his achievements.

“I was shocked that my name was called by all people, but I was also very proud that I was deemed worthy of that honor,” Bodhi said

Hriciga does not race currently as he wants to focus on school, but he still cheers on his friends who decided to go pro and will still bike during breaks and the summer. He plans to join ������Ƶ’s chapter of the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers, also known as the Phoenix Racing Team, which is a student team that designs and builds an electric race car to compete with other schools.

Hriciga advises student-athletes and everyone with a sport-school-life balance to also focus on their health so their performance in their sport and everyday life is not affected.

“If you are working at a high level, pushing your body to the limit, make sure you are eating,” Hriciga said.

President Ronald Reagan signed the law changing Hispanic Heritage Week to Hispanic Heritage Month on August 17, 1988. Americans now observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept.15th to Oct. 15th. Many Latin American nations including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua share their independence anniversaries on Sept. 15, making it the perfect start for Hispanic Heritage Month. Mexico and Chile also share their independence on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18.

This anticipated celebration, not only shines a spotlight on the richness, history and triumphs of the Latinx/Hispanic community, also allows the ������Ƶ Community to acknowledge the struggles and individualized stories of the community.

Hispanic Heritage Month 2025 events at ������Ƶ

Paletas En El Patio

Monday, Sept. 15 | Outside of Mosely Kitchen | 4:30 p.m.

Come learn more about the Latinx-Hispanic Union, and their signature event, La Habana, while enjoying yummy paletas.

Hispanic Heritage Month Book Display

Sept. 15th – October 5th, 2025 | Belk Library 

Come check out books written by Latinx/Hispanic authors, as well as audiobooks on the Libby app.

������Ƶ Common Reading Lecture with Alejandra Campoverdi

Thursday, Sept. 18 | Alumni Gym, Koury Athletic Center | 7 p.m.

Alejandra Campoverdi is a nationally recognized advocate for educational opportunity and women’s health, a bestselling author, founder and former White House aide to President Barack Obama. Her book, “FIRST GEN” won the Dolores Huerta Award from the International Latino Book Awards, which also named Campoverdi its 2024 Rising Star in Nonfiction. In 2024, Campoverdi founded the First Gen Fund, a nonprofit that provides hardship grants to first-gen students. She produced the groundbreaking PBS health documentary “Inheritance” and founded the LATINOS & BRCA awareness initiative in partnership with Penn Medicine’s Basser Center for BRCA. Previously, Campoverdi served in the Obama White House as deputy director of Hispanic media.

are $15 or free with an ������Ƶ ID.

Hispanic Heritage Month Kick-Off Festival

Friday, Sept.19 | Medallion Plaza, Lakeside area | 5:30 p.m.

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to recognize and honor the rich histories, cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities in the United States.

This celebration highlights the diverse cultural traditions, achievements and lasting impact of Hispanic and Latinx individuals across various fields, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of their vital role in shaping American society. We will have food, vendors and performances!

La Habana

Friday, Sept. 19 | Taphouse | 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.

The Latinx-Hispanic Union is throwing their semesterly dance party with great Latinx music and free food!

Noche Latina

Tuesday, Sept. 30 | ������Ƶ Soccer Field | 7 p.m.

An afternoon of fun, music and soccer as we cheer on ������Ƶ’s Soccer Team. Announcements are made in both English and Spanish.

Cafe con Leche with Friends

Thursday, Oct. 2nd | Irazu Coffee Shop | 5:30 – 7 p.m. 

A night of karaoke with LHU, First Gen and El Centro! There will be food and lots of music!

Graduate Ice Cream Social

Thursday, Oct. 2nd | Legends Ice Cream & Churros (4925 W Market St STE 1100, Greensboro)| 6 – 8 p.m. 

Have fun for a night of ice cream and socializing with other Latinx/Hispanic graduate students.

Vamos a La Cocina

Wednesday, Oct. 8 | El Centro Kitchen | 3:30 p.m.

This is El CEntro’s hands-on cooking series designed to celebrate and share the rich culinary heritage of LatinX/Hispanics cultures. Each session focuses on creating traditional dishes while fostering community and cultural appreciation. RSVPs are required to attend.

Perspectivas: Deliberative Dialogue

Thursday, Oct. 9 | El Centro (Carlton 114)| 6 – 7 p.m.

An educational program focusing on student perspectives and deliberative dialogue, in collaboration with Kernodle Center.

Late Night Cafe con Leche with ELHAN

Friday, Oct. 10 | El Centro (Carlton 114)| 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

ELHAN is hosting a late night cafe con leche for an opportunity to network with other Latinx/Hispanic community members.

Gala Latina

Friday, Oct. 24th | LaRose Commons | 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. 

This culminating event of Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates student success while highlighting the contributions and achievements of the Latinx/Hispanic community at ������Ƶ. Open to all students, faculty and staff, it serves as a space for empowerment, recognition and fostering a more inclusive campus environment.

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• New Student Convocation begins ‘powerful journey of questions and curiosity’ at ������Ƶ
• ������Ƶ’s Class of 2029 arrives on campus ready for new connections and opportunities

Coming from Miami Country Day School in Florida, Lorenzo Ribadeneira ‘29 has always had a passion for board sports like skateboarding and snowboarding. During his freshman year of high school, Ribadeneira’s best friend invited him to try wakeboarding at his local park, and he fell in love with the sport, frequently visiting the park, buying his own board and a season pass. Yet he never expected that his hobby-turned passion would lead to championship titles.

For his first major tournament, the 2024 Florida Wakeboarding Championships, Ribadeneira competed within his age group after months of practice at his local park and in West Palm Beach, where the competition would be held.

“Once the competition was closer, I would drive 45 minutes almost every day to West Palm Beach to practice the specific layout and features of the park, sleeping at friends’ houses and just practicing for two weeks,” Ribadeneira said. “I was nervous, but I was also confident in the fact that I knew my run and the tricks I was doing. I knew I could win it.”

Ribadeneira’s confidence helped him place first and second in the competition. He specifically does cable wakeboarding, where surfers perform tricks off of six towers built into the water, which differs from boat wakeboarding, in which surfers perform tricks attached to a moving boat.

Ribadeneira credits his best friend Cooper and two mentors, Luke Holmes and Maxx Evan from the company Zuupack who helped with sponsorships, video content and overall support in the sport.

“My goal for Stoke is to be able to grow it into something influential within the wakeboarding community,” Ribadeneira said.

When he started researching colleges, Ribadeneira visited ������Ƶ and was attracted to the university’s small classroom sizes and its diversity of cuisine in the dining halls. He also credits ������Ƶ’s close proximity to Elevated Wake Park, the only full-size cable park in North Carolina, located in Davidson County, as influencing his decision to attend in the fall.

Ribadeneira is also the founder of STOKE, a lifestyle brand celebrating board culture and community. As the owner of a start-up business, he became interested in the entrepreneurship and innovation major at ������Ƶ and the opportunities it offered, which would allow him to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“My dad is an entrepreneur, owning a bunch of different businesses, and I have always wanted to start my own brand,” Ribadeneira said. “Something my parents have always told me growing up was to be the best you can be and I try to apply that to school, my sport, and now my business.”

Ribadeneira’s accomplishments were given a special acknowledgment at New Student Convocation Under the Oaks on Aug. 23, 2025. He was one of four students from the Class of 2029 who were spotlighted by Randy Williams, vice president for inclusive excellence and associate professor of education.

“Hearing my name at convocation completely caught me off guard, but it was a great feeling to be recognized and celebrated because of my passions,” Ribadeneira said

Ribadeneira is now focused on expanding and building a name for STOKE, preparing himself to contribute his own ideas to the future business industry. Beyond the classroom, he is interested in starting a wakeboarding club at ������Ƶ, something he did not get the chance to do in his hometown. His parents, friends and surfers at the local wakeboard park have encouraged him to share his passion and show the sport as more accessible.

Jules Levanti ‘25 didn’t believe she was a “STEM girl” until an astronomy class during her first Winter Term changed her perspective and academic path. Now, she’s graduating from ������Ƶ with a degree in astrophysics and preparing to earn a doctorate.

Levanti was originally a finance major, but after taking an introductory astronomy course, she decided to switch her major to astrophysics, with minors in computer science and mathematics.

“One thing I can say about the physics and astronomy department is that they have done more for me than I can put into words, and not only that but I would not have been able to experience all the opportunities and meet various people in my field if I wasn’t at ������Ƶ,” Levanti said.

Levanti is ������Ƶ’s first and only student to be named an N.C. Space Grant Undergraduate Research Scholar, investigating dwarf galaxies and black holes. In July, the North Carolina Space Grant selected 16 students from the state to receive the $8000 undergraduate grant. The application process was Levanti’s first time writing in depth about her research, and it taught her how to effectively communicate her research.

The grant allowed Levanti to buy a computer that could handle the intensive codes and programs needed for her research and fund her travel expenses to Paris, where she visited colleagues at the Institute of Astrophysics and CEA and also gave a talk. Levanti attended multiple conferences through the grant, including the American Astronomical Society National Conferences; the Joint Space Science Institute Workshop in collaboration with the University of Maryland; and she traveled to the Goddard Space Flight Center for a talk and to collaborate with researchers. Her research mentor, Chris Richardson, associate professor of astrophysics, traveled with Levanti and introduced her to the collaborators and conferences abroad that she would work with in the future.

One thing I can say about the physics and astronomy department is that they have done more for me than I can put into words.

Jules Levanti ’25

Balance and support is key

������Ƶ is currently the only degree-granting institution for astronomy and astrophysics in North Carolina. The program in ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts & Sciences has grown from allowing students to take astronomy elective courses, to then a minor and now a full bachelor’s degree program in astronomy and astrophysics.

Levanti believes her growth in the program is also due to how caring and understanding the physics professors and advisors are, as they have helped her pass classes and get homework done through office hours, responding to emails, and providing constant support.

“They know how tough this major can be and they understand that the major is not the only thing that their students are passionate about, like their jobs and other organizations that are important,” Levanti said. “Just having that constant support allows us to do more activities and take advantage of opportunities that we probably wouldn’t have gotten the chance to do with professors who cared a little bit less.”

In addition to her academics, Levanti mentored students in Alpha Kappa Psi, teaching pledges and new members about professional development, including email etiquette, professionalism in the workplace, and soft and hard skills.

Since her first year, Levanti has worked at the Technology Service Desk, played intramural volleyball and joined Phi Eta Sigma and Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Society. She’s also been an ������Ƶ 1010 Peer Educator, a teaching assistant for Introduction to Astronomy, and a member of Sigma Pi Sigma, the Physics and Astronomy Honor Society. She is also a co-author on a publication submitted to the Astrophysical Journal and is currently writing her own first-author publication

“How I balance it all is being organized, and sometimes doing work does not always feel like work if you are enjoying it,” Levanti said “You need to be organized and passionate to be able to balance life and school and anything else you want to do.”

Soaring past ������Ƶ

After graduation, Levanti will be pursuing her doctorate in astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Texas at Austin, a top 15 astronomy program in the U.S. According to Richardson, it is the highest-ranking astronomy doctoral program in which an ������Ƶ Department of Physics and Astronomy student has been accepted.

Levanti was attracted to UT Austin because of its involvement in extragalactic research, studying objects beyond the Milky Way galaxy. She hopes to get published more and contribute her understanding about the universe to the scientific community. At UT Austin, there are opportunities for her to apply for full-time researcher positions or professorships that would allow her to continue her research following graduate school.

“I will have so many opportunities to work with esteemed faculty in the field, and I’m so blessed and so excited to be going there. I don’t know if I will do full-time research after graduate school, but having a Ph.D. in astronomy would open a lot of doors for me even outside the field,” Levanti said.

Levanti was recently able to meet incoming first-year students interested in the astronomy and physics department and advised them to be passionate and hard-working.

“Make sure you really like what you are doing research on, because that will be what drives your work ethic and the passion you have for the project. Your drive is what is going to push your research into advanced stages,” said Levanti.

Maker Takeover is the Maker Hub’s largest annual celebration that brings students, staff, and faculty together to showcase their creative projects. The Maker Hub provides ������Ƶ students and faculty free access to 3D printers, sewing and embroidery machines, laser engravers and other creative tools to help bring their projects to life.

Lydia Credle ’27 grew up with hypermobility in her hands and required custom joint support rings, which were often expensive. She wanted to find a way to make the rings custom and effective for people suffering from arthritis and hypermobility, but also cheaper. With this idea for affordable healthcare, Credle applied for ������Ƶ Kickbox, a Maker Hub program that gives students a box full of resources, a sponsor to support their idea and a $300 gift card to help the idea become a reality.

“In the Burlington community, it is hard for a lot of people to have adequate health care, especially custom rings (which) are typically only available to people who have ready access to occupational therapy and $200 to $300 to spare,” Credle said.

The material used for Credle’s experimental rings was moldable plastic that she heated up in a mini water heater. Once flexible, the plastic could then be designed to fit someone’s finger to lessen the strain on their fingers. In addition, Credle had pigments that she could mix into the plastic to form the ring in a person’s desired color. Through the support of her Kickbox sponsor, Nim Batchelor, faculty emeritus and the Maker Hub’s first-ever maker mentor, Cradle learned the importance of prototyping and not giving up after the first try.

“Anyone can do this. You just need the plastic, have some hot water ready and make your own,” Credle said.

Maker Hub Takeover did not just bring engineering and science students together, but also ������Ƶ entrepreneurs, showcasing their unique creations. Shriya Baru ’25, founder of KOLIS, an Indian American fusion brand that sells a variety of custom candles made with natural fragrances from small businesses based in India to ������Ƶ sweatshirts decorated with Indian inspired bright colors.
“I wanted to introduce my Indian culture on campus and break the stereotype that Indian fashion is overly traditional for Western culture,” Baru said

When Baru launched her business, she did not have access to an embroidery or sewing machine, so she turned to the Maker Hub for resources and support. She remembers people staying overtime to help her complete her orders and find new inspiration.

“I’ve been selling at the Make Hub Takeover for the past three years, and it’s been one of the biggest pop-ups of the year,” Baru said. “I am grateful to the Maker Hub.”

������Ƶ staff and faculty invited their families to enjoy the projects focusing on science, service, experimentation and creativity. Finn Wilkinson ’27 is a consultant at the Maker Hub and was the emcee of the takeover event.

“It makes me nervous but also excited because I can show my enthusiasm outwardly and point out things, like ‘look at what my cool friends are doing,’” said Wilkinson.

While balancing the responsibilities of being the public face of the event, Wilkinson was also showing off their project, Miss Scarlet. As a drag artist, Wilkinson took the opportunity to design and make the pattern for their character’s outfit because many goddess skirts do not come in their size due to their height.

Wilkinson advises students who may be nervous about starting a project or visiting the Maker Hub to “take the leap.”

Fahnoe, a biology major, is part of a research team for a study examining behavior changes and long-term health risks related to a student’s transition from high school to college. In 2021, ������Ƶ was awarded a three-year grant from the National Institutes of Health, enabling researchers to track high school seniors through their first year in college to assess their risk of developing metabolic syndrome, a precursor to cardiovascular disease.

Fahnoe’s specific area of this study investigates the relationship between stress produced from the college admission and moving process to body composition factors, such as body fat percentage and inflammation factors. Over a year, a high school senior who visit ������Ƶ for a tour or program are recruited and go through an initial round of tests, before completing their second round if they return to ������Ƶ as a student or attend another college.

During their trials, the students are tested for heart rate variability and arterial stiffness, their anthropometrics are checked to calibrate the HRV and AS equipment, and blood is drawn to determine biomarkers. In between trials, Fahnoe and other researchers study sleep patterns and activity levels via monitors worn throughout participants’ daily lives. Overall, 186 participants signed up, and 80 are expected to complete it in full, which is around a 43% completion rate for this year’s study.

Svetlana Nepocatych, professor of exercise science, welcomed Fahnoe into the study and became his mentor. She, along with researchers including Christina Westbrooks ’23, Elle Nash ’25, Kaitlyn Sumner ’25, and Carolyn Oliver ’24, taught him how to take blood from participants and run tests.

“She’s very willing to let us make our own mistakes, which is how I learned and grew in this study,” Fahnoe said. “She’s very involved, very willing to help us with whatever we need, and I don’t think this project would be the same without her.”

Fahnoe, whose main job is drawing blood from participants and testing blood, can receive a variety of information, such as cholesterol, high-density Lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides and alanine transaminase levels. Fahnoe specifically investigates interleukin-6 (IL6) within the blood because it is an inflammatory factor closely linked to invisible diseases such as stress and depression. In addition, Fahnoe and his team also conduct a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), which provides information on the subjects’ bone density, fat mass, and lean mass.

Before coming to ������Ƶ, Fahnoe remembers visiting for Fellows Weekend, hearing about the study, and wanting to be a part of it as a participant or researcher. During his general Chemistry I class, Carolyn Oliver ’24 told Fahnoe about her participation in the study, and there was an opening for another researcher.

“I said ‘absolutely yes’, and when I jumped onto the study, it was just pure dumb luck that I got the opportunity,” Fahnoe said.

The data collection of the three-year-long study will finish in late May, and next year, Fahnoe and his team will start in-depth data analysis. Fahnoe says research projects like this one, give science majors a “first peek behind the curtain,” because students can implement the scientific method into real-life situations with public impacts.

“I hypothesize that there will be an increase in stress, as well as changes in body composition factors like weight,” Fahnoe said. “The fat percentage could be up or down because people have different responses to stress, but we anticipate a change regardless.”

Fahnoe presented his work during the Spring Undergraduate Research Forum on April. During SURF Day, all other campus activities are suspended so the ������Ƶ community can come together around students’ creative endeavors and research efforts. Undergraduate research is also one of the five ������Ƶ Experiences, which provide a natural extension of the work students do in the classroom and ensure that ������Ƶ graduates are prepared for both graduate school and careers.

Fahnoe believes that studying the transition to college at a university is important because it allows ������Ƶ and other colleges to better educate future students on the physical and mental changes they will experience becoming a college freshman and better assist in the process. Having a biological explanation with data to back up these findings can emphasize the message.

“This could be incorporated as a freshman orientation message saying, ‘This is college. You are going to be stressed and undergo some change. Here are some preliminary resources to deal with that and places to contact for extra help.’”

Fahnoe would like to expand this project with more participants and a deeper analysis of the impact of any preexisting stressors, and whether the existence of those stressors affects the stress produced during the transition to college.

Adbul-Malik Harrison, assistant director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity, & Diversity Education hosted the event to ask students “How do I want to be remembered? Do I want to see myself on a wall or in a memorial?”

The Black Table Talk is one of several programming efforts from Black Student Success (BSS), a CREDE initiative that aims to enhance the Black and African American collegiate student experience by supporting their academic achievement, personal development and overall well-being. The Black Student Success team aims to educate the ������Ƶ community on the culture of the African Diaspora population in the United States and abroad.

Students had a chance to discuss their experiences with the word, “legacy” in relation to their ������Ƶ journey. BSS student coordinator Mikayla Williams ’25 welcomed students to reflect on who left a strong legacy in their lives and what they admire about their impact.

“My grandmother, when she was alive, always instilled values like always to be a helping hand and treat others how you want to be treated and I still carry those values today so I would say I’m her legacy,” said Ny’jaire Dorns-Grose ’28, who attended the event.

Students weighed the importance of a tangible versus intangible legacy, asking whether a physical legacy, such as a book or non-profit, was more impactful than leaving behind good memories and kind thoughts in others.

Students also explored displays of influential Black students and faculty from the university’s archives including official publications, minutes, reports, old yearbooks and other memorabilia documenting the past Black experience at ������Ƶ. Shaunta Alvarez, the digital collections and systems librarian at Belk Library, collects ������Ƶ memorabilia such as photos, t-shirts and yearbooks as documentation of the school’s history and makes this accessible to ������Ƶ students. Alvarez acknowledges that due to a shortage of Black archivists and librarians, there is a lack of Black and brown student memorabilia in many predominantly white institutions’ collections.

“I feel that Black people have felt no one wants my stuff because no one has asked for it,” Alvarez said.

According to Alvarez, ������Ƶ’s first full-time archivist who started in 2005 was “conscious of diversity” and wanted students to see themselves in the archives. Belk Library Archives and Special Collections started online publications, inviting students to visit the collection and hiring student assistants. Black trailblazers like Julia W Covington, ������Ƶ’s first full-time Black faculty member, and Bryant Colson ’80, the first Black student to be elected SGA president and to serve as editor-in-chief of The Pendulum, were celebrated with their yearbooks, photos, and memorabilia showcased.

A new addition to the university archives is The Maroon Book, created by student Taylor Scott ’28. The book was inspired by The Green Book, a travel guide for Black people during segregation and identifies Black-owned and friendly businesses in the surrounding area to “educate black and brown students about the resources available to them to thrive and be successful at ������Ƶ.”

“Just how these people are put in frames and walls like the Wall of Frame in the Black Community room, that could be you all, easily,” Harrison said

In reflecting on celebrated past legacies, students were reminded that even what they consider small actions can shape the history and future of ������Ƶ, leaving a legacy to be remembered.