With the support of the Departments of Art History, English, History, Philosophy, Religious Studies and World Languages and Cultures, a slate of events from Oct. 5-9, 2026, are intended to communicate the value of the humanistic disciplines in a digital age.

All ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ community members are welcome to join. Contact Associate Professor Ariela Marcus-Sells (amarcussells@elon.edu) with any questions.Ģż

Monday, October 5

• Trivia Night at 6:30 p.m. at the Oak House

Tuesday, October 6

• Social Media Takeover with Humanities majors

Wednesday, October 7

• Career Paths for Humanities Majors at 6 p.m. in Lakeside 212 and 213

Thursday, October 8

• Being Human Coffee, from 9:50 ā€“ 10:20 a.m. in Numen Lumen

Friday, October 9

• Being Human Alumni Reception and Networking from 4:30 ā€“ 5:30 p.m. on the Spence Pavilion Patio

Visit the Humanities Week webpage for updated information.

The article analyzes the extent to which Wellesā€™s technical innovations with mobile framing and disjunctive editing elicit a phenomenologically responsive mode of spectatorship that mirrors the readerā€™s engagement with Kafkaā€™s prose. In this way, the essay argues that Wellesā€™s adaptation both preserves and expands Kafkaā€™s exploration of cognition under modernityā€™s crisis of attention.

Appearing in The Routledge Companion to James Baldwin, Burnsā€™s book chapter, titled examines two adaptations of Baldwinā€™s influential novel, one unfinished and one completed decades later.

The first is Baldwinā€™s own screen treatment for Universal Studios, conceived alongside the bookā€™s publication in 1974 but abandoned shortly thereafter. Available only among the author’s papers at the New York Public Library’sĀ , this special collection includes production notes and studio correspondence that trace the project’s thwarted commercial development. Burnsā€™s archival research at the Schomburg was supported by New Faculty Summer Research funding through the Provostā€™s Office.

The second is Barry Jenkinsā€™s Oscar-winning 2018 feature, which translates Baldwinā€™s alternately rhapsodic and polemical prose into an intimate visual style. Read together, the two projects reveal how creative and cultural conditions shaped adaptations of the same literary work across distinct eras.ĢżExamining the director’s use of slow cinema aesthetics and gaze theory, the chapter argues that Jenkinsā€™s visual treatment resolvesā€”rather than reproducesā€”a supposed divide between the ā€œtwo voicesā€ of Baldwinā€™s narration.

Sammani Perera, instructor of English, won her second Sony Electronicsā€™ Alpha Female Plus grant for her photograph, ā€œThey Sing You to Sleep.ā€ The grant program is a weekly themed photography and videography contest hosted by The Alpha Female+ Community, a subsidiary of Sony Electronics.

ā€œThey Sing You to Sleepā€ captures the Milky Way over her tent on the top of Hunts Mesa of Monument Valley. Describing the photo, she wrote, ā€œ23 days on the roadā€”more than 5000 miles across 14 statesā€”and this is my favorite night of all. Not only because it didnā€™t feel real to finally see Monument Valley from the top of
Hunts Mesa, but also because the magic of this place kept me from failing at another Milky Way shoot. In the Southwest, nights are enchanted.ā€

The photo won the grant under the theme of ā€œSummer Vibes,ā€ judged for relevance to theme, creativity/storytelling within the photo/video, technical mastery of the photo/video, and photo/video caption/written story. She won the same grant in 2025 for her photo ā€œSwish of a Magic Wandā€ under the theme of ā€œGolden Hourā€ and this photo made her the winner of the landscape category at the 2026 Sony Alpha Female+ Creator of the Year program.

While Perera teaches in the Department of English during the semester, she is a Fine Arts travel and landscape photographer during school breaks. Her photography focuses on public lands of the USA, a journey that the Olympic National Park in Washington started for her in 2017. Her photos have been featured by the Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon Conservancy, Arizona
Highways, Visit West Virginia and PhotoPills.

Associate Professor of English Dinidu Karunanayake served on the , the flagship literary prize for Anglophone writing in Sri Lanka. Each year, the three-person jury consists of a prominent creative writer, a literary scholar and an informed reader. Karunanayake served as the literary scholar of this yearā€™s panel that was chaired by Sri Lankan American author V.V. Ganeshananthan.

The Gratiaen Prize was established by Sri Lankan Canadian author Michael Ondaatje in 1993 with the Booker Prize money he won for his 1992 novel “The English Patient.” Every year, it is awarded to the best creative writing in English by authors resident in the country. This year marked the 33rd installment of the Prize.

The jury received a record-breaking number of submissions this year, nearly 100. Out of them, 12 were longlisted, and five were shortlisted. Visakesa Chandrasekaramā€™s novel “The Son and the Lover” was selected the winner at a ceremony held at The Studio, Cinnamon Life in Colombo early this summer. Chandrasekaram is a leading human rights activist and filmmaker in Sri Lanka.

The jury emphasized the significance of writing against the national landscape of Sri Lanka where freedom of expression has frequently been under threat. They also prioritized creative work that remains true to human expression and has not been tainted by artificial intelligence.

ā€œWe gravitated toward work driven by absolute purposeā€”writing that is inherently bold, curious, honest, and innovative,ā€ the Jury noted while announcing the winner. ā€œWe sought writing that taught us to see the relationship between local and global anew, that did not overexplain or apologize, and that saw and celebrated Sri Lankan vernacular as well as the global aspects of Sri Lankanness. We thought about how literature centering overlooked parts of the island could interrogate its subject matter strictly on its own terms. We searched for work unafraid of engaging with the political and its relationship to the personal.ā€

The prestigious Gratiaen Prize is often considered a local writerā€™s gateway to global readerships. Former winners include the 2022 Booker Prize-winner Shehan Karunatilaka and Carl Muller. The Jury report can be accessed

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As the Class of 2030 arrives on campus and begins their four years at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, current ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students offer their advice to the incoming class.

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ will welcome more than 1,600 new students for the 2026-27 academic year, with the Class of 2030 moving to campus on Friday, Aug. 21.

Parker Sterling ā€™28

Major(s): Biology and History
²Ń¾±²Ō“Ē°ł²õ:ĢżChemistry, Neuroscience, and Peace and Conflict Studies
Hometown: Randleman, North Carolina
Campus Involvement:Ā Phoenix Racing Team (Business Lead), Residence Life (Senior RA), Center for Leadership (Leadership Ambassador), Glen Raven Biomechanics Lab (Lab Assistant)

Why did you choose ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ?

“I chose ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ because I knew after the first tour that I couldnā€™t imagine myself anywhere else. I loved being able to have majors across disciplines, the campus, the dorms and all of the people I met.”

What did you wish you knew as a first-year student?

“I wish I knew how common it is to gain and lose friends in the first year. Everyone is discovering who they are and who they want to be, so it may take a while to find friends that you can rely on.”

What advice do you have for the incoming ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Class of 2030?

“Take every opportunity that presents itself; you never know who you will meet or what doors it will open.”

What surprised you most about college?

“I was most surprised by the bonds Iā€™ve built with faculty and staff. I didnā€™t have a high school teacher I felt was truly a mentor, but ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ has given me so many people that I feel confident going to for advice.”

What is your favorite part about ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ?

“My favorite part about ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is the people. I am forever grateful to the amazing friends who have supported me and cared about me to no end. I donā€™t want to imagine what college would be like without them.”

Ari Verinder ā€™28

Major(s): Biology (Concentration: Biotechnology/Molecular Biotechnology)
²Ń¾±²Ō“Ē°ł²õ:ĢżChemistry and Food Studies
Hometown: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Campus Involvement:Ā Residence Life, Club Climbing and The Writing Center

Why did you choose ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ?

What did you wish you knew as a first-year student?

“I wish I had known to get more involved in my specific interests on campus sooner. There really is something for everybody at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ; you just have to find it, get involved, and, best of all, enjoy it!”

What advice do you have for the incoming ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Class of 2030?

What surprised you most about college?

What is your favorite part about ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ?

“Don’t be afraid to meet new people. ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is small enough that it’s easy to just stick with who and what you already know, so push yourself outside of your comfort zone.”

-Ari Verinder ā€™28

Ella Stewart ā€™27

Major(s): Dance Performance & Choreography, English (Concentration in Creative Writing)
Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina
Campus Involvement:Ā Student Union Board (Brand Engagement Chair), New Student Orientation (Student Coordinator), Kappa Delta member and The Writing Center.

Why did you choose ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ?

“I chose ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ because I knew I wanted to make close connections with my professors and classmates, which made the small class sizes very appealing, and ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ has a strong Performing Arts department, which aligns with my future career goals of being a professional dancer. I also knew I wanted to study abroad and ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ offers so many opportunities to study around the world. Additionally, I was drawn to the College Fellows program, which is a scholarship program where I conduct a research project within my major throughout my time at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.”

What did you wish you knew as a first-year student?

“I wish I had known that not every moment of college is going to be absolutely perfect. It’s easy to have high expectations that everything will go smoothly all the time, and while there will be plenty of great experiences and memories, there will also be challenges. It’s completely normal to struggle sometimes, and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.”

What advice do you have for the incoming ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Class of 2030?

“My biggest piece of advice is to put yourself out there! I made my closest friends at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ by just inviting myself to hang out with them. It can feel awkward and scary at first to ask people to hang out with you, but it really makes a difference. If there is someone in your class who you think you’d get along with, ask them to lunch or coffee! You can also meet people by getting involved in clubs and organizations, so sign up for what interests you. Getting involved helped me find my place on campus, so be open to trying everything, because that is how you can find your community.”

What surprised you most about college?

“I was most surprised by the amount of independence and freedom I suddenly had. It can be hard to adjust to being away from your family and the comfort of home, but you also start learning how to manage your own time and responsibilities. My schedule looked a lot different than it did in high school, and I became the one in charge of how to spend my time. This shift surprised me at first, but overall it helped me grow into my independence and become more confident doing things on my own.”

What is your favorite part about ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ?

“My favorite part about ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is the people I’ve met through my majors and leadership experiences, especially the mentors who have supported me along the way. The staff and faculty here are so kind and encouraging to each individual student, and their guidance has helped me grow in my academics and in my leadership. ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ has given me a tight-knit community of peers and mentors I can rely on, and I have met so many people who have shaped me into who I am today.”

---

Lealand Oakes ā€™27

Major(s): Psychology
Hometown: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Campus Involvement:Ā New Student Programs,Ā Women’s Club Rugby
Sigma Kappa,Ā ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ 1010 Peer Educator,Ā Psi Chi and Psychology Honor Society

Why did you choose ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ?

“I chose ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ because they genuinely care about every student, even if they haven’t fully invested in ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ yet. They put so much care into just the admissions process and first-year experience to ensure people feel cared about and seen. Of course, it doesn’t stop there; professors are always there to help and support their students, get to know them beyond the surface level, and truly want to see them succeed.”

What did you wish you knew as a first-year student?

“I wish I knew that sometimes the hard parts of transitioning to college don’t hit you immediately. They look different for everyone and can range anywhere from after the first month has passed to the start of the second semester and beyond. Everyone has their own experiences, so it is important to know your resources on campus and have people you can go to when those bumps in the road happen.”

What advice do you have for the incoming ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Class of 2030?

“Get out of your room, do new things, be involved. This can look different for everyone, but it’s so helpful for finding your people in this new chapter. I would also say that taking care of yourself is so important. Holistic wellness goes a long way in college. If you are taking care of one aspect of wellness that can bleed into another area. Do things that make you happy, take care of your body and use your resources.”

What surprised you most about college?

“I was surprised that I was still able to get the same support in class and out of class that I had the opportunity to receive in high school. I was worried that as soon as I got to college, everything would be on me. I can say with full confidence that I have not needed to shoulder everything all on my own. ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ has so many resources that cover a wide range of aspects of college life.”

What is your favorite part about ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ?

“My favorite part about ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is that there are so many people from so many different places. Coming to ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, I didn’t really know many people, and I am so happy that was the case. It was nerve-racking for sure, but it meant that I have learned so much and met so many people I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”

The multimedia article explores how descendants across the country reflect on America’s past, present and future 250 years since the United States of America’s founding. Flechsig was interviewed and photographed for the project at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Law’s downtown Greensboro campus.

Flechsig is the 10th great-granddaughter of Declaration signer John Morton. A native of Whispering Pines, North Carolina, she earned a bachelor’s degree in English from ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

Although her family’s connection to Morton was never a major focus growing up, Flechsig said participating in the CNN project prompted her to reflect more deeply on her family’s place in American history and her own aspirations for the future.

“I find it incredibly meaningful that I am able to have the opportunities I do with this part of our country’s history attached to me,” Flechsig said. “I know that my ancestor believed that things could be different and better, so he did the ‘dangerous’ thing of signing the Declaration and severing our ties with Britain. I know that our country can be different and better, so I am prepared to do what I can to accomplish that.”

CNN’s profile explores Flechsig’s thoughtful and sometimes conflicted relationship with America’s founding. She recognizes the enduring ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence while also acknowledging the inequalities that existed and persisted since the nation’s founding, perspectives that have shaped her interest in law, immigration and public service.

Now considering a career in immigration law, Flechsig hopes to use her legal education to advocate for others and strengthen the communities she serves. As she told CNN, “I always want to have a job that is making the space around me better … helping where I feel like I can, and using my voice to speak for the people who can’t speak right now.”

Before enrolling at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Law, and after graduating from ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, Flechsig taught for more than two years at Henderson Collegiate, a public charter school in Henderson, North Carolina. As an undergraduate, Flechsig was an Honors Fellow. Her thesis advisor and research mentor, Associate Professor of English Kevin Bourque, wrote a letter of recommendation for a scholarship through the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence (DSDI) and connected CNN reporters with her.

This summer, Flechsig is engaged in global study at The Hague, Netherlands, through ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Law’s partnership with Stetson University College of Law.

Crowley’s research focuses on queer and trans communities, particularly in the U.S. South, and the ways language evolves. Over the past several years, trans people have gained greater public visibility, which, Crowley says, has sparked debates about language.

ā€œHow do trans people want people to refer to us?ā€ Crowley asks. ā€œWhat are the ā€˜correctā€™ ways to talk about transness?ā€

While many people look to Crowley for answers to these questions, Crowley is not interested in coining new terms. Through interviews with members of queer and trans communities, Crowley has found that people navigate the ever-changing landscape of gender and language in different ways.

ā€œOne interviewee said that if you’re about to say ā€˜thank you, sirā€™ or ā€˜thank you, maā€™amā€™ to be polite, you could choose another phrase that conveys the same respect,ā€ Crowley said. ā€œSomething like ā€˜thank you so much.ā€™ā€

At ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, mentorship takes many forms. Before arriving at the university, Crowley found mentorship through Professor of Art History Kirstin Ringelberg.

During the interview process, Crowley was asked whether there was anyone on campus they would like to meet. They requested a conversation with a trans faculty member to gain insight into that experience at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

Ringelberg, who has been a member of the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ faculty for more than 20 years, became an important resource.

ā€œKnowing that they’ve been here so long and have so much institutional memory has been a great fountain of knowledge for me, especially navigating this campus as a trans person,ā€ Crowley said.

Next year, Crowley will serve as coordinator of the Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies program. As they prepare for that role, they have looked to colleagues such as Ringelberg for guidance on creating spaces where queer and trans students, faculty and staff can thrive.

ā€œHiring Archie has helped with mentorship across campus,ā€ said Ringelberg, ā€œArchie is an incredible mentor, to our students and the way that Archie models positive but critical transness to our students is transformative .”

Like many ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ faculty members, Crowley has also become a mentor to students.

During their first year of teaching at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, Crowley taught Azul Bellot ’26 in an introductory linguistics course. Bellot entered the class as a psychology major but became interested in linguistics through the course. With Crowley’s guidance, Bellot designed an independent major in sociolinguistics.

Then, for an independent research project, Bellot interviewed trans women and collected stories about their health care experiences. Bellot later presented the research at the Student Undergraduate Research Forum, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and the Women’s and Gender Studies South Conference.

ā€œItā€™s really gratifying to be able to guide someone through that process and see them get excited,ā€ Crowley said.

For Crowley, Pride is more than a month-long celebration. Through their research, mentorship and work with the Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies program, they are helping build community where people feel seen, supported and heard.

Crowley keeps reminders of Pride’s history throughout their office, from a small brick they received at a Pride event in Alamance County to a poster commemorating the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot.

“The history of Pride is rooted in confrontation,ā€ Crowle said. ā€œIt’s a celebration in the confrontation.”

ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ honors Pride Month stories

As part of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is sharing stories through Today at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ that highlight students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month and year, ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ also offers resources and events to support the LGBTQ+ community.

ā€œGrievous Entanglementā€ explores the most common way that people in the Atlantic world came to understand their personal connection to, and complicity with, slavery in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries: consumption. It exemplifies the interdisciplinary approach of American Studies by examiningĀ a wide variety of media, including poetry, political cartoons, blackface minstrelsy, slave narratives, and novels produced from the late eighteenth to mid-nineteenth centuries.

According to the prize committee,Ā ā€œGrievous Entanglementā€Ā “brings new insights to well-trodden topics ā€” from abolitionism to blackface minstrelsy. The new insights may well shape the way that we teach this period of history…”Ā  The committee praised the book’s “rigorous research, creation of a new methodological approach, and the connections it draws between multiple different fields of study” as well as its “clear and engaging prose.”

Pearson is grateful for the many ways ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ has made this work possible, including financial support from the Department of English, Faculty Research & Development, and the Dean’s Office in ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ College, the College of Arts and Sciences.

Patrick Murphy Gā€™01

Assistant vice president for financial aid

Patrick Murphy joined ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ at the beginning of 1994 as bursar for ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ College to find a career that would, as he put it, add positivity to his day. Retiring at the end of the month, Murphy has served in a myriad of roles at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, including director of financial aid, senior associate dean and director of financial aid and assistant vice president for financial aid.

During the Faculty/Staff Awards Luncheon, Greg Zaiser, vice president for enrollment, credited Murphy with quietly and deliberately supporting ĀŅĀ׏Óʵā€™s growth from a regional college to national and international distinction.

ā€œWhat I know now is because of Patā€™s patience, accessibility and strong desire for success,ā€ added Zaiser.

After retirement, Murphy looks forward to spending more time with his wife and his five grandchildren, who are all under the age of six. He says his favorite memory at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ was picking up astronaut and former senator John Glenn and his wife from the airport and guiding them across campus to multiple events.

ā€œI will miss the people I work with,ā€ he said. ā€œĀŅĀ׏Óʵ has been the only place I worked where my friends are also people I work with.ā€

Beth McCain

Assistant teaching professor of accounting

Beth McCain joined ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in 2016 teaching part-time as an adjunct after teaching at a community college. She was hired permanently in 2021 as a lecturer and also served as the director of the Master of Science accounting program. She retired on December 31, 2025.

While at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, McCain led January Term study abroad courses to Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and was the inaugural faculty member for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business study abroad program in Singapore.

At the Faculty/Staff Awards Luncheon, Catherine Chiang, professor of accounting and chair of the department of accounting, described McCain as one of the most dedicated and student-centered educators she had the privilege of knowing. ā€œYour decade of service has shaped careers, strengthened our programs and raised the standards for what it means to be an ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ educator,ā€ said Chiang.

McCain returned the compliments to her department chair and gave a shoutout to Linda Poulson, who gave McCain ā€œa chanceā€ and also to her husband, who was in attendance.

Now retired, McCain is volunteering for Guilford County Animal Services in Greensboro and taking a French course at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in preparation for a three-month trip to France in the fall. Reflecting on her time at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, McCain said, ā€œI will greatly miss the amazing faculty and staff that I worked with as well as relationships that I developed with my students over the years.ā€

Linda Niedziela

Associate professor of biology and chair of the Department of Biology

Linda Niedziela joined ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in 2001 excited to teach courses in genetics and biotechnology. She was attracted to the universityā€™s strengths in undergraduate education and undergraduate research. She will retire at the end of May after serving in a myriad of roles, including biology department chair, assistant professor, associate professor, director of the science branch of ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ College Fellows and the Japheth E. Rawls chair for undergraduate research in science.

Niedziela said she will miss what she calls the ā€œdaily therapy sessions.ā€ She shared that every day during the semester, whoever is able will meet for lunch on the first floor of McMichael and discuss wide-ranging topics, including teaching tips, research reports, personal stories about families and pets and anything else that is on the mind of lunch attendees.

She said, ā€œI will miss the wonderful faculty and staff colleagues in the biology department who have become like family to me.ā€

After retirement, Niedziela and her husband, Carl, an adjunct assistant professor of biology at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, who will also be retiring, will travel with their dogs in an airstream travel trailer and spend time in their woodworking shop. She will also be devoting more time training and competing with her Shetland sheepdog in performance dog sports.

Anthony Hatcher

Professor of journalism and chair of the Journalism Department

Anthony Hatcher joined ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in 2002 and has served as associate professor of journalism, full professor of journalism and the inaugural chair of the Department of Journalism.

Hatcher said he did not have a passport until he joined ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in his early 40ā€™s. ā€œSince 2004, I have taken students to Hong Kong, South Africa and multiple European countries,ā€ he reflected. Hatcher also created a religion and media course in his first year, which he taught every year since.

One of those colleagues, Harlen Makemson, professor of communication design, praised Hatcher at the Faculty/Staff Luncheon for Hatcherā€™s empathy and humanity during what he described as a time of upheaval in the media world, brought on by new technologies. ā€œAnd while it’s true that Anthony Hatcher serves on virtually every major standing committee at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, it’s his humanity, his warmth and his care, that is his most impactful service to his university.ā€

ā€œI will miss being with students, and I will miss seeing my colleagues ā€“Ā my friends ā€“Ā daily or weekly,ā€ said Hatcher. During the ceremony, he added, ā€œI hope in addition to teaching all those wonderful students Iā€™ve had over the past nearly quarter century, I hope in some small way, I made their lives a little better because God knows they helped me be better.

After retirement, Hatcher looks forward to biking, hiking, travel and spending time with his granddaughter. ā€œWriting will be part of retirement as well, since I canā€™t sing or paint,ā€ he added.

Robert Moorman

Frank S. Holt, Jr. professor of business leadership and professor of organizational behavior

Robert Moorman joined ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ as the Frank Holt Jr professor of business leadership in 2011, a title he held throughout his time at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ. Retiring in May, Moorman has also served as the department chair for the Department of Management, Entrepreneurship and International Business.

During the Faculty, Staff Awards Luncheon, Haya Ajjan, dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business and professor of management information systems, shared that Moorman has a gift few others do ā€“Ā the ability to ask the types of questions that ā€œmake you stop walking, look around at where you actually are and suddenly see itā€¦a question that stays with you for the rest of your life.ā€ Ajjan offered Moorman a golf club afterwards in the spirit of his retirement.

During the ceremony, Moorman shared that education is so much more than reading books and looking at stats. ā€œItā€™s really about the relationships we have,ā€ he said. ā€œIt’s the relationships with our students and the utter joy of seeing people cycle through during this really important time of their lives, you know, touching you and stepping in and stepping out and then seeing them grow as they go.ā€

Moorman said his favorite memories are those involving friendships with colleagues and partnerships with students. ā€œI have fond memories of a few colleagues congregating in my office talking about the joys and frustrations of the day,ā€ he said.Ģż ā€œI also have fond memories of holding classes that just seemed to ā€˜workā€™ that day and then talking with students afterward about how they continued thinking about our discussions.ā€

After retiring at the end of this month, Moorman looks forward to what he calls unstructured adventure. ā€œI am looking forward to a time of boredom that then grows into something new, unplanned and adventurous. What fun!ā€

Charity Johansson

Professor of physical therapy education and chair of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Department.

In 1999, Charity Johnsson joined what would become the Doctor of Physical Therapy program as one of its first faculty. She retired in December 2025 after decades of service in which she held positions of associate professor, full professor, faculty administrative fellow, interim associate department chair, interim department chair and program director, department chair and program director and university parliamentarian.

Johansson said she is already missing the ā€œdaily exchanges with colleagues whose brilliant minds and genuinely kind heartsā€ have shaped her over nearly three decades. Likewise, she will miss the students, and their ā€œinfectious enthusiasm, their compassion and the joy of watching them transform in ways they hadnā€™t even imagined possible.ā€

During the Faculty/Staff Awards Luncheon, Crystal Ramsey praised Johansson as a ā€œcornerstone of the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ academic community, whose legacy is defined not just by the position she has held, but by the enduring way she has nurtured the hearts, minds and professional identities of future healthcare providers.ā€ Ramsey is an associate professor of physical therapy education and a former student of Johanssonā€™s.

At the ceremony, Johansson reflected on the retirement of Gerry Francis, who served as professor emeritus of mathematics and provost emeritus.

ā€œGerry Francis told me he doesnā€™t miss the work, but he really misses the people ā€“ and I get that,” she said.

She also said it was a privilege working with so many in the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ community who have encouraged her, challenged her and made her laugh to help her be a better a human. ā€œFred Rubeck, youā€™re among those,ā€ Johansson added, honoring the late professor of performing arts and chair of the Department of Performing Arts.

Now retired, Johansson said she is enjoying time outdoors with family and close friends, planning travel and trying new ventures, including fiction writing.

Marcia Dodson

Program assistant for the Station at Mill Point Neighborhood

Marcia Dodson joined ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in 2015 and is the proud mother of three sons who graduated from ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ. She will be retiring at the end of May and has served as a service desk analyst for facilities management, program assistant in the Danieley Neighborhood and Station at Mill Point.

A favorite memory of Dodsonā€™s while at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is joining the London Experience for staff, where she built relationships with colleagues she had not yet had the opportunity to meet while working at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ. ā€œWhat an awesome experience!ā€ she reflected.

After retirement, Dodson looks forward to being a traveling grandparent with her husband.

Rosemary Haskell

Professor of English

Rosemary Haskell joined ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in 1985 and will be retiring in August. She has held the roles of temporary instructor and assistant, associate and later, full professor of English.

Haskell said she will most miss her kind and interesting colleagues, as well as the ā€œenergizing power of the new class of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed first-years each August.ā€

One of Haskellā€™s favorite memories at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ is during the transition of the Fighting Christians to the Phoenix. She enjoyed the papier-mache birds and eggs in trees around campus that offered a clue to the new mascot.

After retirement, Haskell said she plans to spend time with her family and do some home improvement work.

Cheryl Riley

Custodian

Cheryl Riley joined ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in 2013 as a custodian and will retire at the end of May. ā€œI will miss the people I work with,ā€ she said. ā€œAnd I look forward to spending time with my grandkids.ā€

Linda Dunn

Adjunct assistant professor of Peace and Conflict Studies

Linda Dunn joined ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in 1998 as the director of the Alamance County Dispute Settlement Center, where she trained a group of students and returned to train several faculty members in mediation skills, who later became volunteer mediators for the center. Dunnā€™s official start date on record is 2001, when she taught a two-credit mediation and conflict resolution skills course as part of a new minor called Nonviolent Studies. She retired at the end of December, 2025.

Federico Pous spoke on behalf of Dunn during the Faculty/Staff Awards luncheon, praising Dunnā€™s ability to teach hands-on peaceful conflict resolution skills and strategies across different social backgrounds.

ā€œLinda’s way of teaching and interacting with students, staff and professors, makes you feel that you are equal to her in the same community space,ā€ he shared.

ā€œI will miss the students and their passion the things I teach,ā€ said Dunn. Two of her students attended the luncheon.

After retirement, she plans to attend cultural events on campus and potentially assist in future facilitated discussions on campus. She will also continue to volunteer as a mediator at the Alamance County District court, continue restorative circle skills and mediation and training skills with Restorative Justice Durham and the Orange County District County District court.

ā€œI will continue to be an activist for restorative justice and peacemaking organizations as we navigate the chaos and violence in our world,ā€ she added.

Elizabeth Bailey

Assistant teaching professor of exercise science

Elizabeth Bailey began her career at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ in 2004 and, enjoying the vibe of the community, wanted to be ā€œpart of it all.ā€ She started as a lecturer for the required wellness course, lectured for the School of Education before joining Exercise Science.

Retiring at the end of Spring semester, Bailey said she will most miss her colleagues and all the ā€œfriends among the faculty and staffā€ she has made while at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ.

ā€œI will also miss the opportunities to continue to learn that are available at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, whether it be through taking classes or participating in workshops or going abroad,ā€ she added. She said, while at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, he has learned a lot.

Bailey said her retirement plans continue to evolve, and she still intends to exercise classes and do some research on the side.

Kim Giles, ā€™11 Gā€™16

Associate director of communications for the Student Professional Development Center

Since her first role in 1995, Kim Giles has served in various roles at the university, including data entry in admissions and accounting, budget clerk in the physical plant, program assistant for Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics, and assistant director of communications in the Student Professional Development Center.

Giles retired during the summer of 2025. She said she cherishes the opportunity to earn an MBA at ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ along with her daughter. She said about the experience, ā€œwhat an unforgettable experience that was in crossing the stage along with my daughter to get our MBAā€™s together ā€“Ā it was quite surreal.ā€

Giles also reflected on traveling with peers and faculty to Vietnam and Singapore, the many evolutions of Staff Appreciation Day, and being honored as the staff member of the year ā€“Ā an experience she said she will cherish forever.

Since retiring, Giles has taken nine cruises and has done kayaking, camping and gardening. She looks forward to continuing to spend time with family.

Sharon Moss LaRocco

University accompanist and instructor in music

Sharon Moss LaRocco was recognized at the Faculty/Staff Awards Luncheon by Hallie Hogan, associate professor of music. LaRocco joined the ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ Music Department in 1988 as a pianist for musical theater productions, music ensembles and student recitals.

Hogan shared, ā€œAlthough she kept a very low profile, there was never any doubt about this, because she never missed a beat, much less a note, and maintained high quality for every performance she gave,” Hogan said.

She shared that students developed a strong admiration for LaRoccoā€™s talent and a deep love for her kind and understanding nature.

Beyond ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ, Sharon has devoted herself to advocating for people with autism, through her work as a leader in the Office of Society of North Carolina, notably promoting autism awareness for the Native American communities of Western North Carolina.

At the awards ceremony, LaRocco shared that one of her favorite memories was the construction of Rhodes Stadium, which signaled to her the emergence of a marching band.

ā€œWho doesnā€™t love a marching band?ā€ asked LaRocco to the audience. ā€œAnd the spirit and the energy it creates walking through the campus, en route to the games.ā€

Jana Lynn Patterson

Associate vice president for Student Life/dean of student health & well-being/assistant professor

During the Faculty/Staff Awards Luncheon, Jon Dooley, vice president for Student Life and associate professor of education, described Patterson as someone who is consistent in how she shows up for others, patient when a young leader makes a mistake, honest with students and colleagues even when it is hard and someone who not only believes in others, and one who helps others believe in themselves.

ā€œShe supported students in college through tragedy, advised student organizations, and celebrated their success,ā€ said Dooley. ā€œShe has created spaces of welcome and belonging, and met the students in their darkest hours, helping them piece together on plans to move forward.ā€

Patterson was also recognized for her 40 years of service and held back tears while addressing the audience. A first-generation student from Hope Mills, North Carolina, Patterson said her parents could have never dreamed where she is today.

ā€œTo my staff and colleagues, you are the A-Team,ā€ she shared. “But to everyone in this community, I want you to know that every day has been an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this community and to have worked with you.ā€

Also retiring

Retiring staff members will be recognized on May 29 as part of Staff Appreciation Day.

• Joan Barnatt
• Mona DeVries
• Chris Dockrill, head women’s golf coach
• Sharon Hodge
• John Chinnici, community service officer
• David “DD” Donohue, painter
• Kelly Elliston
• Gloria Graves, custodian
• William “Tom” Hall, telecommunications technician
• Rhonda Kosusko, associate director of career services, education and ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ
• Katherine Rodriguez, assistant director for application processing
• Michelle Stephens, custodian
• Ed Williams, service desk analyst
• Donna Wood , electronic services/ acquisitions librarian

This spring semester, Rax King, a cultural critic and essayist, visited campus on April 13-15 to judge the nonfiction writing contest on April 14 at the Oak House.

During the event King read from her recent collection ā€œSloppy,ā€ interacted with students and selected the contest winners.

ā€œThe submissions were truly all such a pleasure to read, and I had such a hard time narrowing them down,ā€ King said.

Catherine Smith ā€™26 placed first for her piece ā€œa meditation with my hands in my bra.ā€ Madelyn Fourie ā€™28 placed second for her piece ā€œCohabitating With A Stink Bug.ā€ Finn Wilkinson, ā€™26 placed third for their piece ā€œIbrahim-ya ā€˜Uberā€™ Driver.ā€

Smith, a journalism major, wrote a lyric essay that explores girlhood, bodily self-consciousness, inherited femininity and the complicated relationship some women have with their bodies. The piece moves through fragmented memories to allow the reader to move through memory and sensation with the speaker.

ā€œI wrote this piece because I was interested in how femininity is learned long before we fully understand our bodies,ā€ Smith said. ā€œSo many of the feeling’s girls have toward themselves ā€”Ā shame, fascination, desire, insecurity and tenderness ā€”Ā begin very early and are shaped by family, the media, beauty rituals and observation. I wanted to inspire women to make peace with their embodiment of femininity and younger selves. We don’t have to be embarrassed about who we are becoming.ā€

The piece marks one of the more emotional and honest pieces she has written.

ā€œI think this essay became about ownership ā€” about moving from viewing the body as something to critique or perform, to something thatā€™s fully your own,ā€ Smith said. “Writing about that helped me find more tenderness in a way I view myself.ā€

Smith never dreamed she would publish a piece like this. King and Smith’s professor, Negesti Kaudo ā€™15, assistant professor of English, made her feel confident to trust her voice.

Kaudo organized Kingā€™s visit and contest submissions.

ā€œRax King was on campus for three days and constantly raved about how wonderful and engaged ĀŅĀ׏Óʵ students were, and she even took the time to enjoy a lowkey meal with students at McEwen on her last day, a moment enjoyed by all,ā€ Kaudo said.

Each award recipient received a monetary prize funded through the William Maness Fund. William Maness ā€™38, an English major, started the fund to honor his friend, alumni Frederick Hartman, also an English major.

This fall, Jared Lemus, a fiction writer, judged the fiction creative writing contest and Brittany Rogers, a poetry writer, judged the poetry writing contest, while also sharing their work.