ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA — On Thursday, February 17 and Friday, February 8 three of NC Wesleyan’s Exercise Science faculty members, along with seven students, attended the regional conference of the American College of Sports Medicine in Greenville, South Carolina. These students and faculty members presented research and tutorials on exercise science, exercise physiology and athletic performance.
Megan Mackey, a Biomedical Sciences honor’s student, and Savannah Chenault, an Exercise Science major, collaborated on a scientific poster titled, “Sleep and Depressive Symptoms After Sport Related Concussion.” This poster was presented by Mackey, a top 8 undergraduate student award finalist. Dr. Shannon Crowley, Associate Professor of Exercise Science, served as the faculty mentor on the project.
This was the first time students in NCWC’s Exercise Science Program participated in the Southeastern Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (SEACSM) Student Bowl. Savion Young, Matan Amitay and Savannah Chenault finished the competition in the top ten, surpassing many regional, state and private academic institutions.
“We appreciate the support of the College and the Taylor-Crocker Honors Program that allowed us to expose students to this unique opportunity,” stated Dr. Meir Magal, Professor of Exercise Science and NCWC’s Exercise Science Program Director.
In addition, Dr. Alex Ehlert, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science, presented a poster titled, “Associations Between GPS-Derived Training Metrics and Subjective Readiness Ratings in NCAA Female Soccer Players.” Dr. Meir Magal presented a tutorial titled, “ACSM Certifications: Defining an Exercise Profession and How to Succeed in the Exercise Profession.”
NC Wesleyan’s Teacher Education Program Earns High Accolades
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – Two recent graduates of North Carolina Wesleyan University’s Teacher Education Program have earned First-Year Teacher of the Year awards from Nash County Public Schools. Zack Foster, a spring 2021 graduate, teaches English at Southern Nash High School and Jackie Webb, a fall 2021 graduate, is a Mathematics teacher at Northern Nash High School.
“These students are representative of the quality instruction one receives in Teacher Education at North Carolina Wesleyan University. While we are excited about their individual successes as practitioners, we were not surprised that they had achieved the distinction of First-Year Teacher of the Year at their respective schools,” stated Dr. Kelvin Spragley, NC Wesleyan’s Director of Teacher Education.
In addition to these awards, the College has also seen great achievement within its award-winning Students Helping Students Afterschool Program. Led by Dr. Patricia Brewer, NCWC Professor and Coordinator of Special Education, Students Helping Students is a service learning project within the College’s Teacher Education Program. The initiative provides afterschool resources to K-12 children with learning differences in Nash County Public Schools. Since its inception in 2015, the program has received statewide recognition. The program was designed for NCWC education students to provide individualized instruction in math and reading once a week. Additionally, the program provides parent advocacy training. Dr. Brewer conducts weekly sessions for parents of participating K-12 children on how to navigate and advocate services for their children.
Each year, the North Carolina Council for Exceptional Children (NC CEC) celebrates and recognizes youth with disabilities who demonstrate progress and achievements in nine categories: academics, arts, athletics, community service, employment, extracurricular activities, independent living skills, self-advocacy and technology. On February 26, 2022 at the upcoming 35th NC CEC Annual Conference, two students mentored by the Students Helping Students program will receive the statewide Yes I Can! Award. Bryson Worsley, a seventh grader at W.A. Pattillo Middle School, will be receiving the Yes I Can! Award for academics. Jordan Contreras, a seventh grader at Nash Everywhere Digital Academy (NEDA), will be receiving the Yes I Can! Award for technology. To date, a total of four recipients from the afterschool program have received the distinguished Yes I Can! Award.
“Much gratitude extends to NCWC’s Teacher Education students and the parents for their tireless efforts to embrace learning differences, explore instructional research-based strategies and advocate for services in the schools. It’s a humbling experience to monitor the growth and development of our pre-service education students,” stated Dr. Brewer.
The Yes I Can! International Awards Program was established in 1981 to celebrate the achievements of children and youth with disabilities; to encourage children and youth with disabilities to seek their highest potential; and to increase public awareness of the abilities, aspirations, and personal qualities of people with disabilities.
Board Chair Gifts $100K to NCWC’s RN to BSN Program
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – Dr. Dan Crocker, a retired local physician and Chairman of NC Wesleyan’s Board of Trustees, has generously donated $100,000 to support North Carolina Wesleyan University’s RN to BSN program. The gift will provide funds for nurse faculty, nursing scholarships and other program developments to enhance this new degree option.
Scholarships will be awarded to new students who begin the program in summer or fall 2022. Recipients accepted and registered for classes are eligible to receive an award. Applicants applying for the scholarship must be an NC resident, maintain an overall 3.0+ GPA, be accepted into the RN to BSN Program, provide a letter of recommendation, submit a personal statement and attend the College’s Annual Scholarship Award program.
“Our BSN-prepared nurses are catalysts of change and drive improvements in care,” stated Dr. Brittany Bass, NC Wesleyan’s Director of RN to BSN Program. “The overwhelming generosity shown through this second gift will make a tremendous impact on Battling Bishop nurses and every patient they encounter throughout their nursing careers.” Additional details can be found at ncwu.edu/crocker-nursing-scholarship. Interested students should reach out to Fabiola Kinney, Assistant Director of Adult Studies Advising, at fkinney@ncwu.edu for more information.
NC Sheriffs’ Association Scholarship Recipients Announced
RALEIGH, NC – The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA) and North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU) have announced the recipients of a $2,000 scholarship provided by the Association who attend private colleges in North Carolina. READ MORE >
SACSCOC Reaffirms NC Wesleyan’s Accreditation
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – This month, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools– Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees reaffirmed the accreditation of North Carolina Wesleyan University through 2030. Reaffirmation grants the College the authority to continue awarding baccalaureate and master’s degrees. SACSCOC serves as the accrediting body for degree-granting, higher education institutions in the southern states.
“This SACSCOC evaluation demonstrates we have exceptional faculty, educational programs and student support services. This is excellent news and I want to thank the faculty and staff who have helped us maintain this accreditation,” stated NC Wesleyan President, Dr. Evan D. Duff.
North Carolina Wesleyan University was originally granted accreditation by SACSCOC on January 1, 1966. To gain or maintain accreditation, an institution must comply with SACSCOC policies, procedures, and with all standards contained in the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement in the professional judgment of peer reviewers. SACSCOC’s institutional accreditation includes all degree levels regardless of location or mode of instruction.
Twenty-Four Inducted into NCWC’s National Society of Leadership & Success
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – Sigma Alpha Pi, North Carolina Wesleyan University’s official chapter of the National Society of Leadership & Success (NSLS) hosted its fifth induction of student leaders into the organization. The NSLS is the nation’s largest leadership honor society, with more than 700 chapters and over 1.2 million members.
NCWC’s chapter seeks to foster personal reflection, goal setting and leadership development amongst its members. The goal this fall focused on helping as many of the students who joined at the start of the semester through completion of the national requirements to become fully inducted members.
“Our members continue to report meaningful outcomes from the NSLS induction process. This semester students reported that their involvement helped them stay grounded, connect with peers, get out of their comfort zone, overcome obstacles, increase their confidence, empower their goal setting, choose their career path and shape them into better leaders,” stated Jessie Langley, Chapter Advisor and Associate Dean of Career Development & Leadership.
With a 68% induction rate, NC Wesleyan’s NSLS chapter is exceeding the national chapter goal by 28%. The College returned to hosting its traditional induction celebration on campus, which was held Tuesday, November 30 at 3:00 p.m. in the Garner Lobby of The Dunn Center. As part of the program’s community service efforts this season, attendees were encouraged to bring new blankets. These blankets were donated for distribution to participants of Ripple Effects, a community transformation organization providing multi-generational services, community resourcing and people development opportunities for those in Nash and Edgecombe counties.
Keisha Spivey, Executive Director of Ripple Effects served as the celebration’s keynote speaker. Spivey shared leadership advice with the inductees from her own personal experiences in establishing her non-profit. Her comments echoed the inspiration that each student will choose to “live decided.”
Through NSLS member nominations, Excellence in Teaching awards were given to faculty members Dr. Jarrod Kelly, Amy Lunceford and Dr. Katrina Sweet. This year’s Excellence in Service to Students award was presented to Jessie Langley and Elliott Smith. New for this year,
NCWC Junior and NSLS Vice President, Daniella Umubyeyi, was recognized with an Impact Leader award.
In order to achieve induction, members must attend Orientation, Leadership Training Day, three Speaker Broadcasts and three Success Networking Team meetings. Students are selected by their college for membership based on academic standing or leadership potential. Candidacy is a nationally recognized achievement of honorable distinction. To learn more about the National Society for Leadership & Success at nsls.org.
Corporate Adoption Program to Enhance NCWC Career Readiness
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University has developed a new Corporate Adoption Program (CAP) to enhance the career readiness skills of NCWC students. This program will provide students with direct exposure to professional work settings and contacts. Envolve Benefit Options, which has a corporate office at the Rocky Mount Mills campus, was chosen as the College’s first partner.
Five Wesleyan students were selected to participate in the inaugural program with Envolve. A meeting was held at NCWC with students and representatives from the company in September and students engaged in a full-day learning experience in early October on the Rocky Mount Mills campus.
“Envolve Benefit Options vision operations started in Rocky Mount over 25 years ago and are proud to call Rocky Mount home. This partnership with NCWC allows Envolve to contribute more in community development with hopes that North Carolina Wesleyan students gain experience to become part of Rocky Mount’s growth,” stated Envolve Benefit Options Chief Operations Officer, Michael Grover.
Eligible students are juniors and seniors with a 2.5 GPA or higher and a major applicable to the partner’s industry and project at hand. Those accepted are assigned to a CAP team that includes five-to-ten students, one faculty mentor and one corporate partner. The Envolve partnership consist of students majoring in Accounting, Business, Communications, Computer Information Systems or Marketing.
When students apply to be a part of CAP, they are making a commitment to participate in the following:
- Intentional growth in career readiness skills
- Monthly group meetings for the entire academic year
- Meetings with their assigned CAP group and Faculty Advisor as needed
- Job-shadowing/mentoring on-site with the Corporate Partner for at least one day during Fall Break and a minimum of two days during Spring Break
- Participating and presenting on a assigned corporate project with their CAP team during the spring semester
“It has been a joy seeing Envolve fully embrace our students and expose them to many aspects of their operations. I look forward to witnessing the learning outcomes through the corporate project these students will address in the coming months,” stated Jessie Langley, Associate Dean of Career Development & Leadership at NC Wesleyan. “As we continue to grow our Corporate Adoption Program, I expect it will be a significant highlight for our students when they later reflect on their college experience.”
Rocky Mount-based corporations for future CAP partnerships will be selected based on the organizations’ expressed genuine interest in investing in the growth and development of a team of NCWC students and willingness to designate an internal CAP program manager. The CAP program manager will host workshops and meetings led by corporate speakers, while also maintaining ongoing communication with CAP students, faculty and staff. In addition, CAP partners are encouraged to offer paid summer internships to NCWC students in the program. Local organizations that are interested in partnering with North Carolina Wesleyan University’s CAP program can contact Jessie Langley at jlangley@ncwu.edu or 252.985.5177.
NCWC & Piedmont Community College Sign Memorandum of Understanding
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWC) recently signed an agreement that will help qualified graduates of Piedmont Community College (PCC) transfer to Wesleyan. The agreement aims to provide a seamless transfer for students who enroll at Wesleyan following completion of their two-year degree at PCC.
“Since 2015, NC Wesleyan and Piedmont have worked together to provide transfer pathways for their graduates. This enhanced agreement furthers our partnership by expanding these transfer pathways to all associate degree students. We look forward to continuing this relationship and serving the students at Piedmont Community College,” stated Katie Farrell, Associate Dean of Adult & Professional Studies.
This new agreement adds PCC to a list of 40 other colleges and community colleges throughout North Carolina that have a transfer partnership with NCWC. This will enhance and expand the educational opportunities of Associate in Arts, Associate in Fine Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science graduates by offering PCC graduates access to the benefits of the Wesleyan Works program, pre-admission advising, generous transfer credit and a clear definition of the transfer of courses from PCC to NC Wesleyan. This MOU allows PCC Associate in Applied Science students to transfer an additional 15 hours of general education credits for a total of 75 transfer credits.
“Strong partnerships with transfer institutions like NC Wesleyan ensure that PCC students transition seamlessly. We are excited about the opportunity this newly signed agreement represents for our students to further their education while not incurring great amounts of educational debt,” noted Dr. Pamela G. Senegal, President of Piedmont Community College.
Students who graduate from PCC and transfer under this agreement may select any of NC Wesleyan’s programs of study or may transfer to the college’s Adult and Professional Studies program, taking advantage of the Wesleyan Works program. Students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 and be in good academic standing. The agreement brings NC Wesleyan within the reach of PCC students who may not have otherwise been able to attend the College.
Wesleyan Works is a transfer program designed for community college students who plan to continue their education at NC Wesleyan. Students who participate in Wesleyan Works will have access to academic advising and financial aid counseling through NC Wesleyan, as well as access to events on the College’s main campus. The program is ideal for students who would like to attend NC Wesleyan’s evening or online programs.
About Piedmont Community College
Piedmont Community College, a public two-year institution that provides diverse educational opportunities in a learner-centered environment, serves the citizens of Person and Caswell counties. The College’s mission focuses on assisting individuals to improve their quality of life through offering lifelong learning opportunities, as well as acting as a catalyst for economic development. Learn more at www.piedmontcc.edu.
NCWC Partners with Duke Divinity School
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWC) has signed an agreement with Duke Divinity School (DDS) to offer NCWC students an accelerated pathway to pastoral leadership. This agreement will allow NC Wesleyan students to dual enroll at both institutions during their junior and senior years.
Leaders of both institutions signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in a virtual ceremony on Monday, October 18. The Accelerated Pastoral Formation Program of Duke University is designed to coordinate the education of students in selected undergraduate schools with professional programs in theological education offered at Duke. The program provides a unique combination of liberal and professional education well suited for those desiring entry to the fields of ordained and lay ministry.
“NC Wesleyan has a proud tradition of preparing students for ministry. This partnership will provide students called to serve the church with outstanding opportunities for both intellectual and spiritual formation,” stated Dr. Andrew Stern, Professor of Religion at NC Wesleyan.
The Accelerated Program provides a pathway for undergraduate students to begin graduate level study at Duke that is eligible to apply toward completion of requirements for the Hybrid Master of Divinity (MDiv-H) or Master of Arts in Christian Practice (MACP) degree.
“Through Duke Divinity School’s partnership with NC Wesleyan University, a United Methodist-affiliated liberal arts college, we will create innovative ways to serve students seeking careers in ministry, helping students discern their vocational calling and cultivate their pastoral leadership,” stated Dr. Jung Choi, Senior Director of Wesleyan Formation Initiatives at Duke Divinity School.
Although the program is designed to accommodate a wide range of undergraduate backgrounds, students with majors in the humanities, especially Religious Studies, will be best prepared. NC Wesleyan students will be able to matriculate to Duke Divinity School immediately following the conferral of their baccalaureate degree.
About Duke Divinity School
Duke Divinity School’s mission is to engage in spiritually disciplined and academically rigorous education in service and witness to the Triune God in the midst of the church, the academy, and the world.
NC Wesleyan University Student Receives UPS Scholarship
RALEIGH, NC – Greenville native, Evan Meza-Romero, a senior at North Carolina Wesleyan University majoring in Business Administration and Accounting, has received a $3,200 UPS Scholarship for the current academic year. The scholarship is provided by North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU) through its national partner, the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) in Washington, DC. For more information, please see the attached release.
