ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University recently received a $60K grant from The National Endowment for the Humanities. Over the two-year grant period, NCWU will expand the Digital Humanities Lab, create a new course (Introduction to Digital Humanities), improve faculty knowledge of the digital humanities, incorporate local history into digital humanities projects, and promote undergraduate student research projects using digital humanities tools and methods. The proposed expansion of NCWU’s digital humanities programming is aligned with the institution’s mission and commitment to the eastern North Carolina region and its emphasis on innovative teaching approaches to use new information technologies.
Project co-directors, Dr. Jason W. Buel (Communication/Media Arts) and Dr. Shane M. Thompson (Religious Studies) established NCWU’s first Digital Humanities Lab as a physical space on campus to raise the profile of the University’s humanities, with the goal to make them more exciting, accessible, and modern to the general student population.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Joseph H. Lane, Jr., states “We are very excited that Dr. Thompson and Dr. Buel have received this grant. Their work in the area of digital humanities is the perfect example of the ways that North Carolina Wesleyan enriches our students’ lives with innovative teaching approaches that take advantage of the amazing new tools that can enrich our classrooms and our contributions to the community.”
The National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 created the National Endowment for the Humanities as an independent federal agency. The law identified the need for a national cultural agency that would preserve America’s rich history and cultural heritage, and encourage and support scholarship and innovation in history, archaeology, philosophy, literature, and other humanities disciplines. The Endowment awards grants to top-rated proposals examined by panels of independent, external reviewers.
About The National Endowment For The Humanities
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov.
Pfizer Executive and Site Lead announced as NCWU Commencement Speaker
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – On May 4, 2024, North Carolina Wesleyan University will celebrate its Spring Commencement with more than 300 graduates. This year’s commencement speaker will be Dr. Kara Renai King who is the Vice President and Site Lead for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals– Rocky Mount facility.
As Vice President and Site Lead for Pfizer, Dr. King is responsible for one of the largest sterile injectable facilities in the world, with more than 1.4 million square feet of manufacturing space on 250 acres in Eastern North Carolina. Nearly 25 percent of Pfizer’s sterile injectables used in U.S. hospitals are produced at the site. A wide range of products are produced at Rocky Mount, including anesthesia, analgesia, therapeutics, anti-infectives and neuromuscular blockers. These products are available in small volume presentations, such as ampules, vials and syringes. More than 200 million units are processed at the Rocky Mount site annually to help treat patients around the world.
Dr. King holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Hampton University, a Masters’s degree in Cell Biology & Biotechnology from University of the Sciences, and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Eastern University.
Dr. King is recognized as an expert on leadership who has extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical industry in both traditional and contract development manufacturing organizations. Her experience ranges from early drug product development to commercial operations. She has held leadership roles in Quality, Tech Ops and Drug Product Operations (from bulk product manufacturing to finishing). She joined Pfizer in 2021 following successful leadership roles with Minaris Regenerative Medicine and Merck.
Dr. King delivers value to organizations through her servant leadership style complimented by her strong foundation in science, strategic mindset, and the ability to create an environment that fosters joy, creativity and innovation. Hallmarks of her leadership are building high performing teams, elevating leadership capability, and delivering results.
“We are looking forward to Dr. King’s address to our Class of 2024. Under her leadership, Pfizer and NCWU have forged a strong partnership that provides extraordinary opportunities to Wesleyan’s students and graduates, and that partnership was made stronger by our shared efforts to overcome the devastation of last summer’s tornado. Dr. King’s approach to leadership and strategic vision will provide an inspiring example to our graduates,” stated President Dr. Evan D. Duff.
“I’m humbled and excited to stand before the talent of the future from NC Wesleyan University at this year’s 2024 Commencement,” noted Dr. King.
Dr. King has long demonstrated engagement in and solicitude for the community in which she lives and works. She utilizes her skills, experience and resources to invest in the local community and help others achieve their dreams. Among her many community service activities, Dr. King sits on the boards of Eastern University and the International Leadership Association (ILA), and she serves as the Treasurer for Silver Lining Sports.
Faculty Member Earns Advanced Credential in Sports Science
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – Exercise Science faculty member, Vanessa Batchelor, recently earned an advanced credential through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Performance and Sport Scientist® (CPSS®). This highly regarded certification in Exercise and Sport Science fields emphasizes applying scientific principles to improve athletic performance and prevent injury.
This enhancement to Batchelor’s credentials expands her certified skill sets in research, statistics, and data analytics as they apply to sport. She earned her initial strength and conditioning certification—NCSA’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®)—in 2018. Batchelor is a 2016 alumna of North Carolina Wesleyan, earning a B.S. in Exercise Science, and earned an M.S. in Exercise Science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2019.
This CPSS® credential opens a variety of future career avenues for Batchelor, who has served as a Visiting Instructor of Exercise Science since the fall of 2022, and as the North Carolina Wesleyan Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach since 2021. CPSS®-certified scientists are hired as qualified Sports Science Coordinators or Directors, Sports Performance Analysts, or research and data scientists for sports teams/organizations at the collegiate or professional level, research organizations, or private practices.
Batchelor added that her certifications set North Carolina Wesleyan’s programs apart from other small universities by utilizing recently acquired top-of-the-line advanced sport science technology to its full extent—enriching the student and student athlete experience over other small NCAA DIII institutions. Her advanced credentials will also significantly enhance the academic and athletic experiences of North Carolina Wesleyan’s current students through her mentorship of student interns, applying a hands-on approach with student research, and designing unique learning experiences using advanced technological resources.
Working directly with exercise science students at North Carolina Wesleyan, Batchelor has helped foster the major’s active undergraduate research program—yielding several student presentations at the Southeast American College of Sports Medicine (SEACSM) and ACSM annual meetings and a 2023 publication in Gazzetta Medica Italiana-Archivio per le Scienze Mediche she co-authored with students and colleagues at North Carolina Wesleyan.
Dr. Meir Magal, Chair of the School of Math and Science and Program Coordinator for Exercise Science acknowledges the added value Batchelor brings to the Exercise Science program and coaching staff. “I am very excited to have Vanessa on the exercise science team. With her extensive education, wealth of experience, and the attainment of this challenging and quality NSCA certification, she brings a unique and valuable perspective to the program.”
University Recognized by ACSM’s Exercise is Medicine® Program
NCWU among 145 Campuses Honored Worldwide
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University is one of only 145 universities and colleges around the world to be honored by Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) for its efforts to create a culture of wellness on its campus. Faculty/Staff Personal Training, Wesleyan Wellness initiatives, the Walk with the President, the Lunch and Learn Series for Health, and other physical activity events conducted by the NCWU Health and Movement Science Club helped NCWU earn Silver level designation from the Exercise is Medicine® On Campus (EIM-OC) program. Exercise is Medicine is a community-impact initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine.
“We are thrilled to recognize these campuses’ commitment to make movement a part of daily campus culture and give students the tools to cultivate physical activity habits that will benefit them throughout their lives,”said interim CEO Katie Feltman, CAE. “These campus programs are nurturing future leaders who will advance a key tenet of Exercise is Medicine: making physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in health care.”
“We are excited to have received the EIM-OC Silver distinction for the fifth year in a row! This distinction was made possible by the collaborative efforts of our students, faculty, staff, and administration, who continue to support our efforts to promote the health benefits of physical activity on campus,” said Dr. Shannon Crowley, Associate Professor of Public Health, and Exercise is Medicine on Campus program advisor.
Of the 145 campuses recognized this year, 83 received Gold, 44 received Silver and 18 received Bronze. All Gold, Silver and Bronze universities and colleges will be officially recognized on May 29 at the EIM recognition ceremony at ACSM’s Annual Meeting.
EIM-OC calls upon universities and colleges to promote physical activity as a vital sign of health and encourages faculty, staff and students to work together to improve the health and well-being of the campus community.
EIM-OC launched its recognition program in 2014 to honor campuses for their efforts to create a culture of wellness. Schools earn Gold, Silver or Bronze status based on their activities. Gold level campuses have created a referral system where campus health care providers assess student physical activity and refer students as necessary to a certified fitness professional as part of medical treatment. Silver campuses engage students, faculty and staff in education initiatives and make movement part of the daily campus culture while Bronze level campuses promote and generate awareness of the health benefits of physical activity.
About Exercise Is Medicine
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) co-launched Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) in 2007 with the American Medical Association. ACSM continues to manage the global health initiative, which seeks to make physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in clinical care, connecting health care with evidence-based physical activity resources for people everywhere of all abilities. EIM is committed to the belief that physical activity promotes optimal health, is integral in the prevention and treatment of many medical conditions and should be regularly assessed and included as part of health care. Visit www.ExerciseisMedicine.org for additional information.
About the American College of Sports Medicine
The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 50,000 international, national and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. More details at www.acsm.org.
Wesleyan Competes in Ethics Bowl Competition
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – Eighteen teams from NCICU campuses participated in the competition this year. The 2024 theme was, “Ethics in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity.” Students had to consider several complicated cases involving both artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, then make their arguments about their position on the case.
Final scores were tallied, semi-finalists were announced, and the two matches set: Queens University and High Point University were paired, as were St. Augustine’s University and Montreat College. Queens and Montreat met in the finals, where Queens University prevailed.
North Carolina Wesleyan lost close matches to Pfeiffer, Mars Hill, High Point, and Montreat. The Battling Bishops ethics team included Landon Duff, Fabio Felli, Amanda Modlin, Matthew Tiller, Noah Larkin, and Clarence Alex Sanderford who where led by Professors Jason Buel and Shane Thompson.
“We are so proud of our excellent Ethics Bowl Team as well as their coaches, Dr. Buel and Dr. Thompson. These young people have taken the time and initiative to generate a considerable body of research on one of the pressing ethical dilemmas of our times. Although we think they probably deserved to win more matches than they did, we know they represented us well and demonstrated the power of a North Carolina Wesleyan education in their presentations”, stated Provost Dr. Joe Lane.
“This year’s teams were exceptional,” said NCICU President Hope Williams. “It was clear they had done extensive research on the complex topics and developed well-organized, cohesive arguments to present to the judges. I was very impressed with all the teams.”
This was NCICU’s 13th Ethics Bowl. Williams believes it provides unique, important opportunities for the students. “By participating in the Ethics Bowl, students learn research and presentation skills that will serve them well in their careers,” Williams said.
But the most valuable opportunity, she noted, may have been interacting with the more than 70 professionals who volunteered their time as judges or moderators and who represent many networking opportunities and careers, from law, architecture, engineering and cybersecurity to banking, nonprofits, and state agencies.
Clark Dudek, a Triangle entrepreneur and AI expert, was keynote speaker at the dinner on Friday night at the North Carolina Museum of History. He discussed how society has adapted to emerging technologies. “AI is new and may be scary,” he said. “But we are working on how to connect with this new tool and learn how it can complement the rest of our tools.”
U.S. News & World Report Ranks NC Wesleyan Among Best Online MBA Programs
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) has been ranked among the 2024 Best Online Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) by U.S. News & World Report.
U.S. News assessed schools in the Best Online MBA Programs category based on a variety of objective factors, such as student engagement, faculty credentials, as well as services and technologies. According to their website, NC Wesleyan University was among more than 1,800 programs surveyed and only regionally accredited institution whose programs are offered mostly or entirely online were evaluated.
Professor Dr. Paul Ewell, Program Coordinator for the MBA program states, “Our MBA is more than a degree. It’s a gateway to the future of business.
“You’ll learn from the best and brightest in the field, and apply your skills to real-world challenges. You’ll also enjoy the flexibility and convenience of a program that fits your lifestyle and goals”, stated Ewell.
NC Wesleyan’s Master of Business Administration program is one of the most popular graduate programs at the University and was recently is one of the only private, non-profit universities currently offering an online MBA degree in the eastern NC region. The program is very affordable and offers many benefits including: rolling admissions with 100% online classes starting every eight weeks, finish in as little as 12 months, one-on-one mentoring, supportive faculty who have real-world experience offering applied assignments and career assistance. The program offers concentrations in Information Security, Executive Leadership, and Supply Chain Management. The program was also named by Forbes as One of the 10 Best Online MBA Programs of 2023! To learn more about admission requirements and curriculum information, visit ncwu.edu/mba.
Prospective students can see how NCWU compares to other institutions and how the rankings are calculated on USNews.com.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Biancur Candidate for United Soccer Coaches Board of Directors Vice President
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – NCWU Women’s Soccer Coach, Beverly A. Biancur was chosen as one of five candidates for the position of Vice President to serve on the United Soccer Coaches Board of Directors.
The United Soccer Coaches by-laws require all elections for Board of Directors positions to include two to five candidates on the final ballot. In this case, Biancur was incredibly honored to be one of five represented. To ensure integrity, voting was completed by the third-party service, Intelliscan. Personalized ballots were sent out via email to members of United Soccer Coaches beginning on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. Voting concluded on January 12.
While Biancur did not win, she felt incredibly appreciated stating, “I was honored to be nominated and hope to remain in consideration for future positions”. Winner, Nancy Feldman, was the former Head Coach of Women’s Soccer at Boston University. “Nancy will do an exceptional job on the Board,” Biancur noted.
Serving on the Board of Directors is the ultimate way for a coach to give back to the association and the game as a whole. Feldman will have a six-year cycle on the Board. During that time, she will spend four years as Vice President, ascend to President and then serve a final year on the Board as Past President.
Currently in her sixteenth year at the University, Biancur has been Head Coach of NCWU Women’s Soccer for twelve years. In all, she boasts over twenty-five years of coaching experience at the collegiate, high school and club levels. Her podcast has gained a lot of interest from the coaching body and is available on the United Soccer Coaches Podcast.
Dr. Ami Thompson featured in The Naturalist Publication
Ami Thompson, Ph.D., NCWU Assistant Professor of Biology, recently traveled to Ohio to present a workshop with her colleagues Melissa Sanchez Herrera, and freelance biologist Sandra Hunt von Arb. They discussed the migration mysteries of the Common Green Darner dragonfly. U.S. Forest Service administrators Karin Theophile and Mike Rizo also accompanied them.
During the workshop, they performed tests and collected data that will inform future international dragonfly conservation & research and hopefully reveal clues about the mystery of migration.
VIEW PDF OF ENTIRE ARTICLE By Ray Novotny, Naturalist Emeritus, Mill Creek Metroparks.
For more information:
Ami Thompson – Dragonfly Website
Check out The Naturalist Newsletter, The Naturalist is the official newsletter of NAI’s Interpretive Naturalist Section. Find articles, news, tips & tricks, best practices, and more written by Interpretive Naturalists for Interpretive Naturalists!
How did scientists first come know that dragonflies migrate? This video below highlights one of the first published observations of the phenomenon and tells you where you can go to observe raptor and dragonfly migration, in Minnesota.
NCWU Beekeepers Sell Honey Harvested on Campus
Beginning this month, North Carolina Wesleyan University commenced offering its own local honey for purchase on campus and online. The University’s “B” Club, in a group effort, extracts honey from pollinator garden hives located at the back of campus. The honey is harvested 2-3 times per year. As of 2023, the hives have yielded close to 60-70 pounds of fresh, local honey. Bishop honey is being sold in 8 oz. jars for $6.95 in the Rachel T. Dix Bookstore located in the Hardee’s Student Union on campus.
NC Wesleyan recently became an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program, designed to marshal the strengths of educational campuses for the benefit of pollinators. NC Wesleyan strives to maintain biodiversity throughout its campus and recognizes the vital role bees play in our ecosystem.
With the help of Dr. Carl Lewis, NCWU’s Bee Campus USA Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Wesleyan has created and maintained a pollinator garden for the past several years which is currently home to three active bee hives. The concept of having bee hives on campus was the result of the work of alumna, Carolynn Davern ’18. Caitlin BrabbleRose ‘18, along with several other founding members, helped create The B Club during their time at Wesleyan. This student organization, led by Dr. Ayra Sundbom, allows students to perform research while learning about animals and biodiversity. The “B” in B Club stands for more than just bees— Bees, Bats, Birds, Butterflies and Beasts.
“Being able to offer honey for sale to the public is a goal the University has been working toward for quite a while. I’m happy with the success that we’ve seen with the hives on campus and hope to see more students get involved with the sustainability efforts of the B Club in the upcoming year,” stated Dr. Carl Lewis, NCWU’s Bee Campus USA Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice.
The University takes pride in its commitment to minimizing hazards to pollinators by using nearly no neonicotinoids or other potentially dangerous pesticides. To learn more about North Carolina Wesleyan University’s Bee Campus USA program, visit ncwu.edu/bee-campus and purchase honey at ncwustore.com.
NCWU Becomes an Affiliate of Bee Campus USA
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University has become an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program, designed to marshal the strengths of educational campuses for the benefit of pollinators. NCWU joins many other cities and campuses across the country united in improving their landscapes for pollinators.
“Here at Wesleyan, we strive to incorporate biodiversity throughout our campus and recognize the vital importance of bees to our environment, food supply and health,” stated President Dr. Evan D. Duff. “As we join 170 Bee Campus USA universities throughout the country, we’re proud to be 1 of only 8 universities in the entire state of North Carolina to receive this designation.”
According to Dr. Carl Lewis, NCWU’s Bee Campus USA Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, NCWU has created and maintained a pollinator garden for the past several years which contains three active bee hives. The concept of having bee hives on campus was the result of the work of alumna, Carolynn Davern ’18. Caitlin BrabbleRose ‘18, along with several other founding members, helped create The B Club during their time at Wesleyan. This student organization, led by Dr. Ayra Sundbom, allows students to perform research while learning about animals and biodiversity. The “B” in B Club stands for more than just bees— Bees, Bats, Birds, Butterflies and Beasts.
NC Wesleyan takes pride in its commitment to minimizing hazards to pollinators by using nearly no neonicotinoids or other potentially dangerous pesticides. To raise awareness about the plight of pollinators, the University plans to publish a webpage to disseminate information to the campus and external communities including NCWU’s Integrated Pest Management Plan, a list of native plants incorporated into the campus landscape including their bloom time and habitat needs, links to student and faculty research into pollinator issues, and information about upcoming events.
Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA are initiatives of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, a nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon, with offices across the country. Bee City USA’s mission is to galvanize communities and campuses to sustain pollinators by providing them with healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants, and free of pesticides. Pollinators like bumble bees, sweat bees, mason bees, honey bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, hummingbirds, and many others are responsible for the reproduction of almost ninety percent of the world’s flowering plant species and one in every three bites of food we consume.
“The program aspires to make people more PC—pollinator conscious, that is,” said Scott Hoffman Black, Xerces’ executive director. “If lots of individuals and communities begin planting native, pesticide-free flowering trees, shrubs and perennials, it will help to sustain many, many species of pollinators.”
According to Bee Campus USA coordinator Laura Rost, “How each city or campus completes the steps to conserve pollinators is up to them. Affiliates play to their own strengths, designing pesticide reduction plans, improving habitat, and holding events ranging from garden tours to native plant giveaways to bee trivia nights. Each campus must renew their affiliation each year and report on accomplishments from the previous year. Other institutions of higher education are invited to explore completing the application process outlined at beecityusa.org.”
To learn more about North Carolina Wesleyan University’s Bee Campus USA program, contact Dr. Carl Lewis at clewis@ncwu.edu.
For more information about Bee Campus USA, visit beecityusa.org.
For more information about the Xerces Society, visit xerces.org.
For information about four simple ways to help pollinators, visit xerces.org/bringbackthepollinators/.
About North Carolina Wesleyan University
North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) is a small, private Methodist-affiliated institution with a liberal arts-based core curriculum that prepares students for professional advancement, life-long learning and responsible participation in their communities. NCWU offers liberal arts, professional and graduate degree programs for traditional, transfer and working-adult students. The skills cultivated by faculty and built into the curriculum include critical thinking and reflection, communication, collaboration, and information technology. North Carolina Wesleyan University delivers education that is personal, practical and purpose-driven. Personal…through mentoring and the connections that are provided. Practical…by helping students develop lifelong skills. Purpose-driven…by helping them fulfill their purpose in life. With students from all over the United States and more than 40 different countries, the University has immense cultural diversity. To learn more, visit ncwu.edu and follow on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
