Coming Home to UNCW

Homecoming earns its name because alumni want to come back to UNCW - their home. I have a few months left at UNCW before I’m an alumna myself but I still went to the alumni events during Homecoming.

I work in the University Advancement Office as the Digital Marketing Intern. With every event that I attended, I was playing the role of both student and staff. I was at the International Festival on Saturday as part of my women’s a cappella group the Seabelles (that's me, all the way on the left), but I was also there to take pictures for Alumni Relations.

This was my first Homecoming experience. I didn’t know what to expect but I quickly realized why so much work is put into Homecoming – it’s a ton of fun! Technically I was working, but it didn’t feel like it. When we were under the TEALgate tent immersed in music from the UNCW Pep Band and a crowd of smiling faces, I knew I was coming back next year as an alumna. There was no way I was going to miss the good food and drink, the awesome light show, cornhole, bounce houses, catching up with other alumni – well, you get the picture. As a soon-to-be-graduating senior, it’s comforting to know I’ll be coming home in a year to see old bosses, professors, and friends at reunion events and the TEALgate.

UNCW Advancement/Christine Schulze '15

Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients Honored at Homecoming

Left to right: Lt. Col. Robert Rideout Jr. ’95, Josh Vach ’87 and Ryan Crecelius ’06 

Lt. Col. Robert Rideout Jr. ’95, Ryan Crecelius ’06 and Josh Vach ’87 may have different backgrounds, but they share a common bond – a love for the University of North Carolina Wilmington and the distinction of being named distinguished alumni.

The three award recipients were honored during UNCW Homecoming held Feb. 13-14. Rideout, the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year; Crecelius, the Young Alumnus of the Year; and Vach, the Citizen of the Year, were nominated for these awards by fellow alumni and peers due to their achievements and contributions to their communities. Find out more about the recipients in WE ARE UNCW.

Introducing UNCW dubrai$er: Olivia Sadler ’15

When UNCW senior Olivia Sadler submitted an application to the dubrai$ers program in her sophomore year, she did not anticipate the experiences she’d create, or the benefits she would generate for her university.

As a dubrai$er, Sadler, 21, a Charlotte native and a communication studies major, calls numerous alumni and parents of students every week to share information about UNCW events and news. During these conversations, she updates alumni contact information and, most importantly, encourages everyone to participate in the university’s fundraising programs.

“Sometimes people can really open up to you when you’re on a call,” said Sadler, “but my favorite part about being a dubrai$er is speaking with alumni who are very passionate about UNCW. They are eager to give to and to help their university.”

Sadler shares this same passion about UNCW, especially for the faculty in the Department of Communications Studies.

“They really incorporate real-world applications into the education, and the faculty projects help set students up in the world,” she said.

When she is not working, Sadler enjoys attending concerts and plays. Sadler recently decided to take this hobby to the next level by getting an internship in event planning at the new Cape Fear Theatre located in downtown Wilmington. After graduating in May 2015, she hopes to continue with a career in event planning or enroll in graduate school.

According to Sadler, her time as a dubrai$er will serve her well in both graduate school and event planning.

In her three-year tenure as a dubrai$er, Sadler has raised more than $16,000, helping many UNCW departments and programs. These gifts were given in an average of $25-$50 amounts. Although the individual gift amounts are not large, their combined impact is meaningful. Gifts generated by the dubrai$ers provide funding for equipment and services across campus, including: supplies for student research projects; resources for student travel; textbooks for students in financial need; and scholarships for high-performing students.

Want to help the dubrai$ers make a difference at UNCW? Consider contributing to a scholarship or program that is meaningful to you. For more information, visit the Office of Annual Giving or call (910) 962-7613.

UNCW/Davis McKinney ’15