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Alumna's Sight Set on Optometry

Madison Dunning’s mom had crystal-clear vision when she saw her daughter’s potential as an optometrist, even before Madison herself knew what her passion was.

“I always knew I liked science, but I also knew that I really wanted to work with people,” Dunning said.

She attended UNCW to participate in research opportunities for biology and marine biology students, but at her mom’s suggestion, Dunning also looked outside the campus to explore her interests. After being introduced to optometrist Tracey Glendenning through the Catholic Campus Ministry, Dunning saw that she was indeed on the right path. She shadowed Glendenning at the MyEyeDr. office on Racine Drive during the spring 2015 semester and was hired as an optometric technician that summer.

Last fall, Dunning was accepted to the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, the same school that the doctors she works with attended.

“Optometry is a challenging yet extremely rewarding career, and I can’t wait to restore, preserve and maintain the gift of sight for my future patients.”

Read more at We Are UNCW.

2017 Cameron School of Business Outstanding Alumni Honorees

Mike Barton '68, Hope Campbell '91 and Chris Dentiste '85 were honored as the 2017 Cameron School of Business Outstanding Alumni during CSB’s annual Business Week. The recipients joined other alumni and faculty for a recognition breakfast on March 29.

Mike Barton studied accounting and went on to found three companies in the fields of healthcare, hospital management and physician practices after earning an M.B.A. from Georgia Southern University. Though he currently resides in Tennessee, he never forgets his time at UNCW.

It was a few years after graduating with a degree in business management before Hope Campbell mustered the courage to tell her dad and uncle she wanted to join the family business. She is now the President of Clearwater Enterprises Inc., one of her family’s businesses that oversees Camp Clearwater, North Carolina’s largest family campground.

While earning his degree in economics, Chris Dentiste worked in what is now known as the Swain Center. Today, Dentiste is vice president and CFO of RSA, a division of Dell EMC that provides industry-leading cybersecurity products to more than 30,000 organizations worldwide. In addition to Hall’s mentorship, Dentiste credits UNCW’s small class sizes as one of the factors in his success.

Read more at We Are UNCW.

Former Student Athlete Turned Mentor

Martin Jarmond ’01 oversees day-to-day operations at The Ohio State University Department of Athletics, but his most important job is being a mentor to student-athletes.

“There is nothing better than being able to help someone and for them to say that you played a small role in how they developed or where they ended up,” said Jarmond, deputy athletic director and chief of staff at The Ohio State University.

The support Jarmond received as a UNCW student-athlete sparked a desire to help young people develop and navigate their own journeys.

Jarmond, who was recently named to the Sports Business Daily Journal's Forty Under 40 Class of 2017, was a member of the UNCW men’s basketball team from 1998-2001. He served as team captain and was selected for the CAA All-Academic team in 2000. One of his fondest memories at UNCW was when the team won the CAA tournament in 2000, which punched the Seahawks’ ticket to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.

“I’ll never forget all of the people that lined the streets coming into town and all over campus when we pulled into Trask,” he recalled. “It was as if the entire Wilmington community all came out to welcome us home. The pride and joy that our Seahawk basketball team brought to campus and the community is something I’ll never forget.”

Read more at We Are UNCW.

A Couple in Life & Professional Colleagues

Becky and Brad Walker have helped mold many a teacher – in Southeastern North Carolina and beyond. The Watson College of Education faculty members, a couple in life and professional colleagues at work, never tire of guiding their students on the journey toward a challenging and rewarding career.

“I love working at UNCW,” said Brad, an associate professor in the Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, Literacy and Special Education. “It’s been a dream job for me. Everyone works hard to make sure our students have the best experience possible."

Becky Walker ’97M is an instructor often found working with WCE students in the Betty Holden Stike Education Laboratory. The “Ed Lab” supports elementary and middle-grade instruction, special education and graduate courses and enables education majors to hone their teaching skills by working with children.

Working together has been a blessing, the Walkers say, and they’ve been spotted holding hands as they walk through the Education Building. One of their favorite spots is in North Carolina Teachers Legacy Hall, the large atrium that includes a glimpse of education history as well as recognitions of top teachers and principals in the region. To them, it is a constant reminder of the colleagues they have worked with over the years and that education is a collaborative effort.

Read more at We Are UNCW.

Twenty-seven Years and Counting

Decorative solar dancing animals are the first thing people notice when they walk into the office of Beth Roberts '80, '05M in the Division for University Advancement. She uses them as ice-breakers for conversations she has when people drop by her office.

“I keep them in the window, they do their little dance and they get dusted a couple of times a year,” she said. “Besides, I’m not good with plants.”

The solar animals will remain a fixture in her office for a while, she said. Roberts ’80, ’05M has no plans to retire after 26 years at UNCW.

“It has been a lot of fun and I have learned a lot,” Roberts said. “I don’t know of any other place where I would have had such a well-rounded life. There are so many opportunities to participate in the community and be a lifelong learner.”

Roberts has worked with various departments and divisions across campus. She began her career in the biology department as an administrative secretary in 1991. Over time, her career shifted to focus on numbers.

Read more at We Are UNCW.

Congratulations 2017 Alumni Award Winners

Darion Jeralds ’10, ’14M; Chad Porter ’98; and Chip Mahan have demonstrated personal commitment to community engagement while achieving outstanding professional success. In recognition of their accomplishments, the UNCW Alumni Association presented them with awards on Feb. 3, 2017. Jeralds was named Distinguished Young Alumnus of the Year; Porter, Distinguished Alumnus of the Year; and Mahan, Distinguished Citizen of the Year.

For Darion Jeralds, the senior sourcing manager for Global Nuclear Fuel, his UNCW experience prepared him for a smooth transition into the corporate world. His career path started with a class in business operations. After the final project, his professor invited Jeralds to interview for an internship with GE. The internship led to an entry-level opportunity. Jerald’s time on the men’s basketball team helped him develop the character, work ethic and determination to thrive during early career roles, he said.

Chad Porter, a motivational speaker and trainer who works with small businesses and Fortune 500 companies across the nation, also donates countless hours as a mentor to students of all ages. Porter earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from UNCW and a graduate degree in physical therapy from East Carolina University. His professional experience includes roles in real estate, at the Coastal Rehabilitation Hospital and as the founder of Porter Financial Group. Today, Porter is a member of the Zig Ziglar International Team, an elite group of highly skilled and knowledgeable corporate trainers.

For more than a decade, Chip Mahan has supported UNCW through service and giving. He has served as a member of the UNCW Board of Visitors, the Foundation Endowment Board and the Cameron School of Business Advisory Board. Mahan, founder, CEO and chairman of the board of directors of Live Oak Bank, is also a founding member of nCino and serves on its board of directors. Prior to his work with Live Oak Bank, he served as CEO and chairman of the board for S1 Corporation and founder of Security First Network Bank, the world’s first internet bank.

Read more about these award recipients at We Are UNCW.

Pursuit of Professional Passions

Matthew Kane '16 did more than “talk the talk” as a young entrepreneur; he “walked the walk” by running his own business – a fitness center – before he graduated from UNCW’s Entrepreneurship and Business Development program in May 2016. His drive left an indelible mark at UNCW, where he was honored as the 2016 Outstanding Graduate in Entrepreneurship and Business Development.

This success came after a lauded career in the military. From 2008 to 2012, Kane served as a Scout Sniper Team Leader in the United States Marine Corps with tours in Afghanistan, Haiti, Oman, Kuwait and Djibouti. He garnered a number of recognitions, including a Combat Action Ribbon, a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

Kane currently works as a requirements analyst for Deloitte Consulting LLP in Arlington, VA. The job allows him to combine two of his passions – problem solving and public-facing service – while also learning more about how businesses and agencies operate.

“My favorite part of my job is the ability to support multiple federal agencies as they work toward accomplishing their missions,” he said. “I also enjoy the fast pace and small-team aspects of consulting.”

UNCW will always be special to him because both he and his wife, Austin Kane ’09, are alumni. He is still in touch with Professor Stephen Harper, whom he credits for helping him see what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur and motivating him to work as hard as possible to capture the opportunities in front of him.

Read more at We Are UNCW.

Making a Career of Counseling

His family had some reservations about him studying psychology. “They saw it as a fringe career path – one that was reserved ‘for others,’” James Zanker '01 said.

He worked and paid for all of his schooling without having to take out any student loans. In addition to earning a bachelor’s in psychology from UNCW, he received a Master of Arts Service Agency Counseling Degree from UNC Pembroke and is now the proud owner of Zanker Counseling Services, located in downtown Wilmington, NC.


“I had known for my entire cognizant life that I was talented at subjects related to human services and psychology,” he said. “I chose UNCW because of its fine reputation, the fact that is was part of the reputable UNC system and because of UNCW’s excellent psychology department.”

While at UNCW, he was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society and Psi Chi Psychology National Honor Society. He also served as a Student Ambassador and was a member of the UNCW Crew Team.

A licensed professional counselor, nationally certified counselor and licensed clinical addiction specialist, Zanker loves what he is able to give others through mental health counseling, life coaching or music arts therapy through a related business, Zanker Music Arts Therapy.

“They are all a continual thrill for me and I am working on improving and increasing the level of services that I can provide within each format,” he says.


Read more at We Are UNCW.