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.

An Advocate for Equitable Education

As a young man growing up in rural North Carolina, Sherick Hughes ’97 experienced inequities and opportunities at the intersection of race, class, gender, education and desegregated schools. He later witnessed those same inequities and opportunities while working with urban and rural public elementary school youth in North Carolina and Ohio.

His experiences sparked a desire to advocate and seek solutions that would provide equitable educational opportunities to all.

Over the years, Hughes’ work has aided in the advancement of education. His research was applied to a N.C. Supreme Court case involving schools; to rural extension education efforts in Pennsylvania; urban education policy efforts in Indiana; and, most recently, his research on the myth and math of affirmative action was requested by national- and local-level legal advisors. “It has the potential to be used in pending cases regarding race-conscious college admissions,” he said.

Read more about Sherick at We Are UNCW.

Distinguished Alumni Achievement Awards for Excellence in Teaching

A passion for teaching and a desire to help future educators are two things Frances Bessellieu ’82, ’99M and Sueanne McKinney ’82 have in common. The lifelong educators spent much of their careers helping at-risk or special needs children and preparing teachers.

They were honored by the Watson College of Education for their efforts to make a difference in the lives of young people and the advancement of teacher education. Bessellieu, a former teacher and consultant with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and McKinney, an associate professor of elementary education at Old Dominion University, were recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award.

“I was well-prepared for the classroom and working with diverse populations,” McKinney said. “The number and quality of my field experiences gave me a realistic picture of the demands of teaching.”

Read more about Frances and Susanna at We Are UNCW.

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.

Congratulations to the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

The Alumni Association is proud to announce the recipients of the 2012 UNCW Distinguished Alumni Awards. Each award recipient has been recognized by their peers for their hard work and dedication to UNCW and for the Wilmington community.

Shanda Williams Bordeaux ’92 is the UNCW Distinguished Alumnus recipient. Currently a high school counselor at the Wilmington Christian Academy, Shanda received her degree from the College of Arts and Sciences. She is an active member in the UNCW community and has served on several committees and boards, is a past chairwoman of the UNCW Alumni Association and former president of the Seahawk Club Board. Shanda has also been previously recognized as a lifetime member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. We are proud to honor Shanda with this award for her willingness to give her time and resources back to UNCW.

Justin Queen ’04 is the UNCW Young Alumnus award recipient this year. Upon graduating from the university with his degree in Communication Studies, Justin went on to found Wilmington-based Blu Zeus Interactive Marketing. At UNCW, Justin is a member of the UNCW Entrepreneurship Board of Advisors as well as a member of the UNCW Entrepreneurship Center. He also speaks regularly to classes in the Cameron School of Business and in the Department of Communication Studies.

Ann Sherman-Skiba has been recognized as this year’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year. Ann has devoted her time giving to the Wilmington community as a volunteer on the UNCW Board of Visitors and on the Board of Directors at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She also contributes hours of support to the Cameron Museum of Art. Ann is an active supporter of the university’s history and music programs.

These three outstanding individuals have shown character, generosity, and devotion to UNCW. They will receive their awards during Homecoming 2012 and will be recognized during the parade and halftime of the Men’s Basketball game on Saturday, February 4.

UNCW Alumni Relations/Zac Allison, Intern