Olympics Stories | Did you see the Olympics coverage from our students on their summer trip to Paris? The Queens in Paris experience was filled to the brim, from meeting locals, business owners, Olympic athletes, and even an alumna to soaking in some history! Check out the pictures on Instagram @QueensAbroad. Special thanks to everyone who contributed to the Queens in Paris fund!
Social Winners | We’re excited to have our own alumni Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter/X pages! When you follow us, share one of our posts, or tag a friend to follow us, you will be entered to win Queens prizes. Our first winners are Lisa Davis ’01, Jasmine Woods ’18, and Susan Hawkins Parker ’95.
Share Feedback | Our alumni communications survey closes Friday, August 30. We especially need responses from the ’80s, ’10s, and ’20s. Please make sure your voice is heard and fill out the survey this week!
We’re excited to welcome the class of 2028 to Queens! After a successful move-in and orientation, students started classes this week. Now, who is the class of 2028?
Top 5 States Represented: North Carolina (50%), South Carolina, Georgia, New York, and Florida
Top 3 Countries Represented:(12.5% of our students are international) United Kingdom, Brazil, and Canada
Top 5 Major Interests:Business, Undecided, Biology, Psychology, Nursing
Gender Identities:51% identify as female, 47% identify as male, 2% identify as transgender or nonbinary
Pell-Eligibility: 27% are Pell-Eligible
First-Gen:25% of the class identifies as the first in their family to attend a four-year college
You can check out features on members of the class:
Luke Coppage ’28 is studying business and data analytics while playing tennis
Have you met Carrie?
Carrie is pictured on the far left with her Alumni Relations team.
When Carrie Wunner ’01 was a student at Queens, she probably didn’t realize her story here was only beginning. During her four years as a student, Queens taught her to think critically and explore broadly. She credits Creative Writing with Cathy Smith Bowers as a pivotal class for her. “She challenged me to be more open and vulnerable in my writing, which translated over to other parts of my life. Having her push me to open up more really helped me to grow in so many ways.”
After graduation, she worked for a few years in a department called “Continuing Education” before moving on to other experiences and organizations in the area. In 2015, she returned to serve as the Director of Conference and Event Services and spent a year as the Commencement Coordinator before moving to the alumni relations corner of Queens Hall. Today, she is the new Director of Alumni Relations, and she’s ready to get started.
Carrie recognizes how unique the Queens experience is for both students and alumni. “Queens is special because of the people here and the fact that we are all working towards the same goal—providing an outstanding and well-rounded education to all of our students.” Having seen Queens from both sides, she knows what happens when we all strive towards the same goal: “It provides a supportive network of resources and partners across campus.” She also speaks to the strong collaboration amongst campus partners that helps our students succeed.
In her new role, Carrie will focus on building relationships with our alumni, especially strengthening her ties to the years when she wasn’t on campus. She is eager to hear from you and emphasizes her ‘door is always open’ policy!
One of the first improvements Carrie and her team are implementing is combining Homecoming and Reunion into Royal Weekend. She shared that the reunion is her favorite event, and by combining the two, we’ll have more alumni than ever able to attend both events and all be on campus at the same time. For Carrie, the joy comes from seeing classmates reconnect and share stories. “I’m excited to see how that energy grows as we combine Homecoming and Reunion so there is more of a chance for people to connect with the classes around them and organizations they were in as students.”
Of course, returning to campus can bring nostalgia for what once was. Campus improvements can feel like a loss of your own memories. Carrie sees the good in change, though, viewing progress as what propels us to become even better and offer more for our students. She talks about the Levine Center being lightyears ahead of the infamous “Oven” and the fantastic upgrades to the Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts & Civic Engagement that allow us to meaningfully engage with one another, Charlotte, and the arts. Carried noted that among the upgrades and improvements, “the biggest similarity is the people—the heart of Queens. It is still a warm and welcoming campus where students are encouraged to ask big questions and challenge each other while building a community of engaged citizens.”
Carrie has one message to her fellow alumni: Engaging with Queens strengthens your relationships with friends and classmates while creating new ones.
Not sure where to start? “There are lots of opportunities! Attend an event—even if you aren’t in Charlotte, we love to let you know when we will be in other areas. Support the Queens Fund, serve as a mock interviewer for the Vandiver Center, send us a class note, and make plans to visit campus for A Royal Weekend, Feb 7-8!”
Quick Facts with Carrie Wunner ’01
Latest Read: First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston and How to Know a Person by David Brooks
Latest Binge: Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart and Keenan Thompson/Only Murders in the Building
Current Obsession:Are Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds moving to Charlotte?
Favorite Spot on Campus: This is a really difficult one! I have a few…in CP Street Courtyard outside of Trexler to have lunch, Belk Chapel when I need a few moments for quiet reflection, and the reading room in the library with items from Dr. Hadley’s office.
Happy Birthday, Queens!
We’re celebrating 167 years of Queens! To celebrate, join us in two ways:
1. Take a videoof yourself wishing Queens a happy birthday. Send it by the end of the day tomorrow, Wednesday, August 28, to be featured in our upcoming video. You can email alumni@queens.edu or text 704-971-5456.
2. Make a giftto the Queens Fund of $18.57 or $185.70, or join the Royal Society at $1,857. Celebrate our enduring history by committing to scholarships and improved campus experiences for our current students.
NEW!Donors who enroll in monthly giving of $10 or more to the university are now a Crown GEM! This gem is extra special as it means “giving every month.” Taking the crown is as easy as choosing your area or program to support, scheduling the timing of your gift, and watching as your automated donation makes a direct, monthly impact. Make your gift now and receive a window cling as a thank you!
Alumni Award Nominations Open
The Alumni Association Awards recognize alumni and friends for their outstanding professional achievements and exceptional service to Queens and their communities! This year, we’re also debuting a new 10 Under 10 Young Alumni award! Please submit nominations by December 1, 2024. You may nominate anyone, yet classes ending in 0 and 5 are celebrating their reunions this year and will receive award priority.
Queens is excited to launch a fully redesigned MBA—the McColl MBA.As the region’s most personalized program, students can customize their hybrid experience, catering to a demonstrated need in Charlotte. Young professionals are the fastest-growing segment in the city, and we’re ready to meet their needs. Get the story.
Join us for Legacy of Leadership: A Conversation with Hugh McColl on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. We will celebrate Hugh McColl’s lasting legacy and the future of graduate business education at Queens with the launch of the new McColl MBA Program. Mr. McColl will discuss his vision for the next generation of business leaders with Distinguished Chair & Professor of Leadership Dr. Will Sparks.Get the details and submit your RSVP here.
Upcoming Events
Voices of Democracy: Exploring the Ideal Exhibition Opening & Panel Discussion
📍 Queens, Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement
Royals explored the globe this summer through JBIP. Read the stories of students who had the opportunity to study anime art and music in Japan, explore the culture of health in Scandinavia, or study the multiple dimensions of health and wellness in Spain. A group of students also went to Paris to study the Olympics.
Student-athlete embodies ‘Not to be served, but to serve.’ Preston Gantt ’27 is a member of the men’s track and field and cross country teams at Queens. However, he took his training elsewhere this summer when he served as a guide for a visually impaired veteran in the 2024 Department of Defense Warrior Games. Get the story here.
New face on senior leadership. Kenitra Horsley is a first-generation student, the first female CIO at Queens, and now the university’s chief of staff. In her new role, she will oversee strategic planning, enhance leadership team effectiveness, and build strong partnerships with the Board of Trustees alongside her leadership in the IT department. Check out Kenitra’s story here.
Queens fosters a love of writing in the next generation. Since 2020, a group of local middle and high schoolers take time out of their summer break to hone their writing craft. From humor to poems and a 48-hour group playwriting marathon, the professors and staff on campus guide the writers. You can read more about their experience here.
Alumna’s career path defined at Queens. Emma Schultz ’14 has been engaged in cutting-edge research using simulation models to determine how best to use drones for wildlife surveys for more than three years. Emma was a biology major on the pre-vet track (alongside minors in business and psychology) who took a marine biology course that set her on her path. Read more about Emma’s story.
Fall Schmoozapalooza Networking Nights
Vandiver Center for Career Development invites alumni to join them for Schmoozapalooza this September. Are you interested in returning to represent your current employer and sharing insights and advice with students or connecting with organizations you may be interested in employment opportunities with? Learn more about each industry-specific event below and register for FREE!
🔵 Shmoozapalooza: Business, Finance, and Technologyon Tuesday, September 10th, 2024, from 4:30 – 6:30 pm EST. Please select the most appropriate RSVP option below:
🔵 Schmoozapalooza: Health, Sciences, and Sports on Wednesday, September 18th, 2024, from 4:30 – 6:30 pm EST. Please select the most appropriate RSVP option below:
