Where Education Matters | U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Queens University of Charlotte 8th among regional universities in the South for undergraduate teaching. Story.
Investing In Champions |Here at Queens, we push our athletes to excel in the classrooms and in competition. We need your support during Investing in Championsto fuel our athletes and reach our goal of $650,000. More details below.
Charlotte Chapter Events | If you’re in the area, join your fellow alumni for a Holiday Happy Hour on Thursday, November 21, at Angry Ale’s. Register today!We’d also love to see you as we cheer on the Royals at the Men’s Basketball Whiteout Game against Western Carolina University on Friday, November 8. Get your tickets fast. And don’t forget to wear your white or snag a limited edition shirt!
🎃 Pet Halloween Costume Contest & Spooky Storytime! 👻
Get ready for a frightfully fun time, Royals! We’re excited to announce our Queens Alumni Pet Halloween Costume Contest. Whether your furry, scaly, or feathered friend is a creative cutie, a ghostly goblin, or a wicked witch, we want to see them all! Snap a picture of your costumed pet and share it with us for a chance to win a fang-tastic prize.
But that’s not all—this Halloween season, we’re also inviting you to share your own spooky or ghost stories from your time at Queens. Did something go bump in the night at Albright? Have you heard the cries in Morrison? Ever have an eerie experience on campus? We’d love to hear your tales!
Submit your pet photos or spooky stories to alumni@queens.edu by October 30. Please include your name and class year. Pet photos and the best stories will be featured on Halloween!
One Sweet Story
Milan Tomin ’20, ’22 and Sara Diaz’s ’20 story began in 2016 when they were both first-years on the triathlon team. As international students—Milan from Serbia and Sara from Colombia—the two found common ground. “Both of us were experiencing cultural shock and learning to adapt to a new environment. We became good friends, and by our sophomore year, we started dating,” shared Sara. Now, eight years later they’re married and co-founders of Vedana Chocolate.
Choosing Queens: A Perfect Fit
For Milan and Sara, Queens offered the ideal blend of athletics and academics. Milan, who had been competing in triathlon professionally, sought a university with a strong program where he could balance his academic ambitions. “When I spoke with Sonni Dyer, the director of the triathlon program, I knew Queens was the right place for me,” Milan says. “I could continue pursuing my sport while also focusing on my academic goals.”
Sara had a similar experience when deciding where to continue her education. “Queens was one of the few schools offering triathlon at the time,” she explains. “I spoke with Coach Sonni and Melissa Gamez, a professor in the design department, and they gave me a great sense of the community. Academically, athletically, and culturally, Queens felt like the perfect fit.”
An Invaluable Experience at Queens
Milan and Sara describe their time at Queens as transformative, personally and professionally. “Queens’ tight-knit community helped me adapt quickly,” Milan shares. He took full advantage of the resources available to him. “Professors like Marco Scipioni and Dr. Tarabek spent extra time to support me with my ambitious projects like building an airplane and a wind tunnel, publishing research, and more. These experiences helped me grow in ways I couldn’t have imagined.”
Sara echoes Milan’s sentiments, emphasizing the impact of the environment at Queens on her. “The diversity at Queens exposed me to people from different cultures, helping me expand my worldview. I loved the small class sizes, which made it easy to connect with professors and build friendships,” she says. “Being in the heart of Charlotte was also a huge advantage, allowing us to collaborate with local businesses and work on real-world projects. The networking opportunities were invaluable.”
From Queens to Vedana Chocolate
The idea for Vedana Chocolate took root when Milan and Sara visited Sara’s family chocolate factory in Colombia. “My family has been in the chocolate business for over 110 years, so it’s always been a deep passion of mine,” Sara shares. “When Milan and I visited the factory, we both felt inspired. With Milan’s business expertise and my design background, we realized we had the perfect combination of skills to create something special.”
For Milan, chocolate was more than just a treat. “Many don’t realize that it comes from a fruit—cacao.” he explains. “I wanted to create a chocolate company that promotes the health benefits of cacao while also making a positive socio-economic impact on the communities that grow it. This way, everyone involved—from the farmers to the consumers—can live happier and healthier lives.”
The Influence of Queens on Their Business
Milan and Sara credit much of their entrepreneurial skills to their experience and classes at Queens. “Being able to take a wide variety of courses at Queens exposed me to many different subjects, which has been incredibly helpful in understanding different aspects of running a business,” Milan says. “As a math major, the work for Vedana Chocolate, especially the financial models and projections, felt like solving a fun math problem because I understood the principles behind it.”
For Sara, her design major directly influenced the branding and packaging of Vedana’s products. “The practical projects and collaborations I did at Queens prepared me for this. I learned how to use design tools that I now apply every day to build our brand.”
Looking Ahead: Healthy Indulgence for All
As they continue to grow Vedana Chocolate, Milan and Sara are excited about what the future holds. “We want Vedana to be available in major health-focused grocery stores,” Milan says. “Our goal is to provide people with a way to indulge in chocolate while still supporting their health and well-being.” Sara adds, “We’re eager to share our vision of healthy indulgence with as many people as possible. This is just the beginning of our journey.”
Their advice to fellow young alumni looking to start their own business? “Find a business partner you can share ideas and challenges with,” Milan says. “Having someone to collaborate with makes decision-making easier and lightens the workload.”
Sara agrees, emphasizing passion as the key to entrepreneurship. “Follow your passion. Starting a business is a lot of hard work, but if you’re passionate about what you’re doing, it will make the journey much more fulfilling.”
As Milan and Sara continue to build Vedana Chocolate, they remain deeply grateful for the scholarships that supported their education and the foundation Queens provided.
Check out their company at www.vedanachocolate.com. We even saw a special offer for free shipping in Charlotte!
Investing In Champions
Milan Tomin ’20, ’22 and Sara Diaz ’20 might be burgeoning entrepreneurs now, but they were college athletes first. Queens prides itself on training our athletes to be well-rounded students, leaders, and community members.
For Milan, “Sports, especially triathlon, teach resilience, independence, and how to be comfortable being alone without the need for instant gratification, like what many get from social media. This has helped me focus on long-term goals—whether for my health or my business—rather than just what’s easiest at the moment.”
Sara adds, “Athletics instilled in us key traits like discipline, time management, perseverance, and grit. These skills have been crucial in running our business. We continue to set goals, push ourselves, and maintain an active, healthy lifestyle, which helps us stay energized and focused as entrepreneurs.”
So, whether you were a student-athlete or not, we hope you can appreciate the incredible impact this pursuit of excellence has on our graduates.
This year’s Investing in Champions runs through Monday, November 4. You can join the Royals Club, which supports athletics’ greatest needs, or, athletes are competing with each other to see who can bring in the most funds for their sport. Whatever you choose to support, thank you for helping boost our athletes to the next level!
Upcoming Campus Events
10/24 | Distinguished Leaders in Action Lecture with Peter Browning – Details
10/25 | Arts at Queens Presents “Makin’ Cake” with Dasha Kelly Hamilton – Tickets
From Campus to Corporate: CTI Graduates Thrive at Lowe’s | Read about the success of the first cohort of CTI graduates who are now in full-time jobs at Lowe’s.
When Love Leads to Generosity | For Otis and Christy Louttit Crowder ’82, Queens has long held a place in their hearts, and now they’re continuing to make it a home for others through their generosity. Read more.
Paving the Way for Future Students at Queens |Tim and Lisa Nahrgang Hose ’77 are proud of the education Queens provides, so they’re making a planned gift to ensure the next generation can access it, too. Check it out.
Queens Alumna Refused To Put Her Life On Hold | Cancer may have impacted Lauren Carter DiFrank ’13 in unimaginable ways, but she chooses to persevere and serve others. Read her story.
Beyond the Games: Royals Reflect on Paris 2024 |After settling back into their routines, the students who visited Paris for the Olympics reflect on their experience. Read their stories.
Rex’s Corner
Athletics recently announced its 2025 Royals Hall of Fame Class ahead of the induction ceremony scheduled for February 7, 2025. The 12th induction class of the Royals Hall of Fame is comprised of three historic teams: the 1991 men’s soccer team, which earned the first national ranking in Queens history, and the 2014-15 men’s and women’s swimming teams, which earned the department’s first national championships. Get all of the inductee details at queensathletics.com.
Peter & Kathy Browning Distinguished Leaders in Action Series
We are honored and proud to announce the new Peter & Kathy Browning Distinguished Leaders in Action Series.
Peter and Kathy ’05 have deep ties with Queens and the McColl School of Business—Peter served as Dean of the McColl School from 2002 – 2005, and Kathy earned her bachelor’s degree from Queens. Peter currently serves as an Executive in Residence where his thought leadership (author of “The Director’s Manual” (Wiley, 2016), book chapters, and articles; and the subject of the classic Harvard Business Case Study “Peter Browning and Continental White Cap”) comes to life for our business students. Thanks to their generous support of the McColl School of Business and our emphasis on leadership, we will ensure that our students and business community have access to the most influential and compelling leaders in our community and region.
