Lance Bumgardner
Lance Bumgardner is only a few short weeks away from graduating, but is making an impact on the University before he transitions from student to alumnus.
Sunnya Hadavi
Sunnya Hadavi may not have discovered it immediately, but an inner passion for journalism would reveal that there is more to the story for this international studies and data science major. Those passions ultimately led her to the Niner Times, where she's been editor-in-chief the last two years.
Shaun Coleman
In less than two years at the University, Coleman balanced earning his graduate degree, a graduate assistant position for the women’s volleyball team, an internship in operations at Krispy Kreme and working as coordinator for student programming in Health and Wellbeing.
Matthew McGrew
Matthew McGrew is in just his second year at UNC Charlotte, but this sophomore in electrical engineering has already sparked positive changes. McGrew became student champion and ambassador for the Jamil Niner Student Pantry in the Collegiate Hunger Challenge.
Sreyas Kodukulla
How does a second-year UNC Charlotte computer science student amass nearly 200,000 Twitter followers and end up backstage with Kendrick Lamar? Sreyas Kodukulla is most known as SK, his name on the @raptalksk Twitter account.
Kaylen Forney
Kaylen Forney came to UNC Charlotte last January to begin her undergraduate research. One year later, she was presenting a model she helped create that can accurately predict how a bridge will distort after natural disasters.
Caleb Achidi
This spring, Caleb Achidi was awarded with UNC Charlotte’s Derrick Griffith Servant Leader Award, an honor bestowed to a first-generation college student of junior or senior standing who has demonstrated leadership through on or off campus service to others.
Aleksandra Degernes
On Feb. 24, 2022 Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine. There were then reports of explosions in three of Ukraine’s most populous cities. For Aleksandra Degernes, a Russian-born US citizen with family and friends in her home country, it's been a whirlwind of emotions.
Jeyza Gary
The self-proclaimed "seniorest of seniors" has worked as a professional model since her first semester at Charlotte, while also managing a rare skin condition that causes her body to shed its skin at an extremely fast rate.
Elizabeth Beattie
Program Director for Outreach and Engagement
For Elizabeth Beattie, returning to UNC Charlotte was not just a career move: It was a meaningful continuation of the personal transformation that began when she transferred to the University years ago.
Joshua Boyd
Program Director of Basic Needs
For Joshua Boyd, helping people combat food insecurity isn’t just a passion for him, it hits home too. Boyd has been at UNC Charlotte since 2022, rejoining the Dean of Students office in December 2024 as program director of basic needs.
Dr. Kisha Young
Physician
When she is not treating UNC Charlotte students as a physician with Student Health, Dr. Kisha Young helps others in need access medication and more through NC MedAssist, a volunteer role she has held for more than 15 years. Her efforts earned her the Joyce Award for Excellence in Volunteerism.
Donny Edwards
Director of Facilities Operations
Donny Edwards earned a Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (VCSA) Award for his efforts surrounding the construction of Wilson Hall at last year’s divisional awards ceremony, a moment that felt like the final chapter of a six-year project that took up more than half of his tenure so far.
Shayauna Newsom
Program Director for Transition and Belonging
From a first-generation graduate to now leading first-generation students to success, Shayauna Newsom has a personal connection to the program they’ve piloted, and is now being acknowledged for it.
Carla Hines
Associate Director for Administration
Carla Hines has been on campus for 21 years, and as she nears the end of her UNC Charlotte tenure, her hard work for the University earned Hines the Niner Legacy Award at last spring’s Student Affairs End-of-Year Awards.
Jordan Bullington-Miller
Senior Research Associate
Being front and center is something Jordan Bullington-Miller isn’t used to. In her day-to-day life, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. But this past spring, Bullington-Miller stepped to the forefront as the 2023-24 Behind-the-Scenes Award winner for the Division of Student Affairs.
Michael Maksymowski
Associate Director
In June of 2017, Maksymowski accepted a job at UNC Charlotte as an assistant director for the Center for Leadership Development, now called Leadership & Community Engagement. Seven years later, Maksymowski is not only the interim director, but also an award winner.
Mikala Harvey
Program Director
Mikala Harvey was one of five UNC Charlotte faculty and staff members to earn an employee of the year honor, but that was not the only award she won in the spring: Harvey also earned the Rising Star Award at the Student Affairs end-of-year celebration.
S.L. Ivey
S.L. Ivey was announced as UNC Charlotte’s fourth-ever Golden Niner at halftime of the Nov. 16 Homecoming football matchup against South Florida, after a long, winding journey for the 46-year-old graduate student.
Kenan Moore
After years of getting involved in a variety of areas on campus, Kenan Moore was named the third-ever Golden Niner this past October during halftime of the Charlotte 49ers’ football game against Navy.
Ra'Quan Leary
Ra’Quan Leary’s Niner Nation story is one that many students share across the country: he went to the school that made the most sense for him financially. Three years into his time at Charlotte, a school he said fell into his lap, Leary was named as the University’s second-ever Golden Niner.
Ryen Boleware
Meet senior Ryen Boleware, UNC Charlotte's inaugural Homecoming Golden Niner. A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, she is a criminal justice and psychology major. Learn more about Boleware’s time at UNC Charlotte, her experience in the Niner 9 and her advice for all of Niner Nation.