May 3 - Last Day of Class
May 4 - Reading Day
May 5-12 - Final Exams
May 13-14 - Commencement
May 23 - 1st Summer Classes Begin
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Stay Connected
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| HELLO NINER NATION FAMILY! |
The end of the school year is quickly approaching! It is hard to believe that another year at UNC Charlotte is coming to a close. We hope this has been a successful time for you and your student. Our campus is excited by our continued growth - welcoming many new students to Niner Nation and expanding our physical campus with new facilities and opportunities, highlighted in our winter issue of Niner Nation Family Magazine. Check it out!
We are also proud of the growth at Niner Nation Family this year. We have continued to expand programming for parents and family members, and this year enjoyed one of our largest Family Weekends to date and debuted our spring event, Spring Family Reunion.
Our publications have also been revamped to include fresh information in easily accessible formats, including a new design for this Relatively Speaking newsletter and an all-new look for Niner Nation Family Magazine. We look forward to continuing this progress in the coming year!
I also want to thank everyone who has participated in our parent and family survey so far. We appreciate your taking the time to provide us with information and feedback on your student and family's UNC Charlotte experience and giving suggestions on where we can improve. This feedback is integral to helping us maintain the highest quality of programming for our members, and we truly appreciate your thoughts.
As we head into summer, Relatively Speaking will take a hiatus as we switch into orientation mode for SOAR (Student Orientation Advising & Registration). Over June and July, make sure to follow our
Facebook page
for updates on campus and fall programs, as well as the excitement around welcoming our incoming students' parents and family members to Niner Nation Family. Relatively Speaking will resume at the end of July with a full rundown on Family Weekend 2016.
Speaking of Family Weekend, we are excited to announce it will be taking place Sept. 16-18! More information will be available this summer, and registration will open at the beginning of August. We look forward to welcoming our members back to campus for a weekend full of #NinerPride and connection with other students, families, faculty and staff.
One other thing to look forward to as we close the semester is our spring edition of Niner Nation Family Magazine! The second issue for 2015-16 will be published in May, with an email notification sent to you and other members. We hope the wide-ranging information in the magazine is beneficial to you and your family!
In this month's newsletter, we continue our Student Perspective series highlighting the amazing students on our campus. We also feature information on the many civic engagement opportunities through the Office of Volunteer Outreach, student thoughts on graduation, a preview of the spring football game April 23 and a recap of our inaugural Spring Family Weekend.
As we wrap up the year, let me be the first to thank you. It's an honor to work with the amazing parents and family members of the 49er community. Your passion for our campus and your students' success is inspiring. I look forward to continuing to work with you in the coming year to accomplish even more amazing things.
As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or by phone at 704-687-0341.
 Go Niners!
Jordan Holliday-Millard
Assistant Director for New Student & Family Services
Niner Nation Family
Dean of Students
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Student Perspective: Hannah Kahl
My name is Hannah Kahl. I am a junior at UNC Charlotte studying international studies, with minors in women's and gender studies and in Spanish. I was born and raised in the small town of Lexington, N.C., which is only about an hour drive from Charlotte.
Coming to UNC Charlotte was a surprise to me. For the longest time I had my heart set on a different college but was deferred and put on a waiting list for months. I was devastated.
However, I was accepted at UNC Charlotte. I had never visited the campus before, and I had no idea what to expect.
During my high school spring break, my cousin and I visited the campus. I fell in love with the school and loved everything about it - the architecture, the greenery, the students, the diversity, everything! I accepted my admission and began a journey I believe I was destined for.
Many people say things happen for a reason, and honestly I did not start believing that until I saw how my experiences all connected at UNC Charlotte and pushed me in directions I never thought I would go. When I arrived as a freshman, I registered for a learning community called "Gender Excellence Learning Community," or "Gen-X" for short. This was one of my greatest and rewarding challenges.
Coming from a small town, I was primarily exposed to people similar to me. But in this learning community, all that I knew as true was challenged. I had to learn the hard way. My beliefs, religion, sexuality and mindset were all challenged. I had always thought I was right, but until this point no one ever challenged that I was wrong, and it was difficult for me. As the semester continued, I studied subject matter and heard opinions that opened my mind in so many ways. It truly transformed my life and opened up so many doors through my college experience.
My learning community experience led me to my best friend, roommate and now sister. She led me to join a sorority, and that was something that I never had an interest in doing. She dragged me to the Student Organization Showcase that we have every semester and forced me to visit the booths of multiple sororities, even though I had no interest in joining.
However, I ran across a sorority by the name of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority. I fell in love with it, and it has been my passion ever since. I was vice president last semester, and this semester I am president. I found the place on campus where I belong with people that I love. I have never felt more accepted anywhere else in my life. I love it, and it has opened even more doors for me.
Through the love and support I receive from UNC Charlotte's fraternity and sorority life, I have now studied abroad in Spain and was recently selected to be an orientation counselor. I am excited to start this new journey in my undergraduate experience, putting me one step closer to my dream. Through all of these experiences I have found my home, my passion and my career. After graduation, I plan to study higher education and student affairs administration.
For all incoming students, my advice is get involved, stay open-minded and enjoy every second of your time. College is an amazing experience that will change your life, but it does not last forever and goes quickly. Enjoy the ride for as long as you can, and let life take you where you should be.
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Students Aid Hungry, Homeless; Promote Voting
Grayson Collins, Office of Volunteer Outreach
The Office of Volunteer Outreach has been busy this past month planning and executing exciting service projects. Among the already successful ones are Operation Sandwich, the Feeding America College Tour and assisting UNC Charlotte Votes.
Operation Sandwich, planned by Alexis Mitchell, was a huge success. Daily, the Urban Ministry Center serves 800 sandwiches to needy individuals. Mitchell collected donations from area grocery stores that included peanut butter, jelly, bread and eating utensils. Mitchell and more than two dozen UNC Charlotte volunteers created an assembly line to make over 850 sandwiches at Niner Nation Pantry for the ministry. Operation Sandwich unified student volunteers while also serving the Charlotte community.
The Feeding America College Tour was another successful event. Rose Brown helped Feeding America to partner with the Office of Volunteer Outreach to give college tours to those living in homeless shelters and in poverty in the Charlotte community.
 After participants received tours of the school, workshops provided information on financial aid, professionalism and goal setting. Participants received business cards, school supplies and UNC Charlotte paraphernalia. This event helped to inspire, aid and mentor those suffering from homelessness and food insecurity by providing information on how to be further educated and obtain a career.
The Office of Volunteer Outreach has also been working hard to ensure every student has the opportunity to exercise his or her right to vote.
This spring, a bond issue was near and dear to the hearts of many faculty, staff and students at UNC Charlotte. The $2 billion Connect NC bond included funds to build a new $90 million science building at UNC Charlotte. As a school-wide effort, students encouraged one another to register to vote, cast their ballot and educate peers on the bond referendum.
We can all be proud that our civic engagement helped hundreds of students to register and vote, many for the first time.
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Student Voices: Seniors Reflect on Graduation
David Wolf,
Niner Nation Family
What does it mean to graduate from the University? Find out from six seniors who are catching their collective breath this spring, reflecting on the milestone.
David Wolf
Major: Public Relations
"I'm extremely excited to graduate; although, it's also going to be bittersweet. I've definitely enjoyed my time here at Charlotte, but I'm also ready for the next step."
Charles Trowell
Major: Architecture, Minor: Urban Studies
"I feel as if graduation is the fulfillment of not only my hard work, but more importantly, the investment and sacrifices of those who helped me make it to this point."
JaDora Ross
Major: Public Relations, Minor: Political Science
"I'm thankful for the experiences and connections I've gained at UNC Charlotte. The lessons learned will continue to have an impact on my personal and professional development."
Dustin Moore
Major: Criminal Justice
"I'm glad to finally be graduating and beginning to work in the criminal justice field. I feel like I worked really hard, so I'm proud that everything is coming to fruition and I will be able to get my degree."
Neal Patel
Major: Marketing
"As we approach graduation, it's crazy because just yesterday I feel like I was moving into Moore Hall as a freshman. However, I'm ready for graduation and the opportunities that are ahead. UNC Charlotte prepared me well for everything I'm about to face."
Josie Moll
Major: Public Relations
"I have mixed feelings about graduating this May. While I am extremely excited to start the journey into the "real world," the job-search process is very stressful. I know that my college experience at UNC Charlotte has thoroughly prepared me for life after graduation, but I am sad to leave such a beautiful university!"
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49ers Play Spring Football Game April 23
David Wolf, Niner Nation Family
On Saturday, AprIl 23, the Charlotte 49ers host their spring football game. The green-white scrimmage will be at Jerry Richardson stadium at 7 p.m. Although this will be the fourth spring game for the 49ers, it will be just the second under the lights, which were installed in winter 2014.
This will also mark the first time people will be able to see the 2016-17 football team in action. The 2016-17 schedule features several notable matchups, including the season opener Sept. 1 at Louisville and home games Oct. 1 and Nov. 19 against Old Dominion and Middle Tennessee, respectively. Another highlight is Sept. 17 when the Niners face off against Eastern Michigan on Family Weekend.
Returning from last year's team are several top players. Running back Kalif Phillips, a second team All-Conference USA selection, is back for his senior year. Phillips rushed for a team-high 961 yards and finished with five touchdowns. Larry Ogunjobi, returning to help anchor the defense, finished with 62 tackles last season and holds the all-time Charlotte 49ers record for tackles.
For more information on the spring football game, visit
Charlotte49ers.com
. Entry is free for students.
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Inaugural Spring Family Reunion Attracts Crowd
Caitlin Carey, Niner Nation Family
Spring Family Reunion is Niner Nation Family's newest event for parents and family members. It's an opportunity for families to return to campus to connect with UNC Charlotte students, families, faculty and staff - and cheer on the Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team.
This year marked the inaugural Spring Family Reunion. More than 150 family members came out for campus tours, to see the men play North Texas and cheer them to a 103-79 win!
Next year, Niner Nation Family looks forward to hosting an even larger event. Spring Family Reunion will take place in late February or early March. Exact date, time and registration information will be available in late fall 2016. We hope you join us next year!
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NINER NATION FAMILY