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THE SEAHAWK SPOTLIGHT
December 2004 - Vol. 3 - No. 9
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 Welcome to UNCW's monthly newsletter for alumni and friends, bringing you news about the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and the UNCW Alumni Association. Please feel free to pass this along to other alumni and friends of UNCW. A Web-based version of this issue is available at http://www.uncw.edu/alumni/seahawk_spotlight/2004/December.html.
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CONTENTS

I. ALUMNI NEWS

• Homecoming weekend Feb. 4-6
• AAGA homecoming plans
• Board member spotlight
• Update your information

II. CAMPUS NEWS

• Marine biotechnology product offers promise as cystic fibrosis treatment
• Sachs’ book selected for first ‘One Book, One Community’ program
• Mortons receive honorary degrees; 1,100 graduate Dec. 11
• Trustees approve tuition/fees increase
• Murder case comes to an end

III. SEAHAWK SPORTS

• Seahawks sixth in NCAA with fewest turnovers
• Baseball season tickets available
• Red Sox’s Terry Francona to speak
• Renkin gets national recognition
• Give a toy, get a game ticket

IV. EVENTS

• Lectures
• Performances
• Exhibits
• Calendar

V. OTHER LINKS

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I. Alumni News
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HOMECOMING WEEKEND FEB. 4-6
The UNCW Alumni Association will celebrate Homecoming Feb. 4-6, 2005. Planned events include the annual awards dinner Friday, Feb. 4 and a pregame social at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5 in the Hawk’s Nest. The UNCW Seahawks play Old Dominion University at 4 p.m. in Trask Coliseum. Alumni board chair Ed Vosnock ’71 will crown the Homecoming queen at half-time. On Sunday, Feb. 6 the Lady Seahawks play Delaware at 2 p.m. in Trask Coliseum. For more information on these and other Homecoming activities, please contact the UNCW Alumni Relations Office at 910.962.2682.

AAGA HOMECOMING PLANS
AAGA, the African American Graduates Association, will kick off its homecoming celebration the afternoon of Friday, Feb. 4 with a parade followed by a meet-and-greet social in University Union, Room 100. A step show is planned for Friday night with teams competing from various schools in North Carolina. On the morning of Saturday, Feb. 5, AAGA will have its annual business meeting with the installation of new officers, followed by lunch. The group will recognize the first Ralph Parker Scholarship recipient, Tonga Boney. After the men’s basketball game, AAGA, in conjunction with ACE, is planning a social gathering for alumni and undergraduate students.

BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
The December Seahawk Spotlight is focused on Jennifer H. Adams who received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Georgia Tech in 1990 and an MBA from UNCW in 2000. She and her husband, John, owner of 317 Incorporated, have one child, Grantland, 5. She is the supervisor of environmental controls at Corning Incorporated. Adams was elected to the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors in 2003 and serves on the Finance Committee. She is active in the Wilmington tennis community, having served as a USTA League team captain and tennis chair on the Pine Valley Country Club Board of Directors. She has served as piano accompanist for the Brunswick County High School Chorus.

UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION
Have you moved, changed jobs, married, had a baby? UNCW wants to know! With nearly 40,000 alumni on record, we need your help in keeping your information up to date. Please use the following link to update your biographical information today! https://cgi2.ocis.uncwil.edu/alumni/keepintouch.html

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II. Campus News
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MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY PRODUCT OFFERS PROMISE AS CYSTIC FIBROSIS TREATMENT
UNCW researchers working with Florida red tide toxin at the Center for Marine Science have discovered two new compounds that may treat mucus build-up associated with cystic fibrosis and similar lung diseases. Preliminary studies show these compounds improve the flow of mucus through the respiratory tract, allowing airways to clear more quickly and efficiently. http://appserv02.uncw.edu/news/article.asp?ID=1438

SACHS’ BOOK SELECTED FOR FIRST ‘ONE BOOK, ONE COMMUNITY’ PROGRAM
The House on Dream Street: Memoir of an American Woman in Vietnam by Dana Sachs, UNCW MFA graduate and part-time faculty member, is the first selection for the New Hanover County’s “One Book, One Community” program. Cape Fear Community College Learning Resource Center, New Hanover County Public Library, New Hanover High School and UNCW Randall Library are sponsoring the program and its events. http://appserv02.uncw.edu/news/article.asp?ID=1439

MORTONS RECEIVE HONORARY DEGREES; 1,100 GRADUATE DEC. 11
UNCW awarded more than 1,100 undergraduate and graduate degrees during commencement Dec. 11 in Trask Coliseum. In addition, Hugh and Julia Morton were presented honorary Doctor of Humanities degrees. http://appserv02.uncw.edu/news/article.asp?ID=1436

TRUSTEES APPROVE TUITION/FEES INCREASE
The UNCW Board of Trustees voted Dec. 10 to increase in-state undergraduate tuition 11.7 percent, adding $225 to the cost of attending the school next year. The board also approved raising general fees nearly 4 percent to $1,767. Both must be approved by the UNC Board of Governors. The greatest portions of the increases are earmarked for restoring positions lost in 2002 budget cuts and increasing instructional salaries.

MURDER CASE COMES TO AN END
Curtis Dixon, who was awaiting trial after being charged with May murder of UNCW student Jessica Lee Faulkner, died Dec. 9 after suffering massive head injuries Dec. 7, bringing a sudden end to a case that has been felt across the UNC System. (http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041210/NEWS/41209029&SearchID=73193030062140) Two separate press conferences are scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 16 by the New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office and university officials to discuss details of the case. In related matters, the UNC Office of the President Safety Task Force released its recommendations on Tuesday, Dec. 14, (http://appserv02.uncw.edu/news/article.asp?ID=1441) and UNCW’s Task Force on Campus Violence Prevention is scheduled to release its report on Friday, Dec. 17.

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III. Seahawk Sports
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SEAHAWKS SIXTH IN NCAA WITH FEWEST TURNOVERS
The UNCW men's basketball team is one of the best in the NCAA Division I ranks at taking care of the ball. The Seahawks, 4-2, rank sixth in the country out of 326 schools for fewest turnovers per game with just 10.8 each contest. Coach Brad Brownell's team committed a season-low seven miscues in its 76-67 loss Dec. 12 to Illinois-Chicago at Trask Coliseum. http://appserv02.uncw.edu/athletics/article.asp?ID=525

Upcoming basketball games: Men’s - http://www.uncw.edu/athletics/2004-05%20Mens%20Basketball/Schedule.htm; Women’s - http://www.uncw.edu/athletics/2004-05%20Womens%20Basketball/Schedule.htm

BASEBALL SEASON TICKETS AVAILABLE
Season tickets are on sale now for the upcoming baseball season at UNCW. The Seahawks and Coach Mark Scalf are coming off their first Colonial Athletic Association championship and will play 35 home games in 2005. In addition, the Seahawks will play host to the CAA Tournament once again in the spring. http://appserv02.uncw.edu/athletics/sport.asp?Sport=BAS

RED SOX’S TERRY FRANCONA TO SPEAK
For the second consecutive year, the manager of baseball’s World Series champion will be the keynote speaker at the UNCW Dugout Club’s annual spring training banquet. Terry Francona, manager of the 2004 World Series Champions Boston Red Sox, will speaker at the Jan. 29 event at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside. http://appserv02.uncw.edu/athletics/article.asp?ID=385

RENKIN GETS NATIONAL RECOGNITION
UNCW women’s soccer player Caroline Renkin is a finalist for the Athletes for a Better World (ABW) inaugural John Wooden Trophy. Renkin is one of six student-athletes nominated in the college and university division. The award will be presented at the ABW’s award ceremony Monday, Jan. 10 at the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel. As a finalist, Renkin will be recognized at the ceremony. http://appserv02.uncw.edu/athletics/article.asp?ID=324

GIVE A TOY, GET A GAME TICKET
UNCW’s basketball teams are joining the U.S. Marine Corps to support their annual “Toys For Tots” campaign. Fans can drop off toys to redeem a ticket for the UNCW-East Carolina women’s basketball game on Saturday, Dec. 18, at Trask Coliseum. http://appserv02.uncw.edu/athletics/article.asp?ID=416

For more Seahawk athletics’ news visit http://www.uncw.edu/athletics.

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IV. Events
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Unless otherwise indicated, programs are held in Kenan Auditorium. Ticket information is available by calling the Box Office at 962.3500, or 800.732.3643, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

LECTURES

PERFORMANCES

EXHIBITS

CALENDAR

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V. Other Links
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Honor a loved one with a gift to UNCW – http://www.uncw.edu/uniadv/ – Give a gift that keeps on giving with a year-end, tax-deductible donation to UNCW. All contributions must be received by Dec. 31. You can make your gift by credit card by calling 910.962.4186.

Campus News – http://www.uncw.edu/news – Read more of the latest news and events happening across campus.

UNCW Alumni Association – http://www.uncw.edu/alumni – Your alumni association has grown to nearly 40,000 members. We invite you to become an active member of the organization by making a gift to the university, joining a chapter, attending events or serving on the board of directors. Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo thanks alumni for their generous support of the university during the last fiscal year and challenges them to raise the giving participation level for 2004-05 to 12 percent. Call 910.962.2682 or 800.596.2880 for details.

Admissions – http://www.uncw.edu/admissions – UNCW is one of the South’s best public undergraduate teaching institutions as evidenced by a high demand from talented students seeking admission, national recognition and growth in regionally relevant programs such as marine biology, education, gerontology, public administration and film studies.

Transcripts – http://www.uncw.edu/reg/transcript_requests_nw.html

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University office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
© University of North Carolina at Wilmington, December 2004
Marybeth K. Bianchi, editor

Send all questions, comments and other feedback to spotlight@uncw.edu.