WHEELER NEW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CHAIR  
Jason Wheeler ’99, ‘03M took over as chair of the UNCW Alumni Association on July 1. He replaced Donis Noe Smith ’86, ‘94M who had served as chair since July 2005.  A board member since 2003, Wheeler has served as treasurer and vice chair. He is the owner of Pathfinder Investments in Wilmington and may be reached at 910.231.8887 or Jason@pathfinderinvestments.com.

WATSON SCHOOL ALUMNI CHAPTER FALL MEETING
The annual fall meeting of Watson School of Education Alumni Chapter is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13 in the Education Building, Room 162. A light buffet dinner will be served, then a meeting will be held to discuss the year ahead. More information is available by contacting chapter president Jeanne Harmon at 910.962.2130 or harmonj@uncw.edu.  

LEGACY LUNCHEON
Do you have a son, daughter or grandchild attending UNCW in the fall? Are they new students or transfer students? Contact the alumni association for information on how we celebrate your legacy at UNCW! Call 800.596.2880 or e-mail alumni@uncw.edu.

WISE ALUMNI HOUSE CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS
Wise Alumni House is closed temporarily for interior renovations and roof replacement. The UNCW Office of Alumni Relations has temporarily relocated to 10 S. Cardinal Drive in Wilmington. The mailing address will remain 601 S. College Road, Wilmington, NC, 28403-5906. All telephone numbers remain the same; the main office number is 910.962.2682. MORE

GET ON BOARD
The UNCW Alumni Association is seeking “active” alumni to fill vacant positions on its board of directors. Resumes and a completed application (pdf) can be sent by e-mail. For more information call 910.962.2682 or 800.596.2880.

GIFTS, PLEDGES TO UNCW TOTAL NEARLY $9.7 MILLION
For the first time in its history, UNCW received four donations of at least $1 million each within a single fiscal year, and the university’s overall fundraising for 2006-07 totaled approximately $9.7 million. “UNC Wilmington consistently receives outstanding support from alumni, parents, friends and other donors because they believe in our commitment to providing students with the best possible learning experiences,” said Charles Evans, chairman of the board of trustees. “Philanthropic gifts supplement the funding UNCW receives from the state and enhance each student’s education. Not only are these gifts meaningful to the donors and their families or companies, but they also help provide the means for many deserving students to pursue a higher education and to provide new and expanded facilities for our students, faculty and staff." MORE

OSHER FOUNDATION AWARDS $1 MILLION ENDOWMENT
The Bernard Osher Foundation awarded a $1 million endowment to UNCW to support the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, which provides non-credit university courses, seminars, lectures, travel excursions and other educational opportunities to adult learners. MORE

NEW STUDY FINDS COASTAL ECONOMY VULNERABLE TO SEA LEVEL RISE
A recently released research study finds that North Carolina's coastline will continue to experience significant loss in land area, property and recreational value in the next 30 to 75 years due to projected changes in climate. The findings appear in the report "Measuring the Impacts of Climate Change on North Carolina Coastal Resources," which assesses the impact of rising sea levels on property values, recreation and quality of life. MORE

CONTINUED GROWTH PREDICTED FOR LOCAL ECONOMY
Following growth of 6 percent over 2006, the local economy of Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties is forecast to expand by approximately 7 percent over 2007 and 6 percent over 2008. MORE

PENGUIN REMAINS USED TO MEASURE
ANTARCTIC ICE MOVEMENT
Climate change is nothing new. For thousands, perhaps millions of years, Antarctica's massive ice sheet - 5.5 million square miles - has advanced and retreated as the earth's atmosphere cooled and warmed. Yet, until recently, there was no precise way to measure the shifting interface between ice and open water. By estimating the age of Adélie penguin remains using radiocarbon dating, UNCW Professor Steven D. Emslie has determined a history of penguin colony locations that spans the last 45,000 years, the longest record now known for any species of penguin. MORE

MEHRTENS NAMED UNCW’S FIFTH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Following a comprehensive national search that attracted nearly 300 applicants, UNCW selected Kelly Landry Mehrtens, associate athletic director/senior women’s administrator, University of Kansas, as its new athletic director. She will begin her new position on Aug. 13.  MORE

MILSTEAD NAMED CAA'S TOP FEMALE SCHOLAR
Melissa Milstead has added the crown jewel to her impressive list of athletic and academic accomplishments this past season with the women's swimming team: 2006-07 Colonial Athletic Association Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. Milstead, who was selected Women's Swimming Scholar Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year last month, was selected the league's top scholar in voting by the league's 12 sports information directors. It marks the third straight year that UNCW has collected the honor. MORE

BROOKS FIELD TO HOST CAA TOURNEY THOUGH 2009
The CAA Baseball Championship will continue to be held at UNCW through 2009. The six-team, double-elimination tournament moved to 3,000-seat Brooks Field in 2004 and has been played at the facility for the past four years. Brooks Field is considered one of the finest on-campus complexes in the collegiate ranks. MORE

CAA TRACK COACHES RECOGNIZE RAYNOR, SPRECHER
Former UNCW track and field standout Anna Raynor and head coach Jim Sprecher were selected the CAA Co-Female Athlete of the Year and Men's Coach of the Year, respectively, by the league's coaches. The conference also announced its All-Conference honorees, with UNCW placing four on the women's team and 23 on the men's list. MORE

This electronic newsletter is produced by UNCW Marketing and Communications in cooperation with the UNCW Alumni Association and Advancement Services Office. Send all questions, comments and other feedback to bianchim@uncw.edu. If you wish to change your e-mail address or if you want to be added to or removed from our mailing list, please respond to spotlight@uncw.edu and note your request in the subject line or call us at 910.962.4186 or toll-free at 1.866.GO.UNCW1 (866.468.6291).

© University of North Carolina Wilmington, July 2007