Congratulations And Best Wishes To The Tar Heel Graduates!
May 10, 2015 | Academics, Student-Athlete Development
Carolina Athletics congratulates all of the Tar Heel student-athletes who earned their degrees this spring or will do so in August. Many celebrated that accomplishment at UNC Commencement on Sunday, while others were representing Carolina in competition.
Please read on as some of the graduates look back at their time at UNC and ahead to what's up next.
Wrestling
Mt. Sinai, N.Y.
Major: Business Administration with concentrations in Corporate Finance and Consulting
After graduation: I will be working for IBM as a Consultant in New York City.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: No matter where you came from or how good you were or are, hard work pays off more than anything else. Live your life as the leader, student, and athlete you want to be and that is what you will become.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: The close community you feel everywhere you go in Chapel Hill.
Favorite athletic highlight at UNC: Winning the last match of our dual meet senior year to win the dual and upset #12 Virginia at home in my last match in Carmichael Arena.
Favorite class: The class that stands out for me is BUSI 554: Consulting Skills and Frameworks because it pushed me and put me in places outside my comfort zone and allowed me to realize what I wanted to do as a career when I leave UNC.
Women's Golf
Takoma Park, Md.
Majors: American Studies and Exercise and Sport Science with a minor in Spanish for the Professions
After graduation: Playing professional golf
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: Four years goes by really fast. Make the most of your time and try and take advantage of everything Carolina has to offer.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: One thing I'll miss most is the athletic family
The thing I'll miss most about being a student-athlete at UNC: I'll miss being able to represent the University
Favorite professors: I loved all my American Studies professors because they made me think outside the box and question things.
Football
Kernersville, N.C.
Major: Exercise and Sport Science with a minor in Chemistry
After graduation: I have been admitted to participate in the MED (Medical Enrichment Development) Program for this summer at UNC. The Medical Education Development (MED) Program is an intensive educational experience and challenging opportunity to gain insight into the realities of attending medical or dental school. Then I will begin a gap year where I will take 3-5 more classes for dental school and hopefully enroll into dental school in the Fall of 2016.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: Learn how to effectively manage your time and stress!
Non-athletic highlight: Joining my fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and being with my brothers on campus.
Athletic highlight: Going to bowl games with my teammates and having the brotherhood of my football teammates on a daily basis.
Favorite class/professor: Psychology 101 with Professor Jeannie Loeb. Although some test questions might have been tricky, she was by far the best professor that I had during my time here. She truly cared about her students and made class lectures interesting and enjoyable.
Women's Swimming and Diving
Vienna, Va.
Major: Romance Languages, Hispanic Literature and Culture
After graduation: I will be going home to enjoy one last summer before entering the real world!
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: Enjoy every second you have in Chapel Hill because the time flies by! Also participate in everything you can. There are so many cool opportunities here to get involved with and awesome groups of people, so try them all out!
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: I will miss the Carolina community and the hospitality of the south. Everyone here is so kind, inviting, and generous, which is probably why this place feels like home.
Favorite athletic memory: My favorite athletic memory is definitely when we beat UVA my senior year at their pool on their senior night after seven years without beating them once.
Favorite professor/class: Luis Gómez, a professor I had for two Spanish classes and a Portuguese class, was an incredible teacher. He challenged me to really learn the material and the language, and not simply strive to get a good grade. He made class interesting every day and showed his students how much he cared about us as individuals. He invested in us as people and taught us how to be excellent.
Men's Basketball
New Bern, N.C.
Majors: Economics and Global Studies with a minor in Business Administration
After graduation: I'll be studying on a Mitchell Scholarship at Queen's University Belfast, completing a Master's in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice, before returning to Atlanta, Georgia to work with McKinsey & Company
Favorite non-athletic memory: Last month we got the chance to dedicate the Class of 2015's Habitat for Humanity House to one of our Carolina Dining Service workers, and it was really special to be a part of such a great project giving back to the Carolina community that has provided us with so much over these past four years.
Women's Lacrosse
Silver Spring, Md.
Major: Exercise and Sport Science with a minor in Advertising
After graduation: I'm still unsure of my plans, but my intentions are to go back to school eventually. I want to go back to school for Physical Therapy, but I ideally would like to take a year off from school and travel.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: It is honestly the best four years of your life and you will meet your best friends. My advice is never let the bad put you down, things will be okay. You can handle way more than you think. Annnnd "you mustn't be afraid to sparkle a little brighter darling." :)
Favorite non-athletic memory: My favorite non-athletic memory is rushing Franklin St. after our men's basketball team beat Duke. I'll miss "Big Blue," the house I live in with my roommates, the most.
Favorite athletic memory: My favorite athletic memory was winning the National Championship in 2013 in sudden death against an undefeated Maryland.
Favorite professor/class: My favorite professor was Professor Christopher Browning. He taught HIST 262, History of the Holocaust. It was unlike any history I have ever taken – it was more like being told a story rather than a lecture.
Men's Soccer
Cary, N.C.
Majors: Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance with a minor in Spanish for the Professions
After graduation: I will be moving to New York City after graduation and working for Bank of America Merrill Lynch as an investment banking analyst.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: Be sure to expose yourself to different crowds and opportunities. It's easy to get caught up in the life of a student-athlete, but try to meet other people from various different walks of life. It makes your time at Carolina more enjoyable and you may develop relationships that will be beneficial for you in the future.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student-athlete at UNC: Being a student athlete comes with enormous responsibility. But with that responsibility you get to represent something so important. You honor those before you and those to come after you when you put on that uniform. I'll never forget that feeling.
Women's Track and Field
Matthews, N.C.
Major: Public Health, Health Policy and Management with a minor in Spanish for the Professions
After graduation: I'm planning on moving up to D.C. to start a summer internship and continue looking for job opportunities for the fall. I also plan to take the GRE and begin applying to graduate schools to begin in the Fall of 2016.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: I've learned that your team and other athletes are a great support system, so make sure to explore, go to other's competitions, and get to know other fellow student-athletes. You won't regret it!
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: I am going to miss my friends and the college experience.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student-athlete at UNC: I'll miss my team because we've been through so much together. They are family to me and it's going to be hard to leave them.
Favorite professor: I liked my Spanish teacher Dr. Elizabeth Bruno for my SPAN 329 class. She was very flexible, but at the same time she liked to have fun and supported me during my competition season.
Men's Swimming and Diving
London, England
Major: Mathematics
After graduation: I have just started my job as a financial advisor at Navigon Financial Group in Durham, N.C.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: You are told to work hard in your sport and in the classroom but sometimes more important than hard work is self-belief. If you believe you can do it, your hard work will pay off but it's like a mouse trap. You need both these attributes and others to complete the trap and reach your goals.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: I will miss the times with my friends, whether it's playing disc golf or video games. I have made life-long friends at UNC.
Favorite athletic memory: My favourite memory was the come-behind wins in back-to-back dual meets against Virginia and NC State my junior year.
Favorite professor: My favorite professor has to be Michael Taylor in the math department. At first I thought his classes were impossible but when you started to understand the genius of Professor Taylor, you realized how much you were learning, and the wealth of knowledge he has.
Track and Field/Cross Country
Apex, N.C.
Major: Mathematics, with a minor in Computer Science
After graduation: I am interning at Booz Allen Hamilton in the DC area this summer and then attending the University of Tennessee for a masters of Business Analytics.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: Trying to be a great student and a great athlete is challenging but the rewards of seeing the grueling hours pay off is incredible. Keep working hard and remember to realize how lucky you are to have the opportunities you get because before you know it you are graduating.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: I will miss walking through the quad and the pit and seeing all of the students. Its special to walk around UNC and speak to your classmates and see the great goals that everyone has.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student-athlete at UNC: I'll miss being with my teammates most. I enjoyed the bond of our team.
Favorite class and professor: My favorite class was the Geography of North Carolina with Dr. John Florin. I love learning about North Carolina and as a math major those opportunities were rare. It was fun to be able to learn in a different field of study with something else I was passionate about. Dr. Florin was also very knowledgeable which made it fun.
Football
Montreal, Quebec
Majors: Biology and Exercise and Sport Science with a minor in Chemistry. I will also graduate with Highest Honors under the department of Exercise and Sport Science after completing an undergraduate Senior Honors Thesis on the associations between football exposure, concussion history and playing position on cerebral white matter integrity and neurocognitive performance in college and NFL retired football players.
After graduation: After graduation, I plan on attending medical school at the University of Montréal or continuing my research on sport-related concussions in a Masters' degree in Neurosciences at the Queen's University while finishing my two seasons of football eligibility in Canada.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: The Tar Heel brand is powerful and known world-wide. Although student-athletes' schedules can get quite hectic at times, always remember to take time to give back to the community and make somebody smile. All student-athletes have the opportunity to make big differences in people's lives, whether it is with patients at UNC Hospital or families of the Tar Heel community. Dream big, leave a legacy, and remember: The Jersey NEVER comes off.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: The family. UNC students all together form a welcoming, world-changing and passionate community fueled by diversity and southern hospitality. The competitive academics and the amazing research opportunities have turned me into who I am today and prepared me to dive into the next chapter of my life with confidence and excitement. Once a Tar Heel, always a Tar Heel.
Athletic highlight: The beauty of being a student-athlete at UNC is your ability to make a difference and leave a legacy both on and off the field. Whether it involves performing athletically, breaking the frontiers of innovative research or getting involved with outreach in the community, the sky is the limit. The Tar Heel brand is a ticket for change and passionate student-athletes at UNC know how to make the most of it. Be bold and find a way to be remembered. Your success is only limited by the boundaries you set on yourself.
Favorite professor/class: Although most would disagree, I loved my time in organic chemistry under Dr. Austell and Dr. Krumper. Chemistry is a challenging subject within a competitive field that allowed me to think critically and develop myself as a student. Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz was definitely the most influential professor with who I had the opportunity work here at UNC. A professor, a research advisor, a mentor and a friend, Dr. Guskiewicz set the bar high with regards to expectations and forced the most out of my potential. I will always be thankful and appreciative for his dedication to the academia and for his passion for innovation within the field of sport-related concussion research.
Field Hockey
Wolverhampton, England
Major: Public Policy
After graduation: I have a job at Princeton University working for the athletic department and the field hockey team. I'm very excited about the opportunity.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: Spending time in Stallings-Evans sports med aka my second home and social hour.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student-athlete at UNC: Wearing Carolina blue.
Favorite class: History 262, History of the Holocaust with Professor Christopher Browning. Professor Browning was the most amazing and interesting professor I've ever had and made the course incredible.
Baseball
Enfield, N.C.
Majors: Business Administration and Economics
After graduation: Either will be working for J.P. Morgan in their investment banking division or will be pursuing professional baseball.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: Find out the best professors, because their classes are always the best (not because of the material necessarily but because they are just excellent professors).
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: Spring on the Quads.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student-athlete at UNC: The Rammys is always an amazing event!
Favorite classes/professors:
1. Patrick Vernon and entrepreneurship classes he teaches
2. Chip Snively and finance classes that he teaches
3. Dr. Michael Aguilar and the classes that he teaches (macroeconomics, financial markets, and econometrics).
Men's Lacrosse
Mason, Ohio
Major: Business Administration
After graduation: I will be working for Wells Fargo in their Sales and Trading division as an Interest Rate Derivatives Sales Analyst.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student-athlete at UNC: Being a part of a sports team at a very high-caliber educational school.
Softball
York, Pa.
Major: Business Administration
After graduation: After earning my Business Administration degree from the Kenan-Flagler Business School this spring, I will be interning this summer with KPMG, one of the Big 4 Accounting firms, in Raleigh, NC. I will then be returning to Chapel Hill in the fall to complete UNC's Master's of Accounting degree and the CPA. My plans after that are to start full-time with KPMG and begin my career there.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: Take advantage of everything you can here at UNC. We have some of the best people and programs in the country for almost anything you want to do. Make sure to focus on school work and your sport, but don't forget to have some fun too!
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: The thing I will miss most about being a UNC student is the people. Coming from up North in PA, I wasn't used to the whole idea of southern hospitality. The people down here are just genuinely nice people who care about you, and the culture at UNC exudes this tradition.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student-athlete at UNC: The thing I will miss most about being a student-athlete is the camaraderie around being a Tar Heel. From proudly wearing the absolute best color in college athletics, Carolina Blue, to singing the alma matter at the end of softball games while swaying around the pitchers mound, the amount of pride in representing this school is the thing I will miss most.
Favorite class/professor: My favorite class in undergrad was Personal Finance with Professor Chip Snively. I learned so many useful life skills which will be very applicable for my future. The culminating course project included a budget/ cash flow projection for the next five years, which was very helpful. Chip is so passionate about teaching and truly cares about getting to know his students, which is why he is my favorite professor at UNC.
Men's Golf
Raleigh, N.C.
Major: Business Administration
After graduation: I plan to pursue a career in the sports industry with a sports agency, sports management/marketing firm, college athletic conference, professional sports organization, etc. I am currently still on the job search.
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: My advice to UNC student-athletes would be to cherish every day. It sounds very cliché, but your four college years do really fly by. And the relationships you establish at Carolina can really last a lifetime. Also, remember to show your appreciation to all the wonderful things/people we have access to...Loudermilk, academic support staff, strength coaches, trainers, practice facilities, playing facilities, etc.
Non-athletic highlight: My most memorable non-athletic highlight was being honored at the Scholar-Athlete Awards Luncheon as a Top 5 Male Scholar-Athlete. To be able to get up on stage and share my thoughts with all the incredible student-athletes here at Carolina was amazing. Aside from that, I will always remember the friends that I made in my time here.
Athletic highlight: My most memorable athletic highlight at Carolina was finishing top 15 at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate in the Fall 2014 followed by winning qualifying for our very next event (at Primland in Virginia). To see the looks on my coaches' faces was amazing. They were so proud of me, because of all the hard work that I had put into getting to that point. But bigger than any individual accomplishment are the relationships that I have developed with my teammates and two coaches. I will cherish them forever, and they are much greater than anything you can accomplish on the course.
Favorite professor: My favorite professor at Carolina was Jessica Christian (who I invited to the Scholar-Athlete Awards Luncheon). As I said in my remarks that day, the energy and enthusiasm she brought with her to class each day was amazing. And her example taught me the importance of doing the same in my day-to-day life.
Women's Fencing
Wilson, N.C.
Major: Economics with a minor in Mathematical Decision Sciences
After graduation: I will be working as an actuary for Fidelity Investments
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: My advice to current/future athletes is to work as hard in the classroom as you do in athletics but make sure you set aside time to enjoy your four years in chapel hill because they fly by.
The thing I'll miss most about being a student at UNC: I am going to miss all of the friends I have made (especially everyone from 5th floor Granville East) at UNC the most. Even though I know I'll still keep in touch with most of them, it will be hard not being able to hang out with them every week.
Favorite athletic highlight at UNC: My favorite athletic memory is competing at home, in the ACC tournament, for the last meet of my career. I was so glad to finish at UNC surrounded by my friends and family.
Favorite class/professor: Charles Dunn and his long/short term actuarial models classes (STOR 471-472) have had a great impact on me and my decision to begin a career in actuarial sciences. I really appreciate how big of an interest Professor Dunn takes in all of his students' futures; he helped make the job hunt a very smooth and enjoyable one.
Men's Swimming and Diving
Mooresville, N.C.
Major: Exercise and Sport Science with a minor in Chemistry
After graduation: I am going to attend the UNC Dental School beginning this August
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: If I could give one piece of advice to future student-athletes it would be to take advantage of the opportunity and privilege to be a student as well as an athlete at UNC, and to take your time here as an undergrad one day at a time while living each day to the fullest because it goes by quicker than you may think.
Women's Soccer
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Major: Journalism (reporting) and Political Science
After graduation: I plan to become a campus minister at UNC after graduation and will be training for that this summer!
Advice for current or future UNC student-athletes: Get to know students who aren't athletes. UNC hosts some of the best athletes in the world for their four years of college, but it also hosts some of the smartest, most passionate, most caring individuals who happen to not be athletes. I would also advise to find an adult mentor or a peer mentor who is at least a few years older than you who is willing to listen and answer your questions and give you advice and encourage you. Because there will be many times when you definitely need encouragement.
Congratulations to all of student-athletes graduating in May or August:
May/Aug. 2015 Graduates
Benton Moss (Baseball)
Jesse Wierzbicki (Baseball)
Luke Davis (Men's Basketball)
Desmond Hubert (Men's Basketball)
Sasha Seymore (Men's Basketball)
Jackson Simmons (Men's Basketball)
Parker Williams (Men's Fencing)
Will Woliver-Jones (Men's Fencing)
Cam Campbell (Football)
Allen Champagne (Football)
Luke Heavner (Football)
Thomas Hibbard (Football)
Kameron Jackson (Football)
Ryan Mangum (Football)
Miller Snyder (Football)
Nathan Staub (Football)
Jack Tabb (Football)
Brandon Dalinka (Men's Golf)
Bailey Patrick (Men's Golf)
Robert Register (Men's Golf)
Reeves Zaytoun (Men's Golf)
Jake Bailey (Men's Lacrosse)
Jimmy Bitter (Men's Lacrosse)
Walker Chafee (Men's Lacrosse)
Drew Hays (Men's Lacrosse)
Joe Costigan (Men's Lacrosse)
Derek Henson (Men's Lacrosse)
Duncan Hutchins (Men's Lacrosse)
Ryan Kilpatrick (Men's Lacrosse)
Joey Sankey (Men's Lacrosse)
Chad Tutton (Men's Lacrosse)
Ryan McAnallen (Men's Soccer)
Brian Bollerman (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Ryan Fox (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Dom Glavich (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Clifton Gordon (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Tyler Hill (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Nick Lowe (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Brian McClintock (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Patrick Myers (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Esben Hess-Olesen (Men's Tennis)
Oystein Steiro (Men's Tennis)
Devon Carter (Men's Track & Field)
Jack Driggs (Men's Track & Field)
Joe Hutchinson (Men's Track & Field)
Mike Jacobs (Men's Track & Field)
Braedon Koerwitz (Men's Track & Field)
Scott Morgan (Men's Track & Field)
Dan Mykityshyn (Men's Track & Field)
Bryan Noreen (Men's Track & Field)
Pat Schellberg (Men's Track & Field)
Roy Smith (Men's Track & Field)
Ryan Walling (Men's Track & Field)
Frank Abbondanza (Wrestling)
Andrew Barksdale (Wrestling)
Chris Mears (Wrestling)
Whitney Adams (Women's Basketball)
Megan Buckland (Women's Basketball)
Danielle Butts (Women's Basketball)
Latifah Coleman (Women's Basketball)
Brittany Rountree (Women's Basketball)
Sarah Flinn (Women's Fencing)
Maura Thornton (Women's Fencing)
Sassi Ammer (Field Hockey)
Charlotte Craddock (Field Hockey)
Loren Shealy (Field Hockey)
Maia Schechter (Women's Golf)
Kristin Aloi (Gymnastics)
Acacia Cosentino (Gymnastics)
Janell Sargent (Gymnastics)
Haley Watts (Gymnastics)
Brittney Coppa (Women's Lacrosse)
Margaret Corzel (Women's Lacrosse)
Eileen Giles (Women's Lacrosse)
Sam McGee (Women's Lacrosse)
Morgan Rubin (Women's Lacrosse)
Paula Schmidt (Women's Lacrosse)
Lindsay Scott (Women's Lacrosse)
Sarah Scott (Women's Lacrosse)
Caileigh Sindall (Women's Lacrosse)
Courtney Waite (Women's Lacrosse)
Sarah Eastley (Rowing)
Steph Henrich (Rowing)
Emily Leidolf (Rowing)
Ali Margherio (Rowing)
Sarah Priest (Rowing)
Katherine Summerton (Rowing)
Amanda Truesdell (Rowing)
Kati Causey (Softball)
Jenna Kelly (Softball)
Amber Parrish (Softball)
Jordan Scarboro (Softball)
Lauren Walker (Softball)
Kelly Corish (Women's Swimming & Diving)
Danielle Siverling (Women's Swimming & Diving)
Caitlin Ball (Women's Soccer)
Brooke Elby (Women's Soccer)
Bianca Gray (Women's Soccer)
Taylor Ramirez (Women's Soccer)
Sarah Thompson (Women's Soccer)
Caroline Price (Women's Tennis)
Emma Brink (Women's Track & Field)
Lianne Farber (Women's Track & Field)
Cori Floyd (Women's Track & Field)
Lauren Lazor (Women's Track & Field)
Annie LeHardy (Women's Track & Field)
Kylie McCoy (Women's Track & Field)
Cameron Overstreet (Women's Track & Field)
Xenia Rahn (Women's Track & Field)
Julie Swaim (Women's Track & Field)
Chaney LaReau (Volleyball)
Ece Taner (Volleyball)
Players Mentioned
