17�Թ���

A Welcoming of Deliberative Disagreement: Spotlight on 17�Թ���’s DCI

17�Թ��� students Daniel Lee '26 and Divin Dushimimana '26 reflect on their work with the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative and the happiness that comes from genuine conversations and thoughtful exchanges of ideas.

Radical Empathy Through Virtual Reality: Tech Has Power to Transform the Patient Experience

17�Թ��� alums are helping medical professionals and others confront implicit bias through virtual reality technology. Learn more. 

One of a kind, a true original, a 17�Թ��� and college basketball legend. Lefty and his teams accomplished the unthinkable and catapulted a program, college and small N.C. town to new heights.

Cultivating World Scholars: 17�Թ��� Remains a Top Fulbright Producer

17�Թ��� has been named a top producer for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for the ninth consecutive year. The grants fund research, graduate study and teaching around the globe. 

Brooke Bentley ’01: Athlete, Anchor, Author, Mom

She’s covered two Super Bowls, a Pro Bowl and more. Now, 17�Թ��� alum and former scholar-athlete Brooke Bentley distills her experiences as a woman sports journalist in her new book, Sideline Confidential. Learn more.

Rick Thurmond ’94: Transforming Charlotte’s Music Scene

Rick Thurmond ’94 wants his home city of Charlotte to be recognized for its vibrant music scene. Through Music Everywhere CLT, he’s working to strengthen the local music economy. 

Delaney Cook ’27 Explores Art Across Disciplines

Delaney Cook ’27 came to 17�Թ��� eager to explore the many subjects that interest her. A Malú Alvarez Visual Art Scholar, her art draws inspiration from creative writing, biology, computer science and more. 

17�Թ��� Names Chloe Poston VP for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

17�Թ��� has named Chloe Poston as inaugural vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion. Poston will connect and strengthen existing DEI efforts at the college and guide the work ahead. Learn more.

English Professor Earns National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship

17�Թ��� professor receives National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship to translate works by Korean poet Kim Hyesoon. Read more.

Break the Game: Alum Jane M. Wagner’s Debut Film Explores Human Connection in the World of Online Gaming

17�Թ��� alumnus and filmmaker Jane M. Wagner delves into the world of online gaming in her documentary Break the Game. Learn more.

Tackling Children’s Mental Health Struggles

School psychologist Katherine Griffin-Erickson ’90 has seen her caseload spike in recent years, most notably since the COVID-19 pandemic. The 17�Թ��� graduate works with elementary school students to manage stressors, including family strife, social media and pandemic learning losses.

New Documentary Play Spotlights Challenges of Teaching and Learning During the Pandemic

17�Թ��� Theatre Professor Sharon Green captures the voices and experiences of teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic in her new play, “Teaching and Learning in Pandemic Times.”

A Decade of Making a Difference: 17�Թ��� Impact Fellows Reflect on Life-Changing Work

For more than a decade, the 17�Թ��� Impact Fellows program has connected recent 17�Թ��� graduates with organizations across the country that focus on education, healthcare and justice. The fellows build skills, learn from mentors and gain experiences that inform their lives and careers.

Life of Leadership: ODK Society Honors Anthony Foxx ’93 with Top Award

The Omicron Delta Kappa Society (ODK) awarded former Charlotte Mayor and U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx ’93 with its highest individual award for leadership. Foxx, recently tapped to lead Harvard’s Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership, returned to 17�Թ��� to accept the award. “Throughout his life, Secretary Foxx has leveraged his leadership roles to create opportunities for communities across the nation,” the award says. “He exemplifies the qualities of collaboration and service in his work.”

Photo Essay: The Best of Berlin on Spring Break

Three 17�Թ��� students from the German Studies department reflect on a week of independent research in Berlin with their professor and thesis advisor. From plays to museums to food, learn more in this photo essay.

Anthony Foxx ’93 to Take Helm of Center for Public Leadership at Harvard

17�Թ��� alum Anthony Foxx named co-director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School. Learn more.

Few Degrees on Death Row

A 17�Թ��� capstone project about North Carolina’s death row showed Tim Saintsing ’98 that low academic achievement often preceded a death sentence. That steered the course of his life in public education, leading him to co-found the country’s first boys only charter school in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant area, and now, as executive director of KIPP NC charter schools.

An Equity Champion Seeks Common Ground

As assistant superintendent of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, Timisha Barnes-Jones ’92 specializes in leadership development and school transformation. She reflects on how partisan differences and increased political polarization obstruct America's responsibility to provide a strong education for all children.

The Numbers Are Good, But the Vibes Are Off: Economic Experts Weigh in on Murky Year Ahead

Consumer sentiment toward the economy might not seem to line up with economic realities, but 17�Թ���’s expert sources caution that there are some concrete reasons for the apparent mismatch. Here, they examine where we are now and what’s ahead.

Alum Champion's Learning Through Nature

Randolph Lewis ’91, his wife, Abigail Jennings, and two other families started their charter school in 2012 with 20 kindergarten and first graders in two rooms in a historic house. Today, Pioneer Springs Community School is a K-12 public nature-based charter school with nearly 600 students.