On Thursday, April 6, UNCW Biology and Marine Biology assistant professor Dr. Blake Ushijima and his colleagues published a paper detailing their discovery of the first bacterial probiotic that can effectively treat and prevent stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). An ongoing outbreak of SCTLD in the Caribbean Ocean threatens to eradicate many coral species in the region. If left untreated, it could prevent the areas' reefs from providing crucial habitats for marine life, protection from storms and erosion and opportunities for human jobs and recreation.
On April 28, 2023, Delta Alpha Pi (DAPi), UNCW’s Disability Honors Society, conducted its first induction ceremony on UNCW’s campus. The society, currently led by Jennifer Uber from the Disability Resource Center, inducted its executive board including Shay Webb, Aurora Gregory, Jay Sumakeris and Morgan Brumfield, along with all of their new inductees. Chancellor Aswani Volety attended the event and spoke of his support for the new organization, specifically how this society will further disability inclusion and advocacy on campus.
Employers on campus advertise a number of benefits to prospective student employees. Flexible hours, discounts, sense of community, opportunities for work-study and convenient location are all touted as reasons why students should choose on-campus employment. However, according to many student employees, paying a fair wage is exceedingly more important to the well-being of student employees in a time of rapid inflation and economic instability.
On Tuesday, April 25, North Carolina Senator Michael Lee (R) received the Razor Walker Award for Public Policy from UNCW’s Watson College of Education. The award is to distinguish those who overcome barriers and take professional risks to support childrens’ education, and “walk the razor’s edge” alongside students.
Beginning in the fall of 2023, Cody Brandon and Skyler Stein will lead the Student Government Association (SGA). By casting a ballot in the SGA presidential election, which finished on March 23, 2023, students elected new leaders for their respective classes. Stein and Brandon agreed to an interview about their vision and hopes to improve initiatives around UNCW’s campus.
Dozens of people gathered on the steps of Thalian Hall on International Transgender Day of Visibility to protest for trans rights. Every year, March 31 is dedicated to recognizing trans visibility and rights. Trans Day of Visibility was initially created by transgender activist Rachel Crandall in 2009 to foster joy and celebrate transgender people.
“I look forward to traveling miles of opportunity with you and for you as your chancellor of the University of North Carolina Wilmington,” said Volety. “I hope you will join me on this most exciting journey. Let’s soar high, soar far, and soar together Seahawks.”
Last month, on Monday, Feb. 20, the Office of University Relations (OUR) at the University of North Carolina Wilmington received information from the University Police Department (UPD) regarding an inaccurate report of an active shooter near the Watson College of Education.
On Jan. 10, Wilmington’s city council voted unanimously to purchase The Salvation Army’s N 2nd St. property for $4.8 million. The city is currently leasing the property to the organization until its eventual closure in May of this year. A new facility off Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy. is still under construction and will not be completed for at least a year.
In honor of Rosa Parks' birthday, Feb. 4, Wave Transit in Wilmington, North Carolina reserved a seat through Feb. 6 in the front of the bus in remembrance of her contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. The seat contained a placard describing Park’s role in desegregating public transportation.
In 2019, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) began working with granular activated carbon (GAC) filters to reduce traces of Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in Wilmington drinking water. PFAS are man-made chemicals that have been used in consumer products such as household cleaners since the 1940s.
On Nov. 10, 1898, a crowd of roughly 2,000 members of the then Democratic party invaded the second floor of Free Love Hall, the building that contained The Daily Record, and set it on fire. The attackers swarmed the rest of the city, killing what some reports indicate to be 60-300 victims.
Conservation efforts are being made in the Pleasure Island area. The NC Land and Water Fund honored Freeman Park with a land grant of $4 million dollars this past month, and the money will go towards preserving wildlife and the upkeep of the Carolina Beach sanctuary.
When the Supreme Court repealed the long-standing abortion rights established by Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey in Dobbs v. Jackson at the end of June 2022, the discussion around abortion caught the attention of the country. Now, the legality of abortion is up to each state to determine for themselves, and as the midterms approach, students across the political spectrum at UNCW are determined to make their voices heard at the ballot box.
The voting process in North Carolina has begun to ramp up as the state prepares for its eventful election season. State and local governments are encouraging all individuals to register and cast their ballots.