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The Seahawk

The news site of UNC Wilmington

The Seahawk

The news site of UNC Wilmington

The Seahawk

New York Times bestselling author helps women achieve dreams

Shelby Purvis | Contributing Writer October 12, 2011

College is difficult for everyone. It's even harder for women who are trying to juggle college classes while working and raising a family.That's why Linda Lael Miller, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling...

Obama asks students to set their sights on college

Jessica Ferrer | Contributing Writer October 12, 2011

It's not just parents who want their kids to go college. Now the president wants them to go too.President Obama delivered his third annual back-to-school speech Sept. 28 to students at Benjamin Banneker...

Chancellor creates and fills new position to expand university partnerships

Sasha Johnson | News Editor October 5, 2011

Chancellor Gary Miller has brought in Wilmington local and UNCW alumna Jenni Harris to fill a recently created position: Assistant to the Chancellor for Community Partnerships.Chancellor Miller has been...

Helping, giving, living, loving: a tribute to UNCW student Amanda Johnson

Sasha Johnson | News Editor October 5, 2011

When someone truly values life, they not only live it, they give it.

Amanda Johnson, 28, lived a life of passion, joy, gratitude and service to others. She passed away Tuesday, Sept. 13, and is survived by a supportive family, her well-loved cats and a community that remembers her for her zealous love of life and passion for helping people.

"She invested her spirit, mind and body into everything she did," said Amanda's mother, Pam Johnson. "She had a very full life."

Amanda was working on her liberal arts master's thesis at UNCW and was a program assistant for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). Pam said that Amanda worked until the day she died, and that when Pam had to go to OLLI to inform Amanda's supervisor and coworkers of her death they asked in earnest, "Was she sick?"

Amanda was born with a devastating heart condition that she had to cope with her entire life, but it never defined her, nor did it stop her from doing the things she loved.

"She was not at all disabled. She would say ‘I'm just a normal person living my life.' She did an awful lot with what life gave her," said Pam.

Amanda attended East Carolina University and earned a B.S. in communication and media production. An exceptional student, Amanda graduated magna cum laude, received the Outstanding Graduate Award in the School of Communication, and was a member of ECU's most distinguished honors society, Phi Kappa Phi. She was also a recipient of the W. Keats Sparrow Award for excellence in writing and research, and her passion and skill in photography won her first place in a statewide 4-H contest.

"Those things meant a lot to her, but really she wanted to live her life," said Pam.

Amanda moved to Wilmington in 2006 because of her love for theatre and cinema. According to Pam, that was the real reason; her excuse was that she was going to get a master's degree.

Her interest in cinema and performing arts led her to become one of the founding members of the Magnolia Arts Center in Greenville, and while living in Wilmington, Amanda volunteered her time at the Cucalorus Film Festival.

"She did any kind of volunteering that would get her connected with people," said Pam.

While pursuing her master's, Amanda interned at WHQR for more than a year and continued to volunteer with them after she became employed at OLLI.

Amanda had an avid desire to be connected with the world, and for this reason her family hosted several exchange students. She traveled all over the U.S. during her lifetime, from L.A. to New Orleans, all the while making strong and everlasting connections. Amanda also worked for the Center for Cultural Interchange to connect international travelers with host families.

"She loved to be part of the bigger world," said Pam.

But Amanda's love of travel did not stop there. She rejoiced in her freedom, which took her down nearly every bike path in Wilmington. It was her goal to ride them all, said Pam.

Amanda faced challenges that most people cannot imagine, but she was grateful for everything she had, every kindness she received and every second that she was alive. She didn't just get by; she excelled in everything she did, and she never asked for anything. She was an inspirational young woman, and she leaves behind a legacy of love.

There will be a remembrance for Amanda at Old Books on Front Street Oct. 2. She was a regular contributor to Heifer International, and she said her dream was to one day purchase a whole ark of animals for a village, so in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Amanda's name to Heifer International, Women in Livestock Development Projects (Wild), 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202, www.heifer.org.

Stop Titan activists dominate last day of air permit hearings

Samuel Wilson | Contributing Writer October 5, 2011

After a lukewarm turnout for the initial two public hearings by the NC Division of Air Quality held Tuesday, an energetic and eclectic crowd of more than 350 showed up Thursday night at Kenan Auditorium...

CFCC and NC Wesleyan partnering to offer bachelor’s degrees

Corey Strickland | Contributing Writer September 29, 2011

North Carolina Wesleyan College and Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) are partnering to offer students bachelor's degrees in business administration and elementary education."Students would apply for...

Student activists attend bike rally, undeterred by weather

Samuel Wilson | Contributing Writer September 28, 2011

A sullen procession of heavy, grey clouds and a rainy morning forecast did little to dampen the spirits of the fifty-odd students and activists who biked down Market Street Saturday to participate in Moving...

Massive budget cuts have far-reaching implications for students & faculty

Sam Wilson | Contributing Writer September 21, 2011

After absorbing a massive 15.8 percent budget cut in state funding this year, UNCW's list of casualties includes 24/7 library hours, research grants, more than 16,000 classroom seats and the independent...

Student leaders come together to learn new skills

Jessica Ferrer | Contributing Writer September 21, 2011

Saturday, Sept. 17, at least two students from every organization on campus came together for the Student Organization Leadership Conference (SOLC). The conference was held in Burney Center and in the...

Changes to GI Bill force veterans to pay for tuition out of pocket

Sasha Johnson | News Editor September 21, 2011

A letter from Veterans Affairs sent in February announced to universities and student veterans across the nation that for the first time in nearly 60 years, many veterans would have to pay for their college...

Mike Wallace presents a history of NYC in honor of tenth anniversary of September 11th

Lindsay Marciano | Contributing Writer September 14, 2011

Ten years ago, radical terrorists thought that they had taken out a piece of New York's most memorable skyline. While they succeeded in eliminating two of New York's finest buildings, they failed at destroying...

Simulations expose participants to the struggles of poverty

Corey Strickland | Contributing Writer September 14, 2011

Poverty simulations are not a new idea.Schools such as the University of Missouri St. Louis host poverty simulations year after year, using a kit purchased from the Missouri Association for Community Action.But...

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