At the Spring 2023 Graduate Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 12 at the Dale F. Halton Arena, degrees were conferred to doctoral, master’s and certificate students. The 3 p.m. commencement was one of four ceremonies hosted by the University.
Degrees conferred included over 100 doctoral, 1,000 master’s and 300 graduate certificates. The number of total doctoral degrees conferred represents a record number.
During the week leading up to commencement, the Graduate School held the Dean’s Doctoral Dinner on the evening of Wednesday, May 10. The event recognized the impressive work of graduating doctoral students and the support provided by their advisors. This was the first Doctoral Dinner hosted by Pinku Mukherjee, interim associate provost and dean of the Graduate School.
Dean Pinku Mukherjee (center) poses with doctoral students and their advisors.
Graduate Features
This year’s graduates included several stand-out students:
Dujeray Gaines
Hometown: Erie, PA
Program of Study: MBA, Entrepreneurship and Corporate Venturing
Why did you choose UNC Charlotte?
I choose UNC Charlotte because I was already living in the Charlotte metro area, and after doing some research on the different programs offered in the area UNC Charlotte was the best in-person choice for me.
Why did you choose to pursue graduate education?
I chose to pursue a graduate education because I was at a standstill in my career and was not growing and progressing in a way I knew was possible.
Summarize your experience here in three words.
Unmatched, Challenging, Resourceful
Who is your favorite professor and why?
Dr. Torsten Pieper is my favorite professor because he always pushes his students to exercise “out of the box” thinking in a way I embrace naturally but have not experienced in institutional learning environments.
What are your immediate plans following graduation?
My immediate plans following graduation are to travel and enjoy life to the best of my ability.
What excites you most about your area of study?
Entrepreneurship is so dynamic and limitless in what you can accomplish. It’s a vehicle that I will be able to utilize for freedom of time and lifestyle. That will empower the generations to come to do the same.
What was your favorite or most memorable moment outside of the classroom?
One of my most memorable moments outside of the classroom was going to a local brewery and hearing from community leaders in entrepreneurship and real estate and learning about their experiences and how they made it to be successful in their own right.
What do you know about yourself now that you didn’t know before coming to UNC Charlotte?
Something that I know about myself now that I didn’t know before coming to UNC Charlotte is the ability to put more language into who I am to my core. I am a disruptive innovator, and I thrive outside of the box in every facet of my life.
What is the biggest obstacle you have overcome to be where you are?
Throughout my life, I've faced numerous obstacles and challenges that could have easily derailed me from achieving my goals. But I've always believed that with determination, faith in God, and hard work, anything is possible. Growing up in a low-income family, I was constantly implicitly told to have dreams that were realistic and that I should focus on practical careers, basically play it safe. Despite the unintentional doubt and negativity, I refused to let go of my aspirations.
I remember the countless hours spent studying, working part-time jobs, and volunteering to gain experience in my field. There were moments when I felt like giving up, but I knew that the only way to overcome the obstacles was to keep pushing forward. I learned to embrace failure and use it as motivation to become better and work harder.
As I look back on my journey, I realize that it was the hardships that shaped me into the person I am today. I'm proud of what I've accomplished and grateful for the support of family and friends who believed in me when others didn't. I hope that my story inspires others to pursue their dreams, even in the face of adversity, and to never give up on themselves.
Dr. Titus Lamont Hopper
Program: Educational Leadership
Concentration: Superintendency
Tell us a little about your commencement speech. What did you highlight during the May ceremony to your fellow graduate students?
In today's rapidly-paced and swiftly evolving world, it is so important that our society learns to adapt, improvise and overcome! During my speech, I challenged the graduating Class of 2023 to allow the "pressures of progress" to "squeeze out of us" three very important principles that I believe we now possess that will impact our circles of influence and empower those circles to adapt, improvise, overcome and be better equipped to deal with the inevitable nature of change!
Why did you choose UNC Charlotte?
During my master's degree journey here at UNC Charlotte as a North Carolina Principal Fellow, I was blessed to bond with the faculty in such a way that when I received word that the doctorate of educational leadership had been modified to become more practitioner friendly, I had a conversation with my wife and we were all in!!! The program changes along with the opportunity to work with familiar, professional, knowledgeable and caring professors were all of the ingredients I needed!!!
Summarize your experience here in three words:
Challenging, Supported and Value-Added!
Who is your favorite professor and why?
Though I love them all, I could not imagine accomplishing this monumental task without the amazingly knowledgeable and caring Dr. Rebecca Shore!!! We connected during the master's journey. She's such a jewel. She will forever have a special place in my heart.
What are your immediate plans following graduation?
I look forward to continuing in my job as Career Readiness Coordinator and adding more value to Cleveland County Schools. In my current role, my primary responsibility is to add a layer of support to our district's middle and high schools in an effort to increase our graduation rate. Throughout my doctoral journey, I've learned how important and beneficial frameworks are. I am currently collaborating with a team of colleagues in my district to build and introduce a framework that will help make the multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) process more palatable and efficient at the secondary level. Through the use of this framework, we'll be able to more efficiently triage and individualize support for students showing academic, attendance, and/or behavioral risk. I am calling it "Project Whatever It Takes" because it truly is our desire to ensure that as many students as possible are career ready when they graduate. Our local employers need students ready to work and we want to help. We want to help students mitigate barriers to graduation.
I am also involved in our school district's initiative to reengage students who have dropped out of school. We piloted a new initiative this year called "School To Work." In this program, we are able to identify dropouts and invite them back to complete their course of study and graduate with a differentiated diploma. Of the few requirements, we expect students to work hard and commit to check-in with us twice a week for two hours. They are also required to participate in seminar classes focused on job and career readiness and work with a job placement coach to secure employment while in the program. I look forward to continuing that work.
Lastly, I've kinda become intrigued with the qualitative research process and I'm actually ready to continue writing. I believe that I have several books in me that I need to get out.
What excites you most about applying your graduate program knowledge in your career?
So at the last few schools I led as principal, my mission at each one was the same; "From good to greatER!" I intentionally put an emphasis on the "ER" because I wanted people to understand that perfection didn't necessarily have to be the goal but it was imperative that every partner, stakeholder, student, faculty and staff member realize that improvement was a must. I am excited about being able to add value to any and every endeavor or organizational entity that I become a part of. One of my favorite quotes says that "the manifestation of knowledge is application!" I am ready to apply the wealth of knowledge and principles that UNC Charlotte has put in me!
What was your favorite or most memorable moment outside of the classroom?
My favorite moments were the times our cohort members were able to gather together and celebrate accomplishments and milestones. I now have colleagues for life!
What do you know about yourself now that you didn’t know before coming to UNC Charlotte?
I've learned that every ingredient needed for next-level success is present within me!
What advice would you give to an incoming student?
I would tell them that those who fail to understand their why are wasting time! I would share that during trying times, their "why" serves as motivation and fuel!
What is the biggest obstacle you have overcome to be where you are?
I would say that as a Black male whose mother passed away when he was six and whose father passed away during his freshman year in high school, I've done well. As a Black male on the large campus of NC State, with very little familial support, I've done well. My wife and I, during my master's degree pursuit, dealt with multiple child losses; however, we kept our faith, persevered, leaned on our village, which included many of my UNC Charlotte professors and overcame
those challenging times. When I look back over my life, I smile, thank God, fix my focus and prepare to be a mirror, a window and a sliding glass door for the younger
generation!
What is the most unusual talent, hobby or interest you have?
Lol!!! I am a professional Santa entertainer and a recent graduate of the Northern Lights Santa Academy!!! I am Santa Titus aka Hop The Black Santa!!!
Mahrukh Maqsood (She/Her)
Hometown: Lahore, Pakistan
Program of Study: Communication Studies
Research Focus: Political Satire
Why did you choose UNC Charlotte?
I believe it was fate that brought me to the city of Charlotte where I came to know about the amazing graduate program in Communication Studies at UNC Charlotte. I felt an instant connection with the program and was lucky enough to get selected to become a Niner.
Why did you choose to pursue graduate education?
Academia inspires me. I believe it's where we study the world and change it simultaneously. Graduate school gave me an opportunity to explore the enormous world of global literature and see beyond the obvious.
Summarize your experience here in three words.
Change-maker, Trendsetter, Enthusiastic.
Who is your favorite professor and why?
I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to work as a Teaching Assistant and attend Rhetoric classes with Professor Jason Black, who is without a doubt my favorite professor on campus. Through his guidance, I learned how to captivate a room and inspire students, and should I ever become a teacher myself, I hope to emulate his teaching philosophy and methods.
What are your immediate plans following graduation?
I plan to work for a year in the field of marketing and communication. In the meanwhile, prepare my graduation applications for applying to Ph.D. programs.
What excites you most about your area of study?
I am exploring a unique subject area - the use of satire as a means of expressing dissent in a developing country. This is an area that has not been extensively studied, providing me with the opportunity to create a pioneering scholarship that could inspire further research in the field.
What was your favorite or most memorable moment outside of the classroom?
My favorite or should I say memorable memory so far has been my interaction with Chancellor Gaber and Dr. Bailey and his team. It has been amazing to see how a request of creating a more inclusive environment for Muslim students created a ripple effect and motivated major infrastructural changes such as Halal food and more functional prayer spaces.
The other memory I am going to remember forever is receiving a call from Dean Davis telling me that I was selected as the 2023 commencement Bell Ringer, I was overjoyed.
Mahrukh Maqsood performs her duties as the Bell Ringer during Friday’s commencement ceremony.
What do you know about yourself now that you didn’t know before coming to UNC Charlotte?
I have always had the desire to improve my surroundings, but it wasn't until I started working with organizations like the Center for Graduate Life and Learning, and the International Students and Scholars Office, that I realized my potential to inspire lasting change.
If you could tweet something to your 12-year-old self, what would it be? (280 characters or less!)
Hey! You are meant to do great things. Yes, you are different but that is a good thing. You are special because You are You.
What advice would you give to an incoming student?
Embrace the culture, explore the campus, and take a break every once in a while.
If you could write your own story, what would it say in 2032?
A scholar who put Pakistan on the map of the literary world again. Meet Mahrukh a scholar from Lahore Pakistan who aims to tell the story of her hometown.
What is the biggest obstacle you have overcome to be where you are?
I believe I had to learn not to trust people at face value. All acquaintances are not friends.
What is the most unusual talent, hobby, or interest you have?
I love to cook and can cook various cuisines. Food is my therapy.
Dr. Sonia Mitchell (She/Her)
Hometown: Raleigh, NC/Springfield, MA
Program of Study: CTE Business/IT Graduate Teaching Certification in the Cato College of Education
Research Focus:
- Algorithms and the ethics of AI (Artificial Intelligence)
- Best Social Emotional Learning practices and strategies
- Cryptography and Theory
- Distributed computing and networking
- Diversity, Inclusion and Equity concerning STEAM Careers
- Diversity gaps in Tech and Computer Science workplaces
- Machine learning and data science
- Mental Health sustainability in the workplace
Why did you choose UNC Charlotte?
I chose UNC Charlotte because of its high-quality course selections, outstanding faculty from former teacher colleagues’ feedback, as well as an emphasis on the comprehensive learning environment.
Why did you choose to pursue graduate education?
My goal is to ultimately get my Teaching Certification and contribute to the overall mission and purpose of the profession. Equally, I expect to continue to find new leadership opportunities to grow in my profession which will eventually give me an edge in working effectively.
Summarize your experience here in three words.
Propelling, Demanding, Transformative
Who is your favorite professor and why?
I have been very blessed to have had all my professors be my favorite. This is a hard question to answer for only one person. They all were truly my favorites. I learned so much from each of them. I have decided to highlight the top 3!
Dr. Lenora Crabtree, Dr. Nakesha Dawson and Professor Daniel Maxwell. They all have been very understanding of my traumatic situations including the death of my father, the death of multiple family members and being hospitalized at least two times. They didn’t decrease the requirements. Yet, they held the standards high and supported me to learn in a different way.
What are your immediate plans following graduation?
My immediate plan following graduation is relaxing to practice self-care and moving forward in my career as an instructor and professor.
What excites you most about your area of study?
I am excited about the future and setting the learning stage for my students.
What was your favorite or most memorable moment outside of the classroom?
My favorite moment outside of the classroom is getting the opportunities to network with other professionals, being a mentor and judge at MIT every Spring and Fall and all the wonderful professional development opportunities including a recent one at Yale University learning new strategies to teach in the ChatGPT age.
What do you know about yourself now that you didn’t know before coming to UNC Charlotte?
I didn’t realize I have more determination under massive traumatic life events.
What is the biggest obstacle you have overcome to be where you are?
The biggest obstacle I’ve had to overcome to be where I am today is leaving an abusive marriage, starting my life all over to protect my daughter and myself, and losing a six-figure career to change to a career that brings me joy and hope for the future.
What is the most unusual talent, hobby or interest you have?
My most unusual talent - I create office supplies with recycled materials.
Tony Mungo
Hometown: Apex, North Carolina
Program of Study: Master of Arts in English Literature and Graduate Certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Research Focus: Gender and Sexuality Studies, Postcolonial Literature with a focus on Afro-Caribbean diaspora, and Modern American Literature
Why did you choose UNC Charlotte?
I chose UNC Charlotte because of the diverse, close-knit student community that I saw when stepping foot onto campus which was one of the biggest factors in choosing a graduate program.
Why did you choose to pursue graduate education?
To improve the representation of queer and trans scholars of color within the area of higher education by conducting research that answers this question.
Summarize your experience here in three words.
Transformative, Inspiring, Growth
Who is your favorite professor and why?
Dr. Juan Meneses in the Department of English. He challenged me when it came to the texts we read in class and put those into the context of my research question. I was able to do a directed study last semester under his supervision which focused on queerness within Afro-Caribbean literature.
What are your immediate plans following graduation?
Work in a position either as an English instructor or a role within student affairs. I want to eventually pursue my doctorate in educational leadership.
What excites you most about your area of study?
I value the flexibility and real-world connections that can be made between English and different fields of study.
What do you know about yourself now that you didn’t know before coming to UNC Charlotte?
I have grown in different ways both professionally and culturally which has allowed me to bridge my Black and Latino traditions while at UNC Charlotte.
What advice would you give to an incoming student?
Do not rush the graduate school experience since there are different opportunities to become connected to campus life. Find a mentor who can guide you and even connect you with additional resources that can help you be successful on campus.
What is your most unusual talent, hobby, or interest you have?
I like reading about the history of malls from time to time lol.