UNC Pembroke News

Priscilla Hunt
July 03

UNCP pair selected for NCDHHS summer internship

UNC Pembroke students Darryll Malachi and Priscilla Hunt are participating in paid summer internships with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as part of the department’s Minority Serving Institutions and Historically Black Colleges Internship program.

Hannah Evington
June 29

UNCP’s Hannah Evington eyes career in optometry

Hannah Evington has been interested in science since childhood, but a trip to the eye doctor when she was 10 indeed opened her eyes to the world of optometry — solidifying her future career path.

March 24

UNCP to offer Doctor of Nursing Practice program

UNC Pembroke has received approval from the UNC Board of Governors to establish a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a population health focus. The innovative program — the university’s first-ever doctoral program — will help reverse the shortage of health care professionals in underserved areas of the state and improve population health, individual patient experiences and health outcomes.

Kaitlan Smith, PhD candidate in the Department of Pharmacology at the UNC School of Medicine
January 25

Grad Student Kaitlan Smith Reflects on Lumbee Heritage While Embarking on Curiosity-driven Science

From UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine Newsroom: "Pharmacology graduate student Kaitlan Smith [UNCP alumna] was recently awarded a diversity supplement from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to study the effects of aging and necroptosis. She shares her resilient journey into scientific research while reflecting on her Lumbee roots."

students posing for a photo with their mentor
December 09

UNCP biology students recognized at international conference

Three biology students at UNC Pembroke were recognized for their independent research at the joint annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Entomological Society of Canada, and Entomological Society of British Columbia. The conference was held at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, November 13-16. The theme for the event was ‘Entomology as Inspiration: Insects through art, science, and culture.’

Angelica McNair
June 21

UNCP alumnae earn white coats at Duke University's DPT program

UNC Pembroke alumnae Genna Locklear and Angelica McNair have advanced one step closer to achieving their dreams of becoming physical therapists. Locklear and McNair were among 91 students who donned their white coats at Duke University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy White Coat Ceremony on June 9. The ceremony marks the transition from the classroom to clinical experiences––a defining moment for first-year medical students. Locklear and McNair were classmates in the exercise and sports science program at UNCP before earning their degrees in 2019.

Dr. Veronica Hardy
February 22

UNCP awarded $500,000 grant to address racial disparities in maternal, infant health

UNC Pembroke has been awarded a three-year, $500,000 grant to reduce racial disparities for expecting and parenting mothers in rural southeastern North Carolina. The grant was awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina as part of the company’s effort to decrease racial disparities in maternal and child health care in North Carolina by 50 % in five years. Funding will support the Health Equity Project, which is designed to improve maternal health through service provider education.

Dr. Kennard DuBose
December 02

UNCP awarded $950K grant to establish addiction recovery center

UNC Pembroke has been awarded a $950,000, three-year grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust to create the Southeastern Prevention and Addiction Recovery Resource Center (SPARC) within the College of Health Sciences. Expanding on the current efforts of the Robeson County Health Care Corporation (RHCC) and Robeson County District Attorney’s Office, SPARC will provide a community-based effort to address the immediate and long-term substance use and recovery needs in the county.

November 19

UNC Pembroke Awarded $510K Grant to Expand Community Health Worker Initiative

UNC Pembroke has been awarded a $510,000 grant in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) to expand the state’s Community Health Worker (CHW) Initiative. The funds are part of the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities.

SMART Foodscapes
October 12

Biology Faculty Collaborate with Utah State in Smart Foodscapes Research Project

Biology faculty members Drs. Rita Hagevik and Kaitlin Campbell are co-PIs on a AFRI-USDA grant for 6.8 million dollars with Utah State University, using Smart Foodscapes to raise sustainable beef. Click here to read about the project.