Back to Class

Sessions are still being finalized, but here are some past Back-to-Class sessions:

A final schedule will be available by July 31, 2013.

Residence Hall 101

See what it's like to live a day in the life of a resident student. Learn how residents get involved and make a difference in their community, attend an actual program like one implemented in the residence halls, and get educated on the dynamics of living with a roommate. By the time you leave, you'll feel like you're one of our own resident students!

Shaka Sydnor joined the Residential Education team this past June as the Community Director for Founders Hall. Prior to coming to UNC Asheville, Shaka served as the Director of Communications and Student Life at Aliquippa Impact, a youth and community development organization located in Aliquippa, PA. In his role at Aliquippa Impact, he was very involved in the development and assessment of the living learning communities and the development of their academic summer program for college interns.

Shaka earned both his Bachelor's degree in Public Relations and his Master's degree in Higher Education from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA. Originally from Northern Virginia, Shaka is a diehard fan of all Washington area sports teams. In his free time he enjoys photography, spending time with his wife, playing basketball and reading.

Derek Plumb is the Community Director for the Ridges community on campus and joined UNC Asheville in the summer of 2012. Derek comes to the Asheville community from Grand Rapids, Michigan with a background in teaching: in the elementary classroom, at summer camps, and abroad.  Completing his M.Ed. in Student Affairs at GVSU, his research and areas of interests are studying abroad, first-generation students and student development theory.  In his free time, Derek enjoys reading, traveling and spending as much time outside as possible.  

Moonshine in the Smokies

Dr. Daniel (Dan) Pierce will speak about the upcoming release of his book, which is tentatively titled Moonshine in the Smokies. In this book, he covers the history of corn liquor in the region from the earliest white settlement up to the present day (yes, Popcorn Sutton will be in there). It is expected to be published by the Great Smoky Mountains Association early next year.

Dr. Pierce is the author of the first truly comprehensive history of early NASCAR, Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill France (UNC Press, 2010) and writes a monthly column for NASCAR Illustrated magazine on the history of the sport. He is Professor of History, Chair of the department, and resident professional cracker at the University of North Carolina Asheville. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee where he worked with distinguished southern historian James C. Cobb.

He is also the author of the The Great Smokies: From Natural Habitat to National Park (UT Press, 2000) and has had his work published in the New York Times, Southern Cultures, Smokies Life magazine, numerous encyclopedias including the New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, and has appeared on NPR's Talk of the Nation, The History Channel,North Carolina People with William Friday, North Carolina Bookwatch, and the South Carolina ETV Emmy Award winning program Take on the South.

Consequences of a Life Chronicled Online

Social media isn’t as hard or as easy as it looks. A strong social media presence requires knowing which platforms are right for you. All of us are, at the very least, in the social media spotlight. Unlike earlier generations, it is highly likely that a current student’s life from high school through college is chronicled online. Understanding how social media platforms can help and hinder a career is crucial to success. Your greatest commodity might just be your Internet property. 

Sonya DiPalma is an assistant professor of public relations at the University of North Carolina Asheville. She is a 2012 finalist for the Great Ideas For Teaching competition and a 2011 recipient of the Plank Center’s Fellowship for Educators, which placed her with the national social media team for the American Red Cross. Dr. DiPalma has presented social media sessions at the 2012 National  Episcopal Communicators Conference, the 2011 North Carolina Public Relations Society of America Southeast Regional Public Relations & Marketing Conference, and the 2010 North Carolina Local Government Budget Association Winter Conference. She is one of 5,000 accredited public relations practitioners in the United States.

Appalachian Literature

Dr. Erica Abrams Locklear is an assistant professor in the Literature and Language department at UNC Asheville. Her primary research areas are Appalachian literature and Southern literature, and she teaches classes on those topics as well as American literature more broadly, women's studies, and first-year writing. In 2011 Ohio University Press published her book, Negotiating a Perilous Empowerment: Appalachian Women's Literacies, as part of their series in race, ethnicity, and gender in Appalachia. She has also published in the Southern Literary Journal, Appalachian Heritage,Community Literacy Journal, Crossroads: A Southern Culture Annual, North Carolina Folklore Journal, and others. Born and raised in Leicester, she focuses much of her scholarship on Western North Carolina and is currently working on a project that explores depictions of food in Appalachian literature.

How to Help Your Student be Successful in College

Now that you're settling into your role as the parent of a UNC Asheville student, join us as we explore the developmental processes your student is experiencing as s/he transitions into college life. Jay Cutspec and Barbara Galloway will review the various aspects of transition that you and your student will (or currently are) moving through as each of you seeks to find balance in the midst of adjustment.

Jay is a healthcare administrator who has been in the Asheville community for over 20 years, and is originally from upstate New York. Most of his career has been in the administration of psychiatric and acute care hospitals. Jay has a bachelor's degree from the University of Buffalo in Business Administration and Finance and received a master's degree in Health Administration from Duke University. Jay is a rabid Duke basketball fan. When he is not working, he enjoys running, studying spirituality, and college basketball. Jay is married to Patti Cutspec and has three children in college.

Barbara has a master's in Education with a focus on Community Counseling from Western Carolina University and is a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist. She has extensive experience working with individuals struggling with substance abuse/addiction, mood disorders, and family system issues. Barbara firmly believes people have the internal resources to make significant therapeutic changes and approaches clinical work from an empowerment perspective. She encourages clients to connect with community organizations and support groups as a tool to reinforce change, support ongoing wellness and develop an expanded support network. Outside of work she enjoys making quilts and knitting, creative cooking, distance running, and takes full advantage of all Asheville has to offer.

History of UNC Asheville

Take some time to learn more about the designated Liberal Arts institution within the UNC system. Join Dr. Kevan Frazier as he gives an overview of our university’s interesting history, beginning with its inception as Buncombe County Junior College in 1927. Dr. Frazier will also provide an interesting glimpse into the stories and developments that shape UNC Asheville’s past, as well as its present, as he guides you around some important areas on campus.

Kevan Frazier is the Associate Vice Chancellor for University Advancement at UNC Asheville and a former member of the History Faculty. Kevan has a doctorate in American History with a research focus on the history of cities and the built environment.   A native Ashevillian, Kevan has been lecturing and publishing on his hometown and his alma mater for more than 15 years.