Avni Singh ’23 with Dr. Michael Palm, an associate professor in the Department of Communication.
The Morehead-Cain Class of 2023 honored a group of faculty and staff members this semester for their excellence in teaching, mentorship, and dedication to student success at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Seniors invited individuals who have had a significant impact on their education and professional development at the University. Forty-four honorees representing twenty-four departments and affiliated organizations were recognized at the inaugural Faculty Appreciation Luncheon.
Celebrating the cohort is a natural extension of Morehead-Cain’s efforts to recognize educators who create life-changing opportunities for students, said Chris Bradford, president of Morehead-Cain. The event took place on Friday, January 27, at the Morehead-Cain Foundation.
“From honing their knowledge and skills in the classroom to research collaborations and service projects, we’re immensely grateful to the faculty and staff who support Morehead-Cain Scholars and the broader student body, each and every day,” Bradford said.
Scholars also shared words of gratitude during the event for their positive influence at Carolina.
Jalen McKoy ’23 said the mentorship he received from Joseph Megel, a teaching professor in the Department of Communication, inspired him to write and perform a one-man show. In March, he performed Playing it Straight twice to live audiences as part of his senior honors thesis in communication studies.
“Since I met Joseph, I’ve experienced so much creative and personal growth,” said McKoy, the recipient of two Chancellor’s Awards this year. “He allows me and other students to express themselves authentically while pushing them to deeper and more meaningful places, and every student that has taken his class leaves more in-tuned to their artistic sensibilities.”
Jalen McKoy ’23 delivering remarks to Joseph Megel (at bottom right), a teaching professor in the Department of Communication.
McKoy ’23 received the Wallace Ray Peppers Award in Performance of African and African-American Literature for his outstanding performance of African and African-American literature, as well as the Hampton Shuping Prize for his outstanding academic achievement as an undergraduate business major.
After earning degrees in business administration and communication studies this May, McKoy plans to pursue a career in screenwriting and acting in Los Angeles.
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Patrick Conway, a professor of economics, with Webster Woltersdorf ’23. The recent graduate said Conway re-invigorated his passion for economics, motivated him to write a senior honors thesis in economics, and led him to pursue economics after Carolina through pre-doctoral positions.
Amy Feng ’23 thanked Margaret Barrett, the associate director of the Carolina Center for Public Service, for encouraging her to “act boldly, love largely, and lead fearlessly.”
“I am endlessly grateful for Margaret’s kindness, support, and faith in me as I have navigated these last few years at Carolina and in APPLES Service-Learning,” said Feng, who plans to attend Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.The recent graduate worked with Barret in the student-led program to build sustainable, service-learning partnerships among the campus community.
“Margaret has been a decisive part of my service involvement of at Carolina, and the things I’ve learned from her will undoubetly last a lifetime.”
Feng earned a BSPH with highest distinction in nutrition and a bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies (expression, identity, and culture) with honors. The alumna was also a Parr Center for Ethics Fellow and a Balter Fellow.
Amy Feng ’23 delivering comments to Margaret Barrett, the associate director of the Carolina Center for Public Service.
