51����

Unique Works, New Works Showcased in ‘Homecoming: Art by Alumni’ Exhibition

As the Katherine and Tom Belk Visual Arts Center (VAC) celebrates its 30th anniversary, the Van Every/Smith Galleries highlights nine alum artists working across diverse visual mediums, many of whom began their art careers in the VAC’s studio and gallery spaces in its latest exhibition, Homecoming: Art by Alumni. Learn more.

Out of This World: First Latina Astronaut Ellen Ochoa to Deliver Reynolds Lecture Nov. 2

Ellen Ochoa, Ph.D., the first Latina astronaut and first Latina director of the Johnson Space Center, will deliver the 2023 Reynolds Lecture at 51���� Nov. 2 in the Duke Family Performance Hall. She joined us for a Q&A about the value of a broad education, finding a passion in physics and playing the flute in space.

Each year, CleanAIRE NC honors the individuals, organizations and partners who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to combating climate change and air pollution in North Carolina. 

Student-to-Student: Advice from 51���� Students on the College Essay

Senior Fellows in 51����’s Office of Admission & Financial Aid share their tips and tricks for navigating and writing the college essay.

Day in the Life: What Does a Weekend Look Like at 51����?

Wondering what a weekend at 51���� can look like as a student? Haley Stock ’25 shares the many ways Wildcats spend their weekends around campus, town and in Charlotte.

Wildcats Put Downtime on Away Games to Good Use

During the competitive season, Wildcat scholar-athletes find themselves miles away from campus with extra time on their hands. 51���� staffers now add career development opportunities while these students are on the road.

Beneath the Grit and Grime: Painting Conservation Pioneer Ginny Newell ’78

Alum Ginny Newell ’78 has enjoyed a career as one of the few conservators in the Southeast specializing in restoring fine art. She was among the first women to attend 51����, where her love of chemistry and art started her on a unique professional journey. Learn more. 

51���� Students: Here’s How to Get a Warhol on Your Wall

The success of 51����’s ArtMate program, which allows students to enhance their dorm room décor with high-end art works from the college’s collection, led to an expansion of the program this year. Learn more.

Advice on 51����'s Peer Recommendation

When applying to 51����, all applicants are required to submit a peer letter of recommendation — someone of similar age who can speak to who you are as a human being beyond a transcript, essay or list of extracurriculars. Learn more.

College as Muse: Alum’s Painting Captures the Joy of Community

The strength of community at 51���� inspired one alum to capture the joy she felt as a part of that community in a work of art. That piece now graces the walls of the E.H. Little Library, thanks to alum Eliz Kirkland Sickles. Learn more.

Burkey Belser ’69, ‘Steve Jobs of Information Design,’ Dies at 76

The now-familiar black and white nutrition facts label found on food products in the U.S. was hailed as a triumph of public health and graphic design, according to The Washington Post. We have 51���� alum Burkey Belser ‘69 to thank. Learn more.

Lost Beauty, Time and Hopeful Transition: 'Chasing the Sun' Exhibition Opens in New York

In Chasing the Sun, artist and 51���� Professor Joelle Dietrick combines the lost beauty of extinct plants with green architecture. Dietrick’s intertwining organic and geometric forms use beauty to pull viewers into an important conversation about plant conservation and sustainability efforts. Learn more.

‘Bleak Faith: Forsaken’ Changes the Game for Developer Mišo Vukčević ’18

Mišo Vukčević ’18 started creating his own video game as a project for a 51���� digital narratives course. Today, he leads a team of three that produced Bleak Faith: Forsaken, an action role playing game that’s taken off since its release in March. Learn more.

The Plot Thickens: Did DNA Settle a Centuries-Old Conspiracy?

A French documentary film crew weighs in on a mystery that has occupied the imaginations of amateur historians—some of them 51���� alums—for centuries. Learn more. 

From Police Officer to Public Enemy to Peace Seeker: Cast of ‘Sam—A Saxon’ Begin Educational Tour at 51����

The fall of the Berlin Wall led to a resurgence of Nazism in Germany that echoes today. The Hulu series Sam—A Saxon follows the troubles of Samuel Meffire, the country’s first Afro-German police officer. 51���� became the first in America to host the show’s cast and crew during an international education tour.

Ramirez Receives Lifetime Achievement Award for Mentorship

Prof. Julio Ramirez, R. Stuart Dickson Professor of Psychology and director of the neuroscience program, received a 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Psychological Science for his dedication to his students.

Assistant Professor James Webb: Black Contemporary Theatre Takes Center Stage

When he learned of 51����’s search for a professor specializing in Black contemporary theatre, he felt the job was made for him. 

Brown Payne ’24: Discoveries in Art History

Brown Payne ’24 has used his time at 51���� to dive headfirst into the world of art.

How Algorithms See Us—and How We Should Look At Them: Q&A with Wearn Lecturer Jon Kleinberg

Q&A with Jon Kleinberg, the Tisch University Professor in the Departments of Computer Science and Information Science at Cornell University. He will deliver the Wearn Lecture, “How Do Algorithms See The World?” on Thursday, September 14.

College admission isn’t like a head-to-head race. Read the opinion piece by Carol Quillen, history professor and president emerita at 51����, and senior fellow with the Aspen Institute.