McNair Scholars
Advisory Board
2025-26 Members
We are grateful for the time our Board members invest in choosing each cohort, advising Program
Staff, and supporting the program. Our current Advisory Board members are listed below
along with each member's affiliation.
- Amanda Cavin, M.Ed. '15 & '17 - McNair Alumnus
- Dr. Victoria Frost - Associate Professor, Biology
- Rose Gray* - Director - TRiO Achievers Program
- Dr. Jason Hurlbert - Professor, Chemistry, Physics, & Geology, & the Environment
- Dr. Joanna Jackson - Associate Professor, Management & Marketing
- Dr. Heather Listhartke - Assistant Professor & Coordinator of Internships, English (TRiO Alumna, Univ. of Tennessee Knoxville )
- Dr. Nicholas Moellman - Assistant Professor, Economics (McNair Alumnus, University of Oklahoma)
- Dr. Tenisha Powell - Professor, Early Childhood Education and Human Development and Family Studies Program Director (McNair Alumna from Dr. McNair's Undergraduate Alma Mater, North
Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University)
- Cierra Randolph - McNair Senior, Chemistry
- Dr. Karen Stock* - Professor, Fine Arts
- Dr. Janet Wojcik - Professor and Exercise Science Program Director
- Dr. Cheryl Fortner* (ex-Officio, voting) - Director, McNair Scholars Program and Professor, Psychology
- Dr. Leigh Poole (ex-Officio) - Assistant Provost for the Office for Student Success, Director of the International Center and Assistant Professor PDSO/RO
*Advisory Board Members who have served continuously since the program's first year
(2009-10)
The Board and Program Staff are grateful for the valuable contributions of folks who
have served on the Board in past years, Drs. Gloria Jones (Ret., Dean of University
College), Takita Felder Sumter (Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences & Professor of CHEM), Adolphus Belk (PLSC), Brad Witzel (EDUC), Nicki Washington
(CSCI), Will Thacker (Ret., CSCI), Nick Grossoehme (CHEM), Heather Evans-Anderson
(BIOL), Joe Rusinko (MATH), Kareema Gray (SCWK), and Shebby Neely-Goodwin (SCWK),
Mr. Gerry Derksen (VCOM), and Dr. Joshua Kirven (SCWK). We owe special gratitude to
Dr. Wenonah Haire, DMD, Executive Director of the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project, who represented our community on the Board from 2009-2024, the first 15 years of our program. Special thanks to our longest serving Board Members:
Dr. Willis Lewis (ECON) who served on the Board the first 16 years of the program
and Rose Gray (TRiO Achievers) and Dr. Karen Stock (Fine Arts) who have served continuously
since the program's inception: October 1, 2009.
An eligible student representative (our first year) and outstanding Winthrop McNair
Seniors have served on the Board; voting and providing important guidance regarding
recruitment, selection, and program strategic planning. Those alumni are listed below.
- 2024-25 Carrie Vaughn (PLSC)
- 2023-24 Michelle Aguilar-Gaspar (BIOL)
- 2022-23 Molly Quetel (CHEM)
- 2021-22 Terrik Johnson (EXSC)
- 2020-21 Kiera Alexander (NUTR)
- 2019-20 Monejah Black (MCOM)
- 2018-19 James White (EXSC)
- 2017-18 Jesslyn Park (CHEM)
- 2016-17 Nicole McMullen (BIOL)
- 2015-16 Ashley Causey (EDUC)
- 2014-15 Sarah Wicks (CHEM)
- 2013-14 Symone Calhoun (PSYC)
- 2012-13 Ronald Nelson (CHEM)
- 2011-12 Macreshia Salters (PSYC)
- 2010-11 Alfred McLeod (BADM)
- 2009-10 Lilah Campbell (PSYC)
