Alumni + Giving
Making and Impact Together
Tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains, UNC Asheville prepares the next generation of leaders and productive citizens to serve North Carolina and the nation. Unchanged: Tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains, UNC Asheville prepares the next generation of leaders and productive citizens to serve North Carolina and the nation.
The Division of University Advancement works to increase the margin of excellence by building relationships that foster advocacy, support, and investment in UNC Asheville. We are hard at work imagining a bold, bright world for our students and our community. Unchanged: The Division of University Advancement works to increase the margin of excellence by building relationships that foster advocacy, support, and investment in UNC Asheville. We are hard at work imagining a bold, bright world for our students and our community.
When you support UNC Asheville, you help our students reach new vistas where the future is a frontier—vast and full of opportunity.
Engage with the Alumni Association
Volunteer Opportunities
UNC Asheville alumni make a difference every day — on campus, in our community, and across the country. By volunteering your time and talents, you can help guide students, uplift your fellow Bulldogs, and contribute to the future of our university.
UNC Asheville Success Stories
We tell the stories that illustrate how UNC Asheville connects curiosity and critical thinking, imagination and impact, and opportunity and responsibility.
Access Asheville
Access Asheville is a financial aid program designed to make an exceptional, transformative education attainable for low- and middle-income families. This provides an affordable path to an undergraduate degree for students who may have previously thought it would be financially out of reach.
Bulldog Athletics Fund
More than 75% of our student-athletes receive support from the Athletic Scholarship Fund to continue their education at UNC Asheville. These scholarships are vital for their ongoing success – on the field and in the classroom.
12 Ways to Engage with the Alumni Association
As a lifelong member of the UNC Asheville Alumni Association, there are a lot of ways for you to stay engaged with your alma mater. Here are just a few of our favorites.
- Make a Gift in Support of an Area That Matters to You
- Refer a Student to UNC Asheville
- Update Your Contact Information
- Submit a Class Note and Share Your Achievements
- Nominate Alumni for National Alumni Awards
- Nominate Alumni for the UNC Asheville Alumni Association Board of Directors
- Wear Your Pride
- Post a Job & Internship
- Polish Your Resume & Take Advantage of Lifelong Support from the Career Center
- Volunteer to Engage with Current Students
AVID for Higher Education Scholarship
AVID for Higher Education Scholarship
For over 20 years, the AVID for Higher Education Scholarship Program has partnered with Asheville City Schools (ACS) to provide college access for underrepresented students. Learn about the experiences of those impacted by the AVID for Higher Education Scholarship.
Alumni & Donor Impact
Alumni & Donor Impact
UNC Asheville Alumnus Jethro Waters Wins Emmy Award
Jethro Waters, a 2013 UNC Asheville grad in international studies, recently garnered an Emmy Award for Best Documentary in the Cultural category at the Midsouth Emmy Awards 2021 for his film, F11 and Be There. The film explores civil rights, equality, race, social justice, photography and art through the life and artistic legacy of famed Life Magazine and Magnum Photos photographer Burk Uzzle, with a special focus on Uzzle’s contemporary portraiture work with African Americans in Eastern North Carolina.
The Nancy Edgerton Endowed Tennis Scholarship
The Nancy Edgerton Endowed Tennis Scholarship
Established by Ron Edgerton in honor of his loving wife, Nancy, for her birthday in May 2021. The Nancy Edgerton Endowed Tennis Scholarship provides financial aid to qualified students within UNC Asheville’s Tennis Program.
An active tennis player herself, Nancy’s passion, dedication, and love for tennis grew to include UNC Asheville when her son Eric became engaged to a UNC Asheville alumna and alumni-athlete of the tennis program, Lauren Brooker. Now that they are married, the whole family loves to attend the matches to cheer on the student-athletes. The Edgertons have also hosted gatherings in their home to support the UNC Asheville tennis program.
UNC Asheville Sponsored Travel Program
UNC Asheville is proud to occasionally offer sponsored trips to exciting locations for friends of the university. These trips are special because participants share their common love of UNC Asheville, and the university helps to curate a memorable experience. We are always thinking of potential future destinations, so please reach out with any ideas.
We are proud to announce a return trip to Scotland in Fall 2025
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Alumni Association Boards
Since the foundation’s founding in 1965, the mission of the UNC Asheville Foundation has been to advocate for and oversee gifts to the University of North Carolina Asheville. To achieve this mission, the UNC Asheville Foundation Board comprises dedicated volunteers who provide advice and oversight to help set the strategic direction for the foundation.
The following dedicated volunteers provide oversight and set strategic direction for the UNC Asheville Foundation.
- Keith Black, Bulldog Athletic Association representative
- Patrick Blalock
- Greg Burnette ’90, Board Vice Chair
- Ellen Carr
- Alan Coxie ’97, Alumni Board representative
- Al Davis
- Darlene Davis, Board Chair
- Kenya Smith Edwards ’00
- Cindy Eller
- Patrick Foo, Faculty representative
- Frank Moretz
- Becky Sanft, Faculty representative
- Tom Steele ’84
- Mike Tracy
- Carter Webb
Ex-Officio Members
- Mary Hall, Treasurer
- Kirk Swenson, Executive Director
- Dr. Kimberly van Noort, Chancellor
Executive Committee
- Greg Burnette ’90, Board Vice Chair
- Ellen Carr, Investment and Finance Committee Chair
- Darlene Davis, Board Chair
- Cindy Eller, Nominating Committee Chair
- Mike Tracy, Audit Committee Chair
- Carter Webb, Governance Committee Chair
Meeting Dates
Meeting dates, times and locations are subject to change. If you have any questions, please call the Advancement office at 828-251-6881.
2025-2026 Meeting Dates
- Friday, October 10, 2025
- Friday, February 20, 2026
- Friday, May 1, 2026
UNC Asheville’s Alumni Association Board of Directors serves to provide counsel to the Chancellor and other university officials, as appropriate, in matters relating to alumni and their lifelong relationship with the university. Additionally, the Board helps to bring to the university both resources and advocacy from alumni and friends of UNC Asheville.
Interested in serving on the board? Learn more about the process and complete the nomination form. You can submit an application at any time to be considered for the next election cycle. More information about the board can be found here. Have questions? Email us at alumni@unca.edu.
Board Leadership
- Chair, Cindy Appleby ’94
- Past-Chair, Steve Tuttle ’81
- Secretary, Tim Hussey ’18
- Michael McNamee, Director of Alumni Engagement, Ex-Officio
Why We Give
Being a scholarship recipient has allowed me to focus my time on honing career skills, being an active member of campus, and excelling in my classes. Without my scholarship, I would be stressed trying to juggle long hours of work and school to try and cover my education expenses. My scholarship allows me to put being the best student I can first and put potential financial burdens on the back burner.
When I had a shortfall of funds one semester, I can recall a professor calling financial aid and explaining my situation. Luckily, I was awarded a scholarship and able to continue my education at UNC Asheville. This is why I have chosen for the last 20 years to support student needs by being a monthly UNC Asheville donor. From my personal experience, I can tell you that we make a profound difference in student lives. And… it just feels good to be part of that process!
Meet the University Advancement Team
Shannon C. Earle
Vice Chancellor for University Advancement
Office: 118 W.T. Weaver Boulevard
Phone: (828) 258-7683
Email: searle@unca.edu
Derek Shook
Adjunct of Business, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations
Office: 228 W.T. Weaver Building
Email: djshook@unca.edu
Megan Bidaisee
Asst. Director of Annual Giving
Office: 207 W.T. Weaver Building
Email: mbidaise@unca.edu
Jenny Bunn
Prospect Research Manager
Office: 229 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: (828) 251-6823
Email: jbunn1@unca.edu
Jill Doub
Director of Advancement Operations
Office: 215 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: 3988
Email: jdoub@unca.edu
Klari Farzley
Assistant Director of Engagement, Alumni & Friendskfarzley@unca.edu
Office: 206 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: (828) 251-6852
Email: kfarzley@unca.edu
Sarah M. Goldman
Executive Director, Leadership Asheville
Office: 213 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: (828) 395-8337
Email: sgoldma2@unca.edu
Claudia Harrelson
Advancement Technician
Office: 232 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: 5129
Email: charrels@unca.edu
Amanda Hartzell Fensterer
Assistant Director of Donor Relations
Office: 221 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: 6881
Email: ahartzel@unca.edu
Kenya Lipplett
Special Events Manager
Office: 211 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: 6689
Email: klipplet@unca.edu
Carol Lorton
Associate Director of Development
Office: 225 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: 7687
Email: clorton@unca.edu
Michael McNamee
Director of Engagement, Alumni & Friends; Vice Chair, Operations, University Advancement
Office: 212 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: 5091
Email: mmcnamee@unca.edu
Bry Metcalf
Development Officer
Office: 227 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: (828) 258-7681
Email: bmetcalf@unca.edu
Andrew Nelson
Assistant Director of Advancement Services
Office: 230 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: (828) 251-6895
Email: anelson4@unca.edu
Courtney Pearson
Associate Director of Development
Office: 222 W.T. Weaver Building
Email: cpearso5@unca.edu
Melissa Watson Savage
Donor Relations Coordinator
Office: 220 W.T. Weaver Building
Phone: (828) 258-7686
Email: mwatson8@unca.edu
You Can Make a Student's Education Better.
Whether you help fund a scholarship for a student-athlete, provide support for campus computer labs, or endow a professorship, your support makes UNC Asheville one of the nation’s top-ranked public liberal arts universities and continues to open doors to a UNC Asheville education for future students. Call (828) 251-6525 to reach an Advancement team member for more information.
Mailing Address
UNC Asheville Foundation, Inc.
CPO #3800
1 University Heights
Asheville, NC 28804-8507