ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – Friday, March 24 mark your calendar and plan to join NC Wesleyan University in the Bishop Fan Zone at 5:00 p.m. for an evening full of music, food trucks, inflatables and baseball! Stay as NCWU flips the switch on the brand-new lights at Bauer Field, and meet the donors who made it all happen, as NCWU recognizes them during a dedication at the 6:00 p.m. game against Southern Virginia University. The event is open to the public and game admission is free.
The installation of eight new light poles was completely donor-funded, with over forty individuals helping make the lights a reality. Lloyd ’67 and Elliott ’66 Nelson, along with Joe Shearin ’78 and Sam Daniels, helped kickstart the project. A major catalyst to the overall success of the campaign was John Alden’s ’64 substantial matching gift. Finally, an anonymous gift in honor of former pitcher Jim Pittman ’92 significantly moved the needle, pushing the “Flip the Switch” fundraising campaign to exceed its goal.
When asked about the impact of the new lights, Head Baseball Coach Greg Clifton stated, “To be able to schedule practices and games without worrying about daylight is a game changer for the program. It has been a dream of many baseball alumni for years and to see them up now is truly amazing. I cannot wait to see the stands full during our night game against Southern Virginia!”
The lights not only improve NCWU’s baseball team’s ability to schedule practices and games later in the evening, but it also benefits them academically. In the past, student-athletes have had to miss afternoon classes for travel and games. They have also had to schedule practices during daylight hours, which becomes even earlier during standard time. The new addition allows the University to also use Bauer Field for hosting regional baseball tournaments.
About North Carolina Wesleyan University
North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) is a small, private Methodist-affiliated institution with a liberal arts-based core curriculum that prepares students for professional advancement, life-long learning and responsible participation in their communities. NCWU offers liberal arts, professional and graduate degree programs for traditional, transfer and working-adult students. The skills cultivated by faculty and built into the curriculum include critical thinking and reflection, communication, collaboration, and information technology. North Carolina Wesleyan University delivers education that is personal, practical and purpose-driven. Personal…through mentoring and the connections that are provided. Practical…by helping students develop lifelong skills. Purpose-driven…by helping them fulfill their purpose in life. With students from all over the United States and more than 40 different countries, the University has immense cultural diversity. To learn more, visit ncwc.edu and follow on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram.
NC Wesleyan and Capitol Broadcasting Company Team up
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) has established a new partnership with Capitol Broadcasting Company (CBC) for students to gain practical, hands-on experience through job shadowing and internship opportunities. CBC is the parent company of the Durham Bulls, the Coastal Plain League and the Holly Springs Salamanders, among other companies. As part of this exclusive agreement, CBC will provide opportunities for NCWU Sports Administration majors to learn the business of sports firsthand.
This partnership will expand career development opportunities for NCWU students through learning about event venue management, ticket and sponsorship sales, enhancing the customer experience and the business aspects of running a successful sports venue. As part of NC Wesleyan’s Practical Skills Academy, a CBC baseball professional will offer their expertise as part of a scheduled class or discussion panel event.
“This exciting opportunity will expose our Sports Administration students to the real-world aspects of sports facilities, programs and businesses. The skills that they develop through job shadowing and internships will prepare them to be competitive candidates in their professional careers,” stated Dr. Robin Pietryk, Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of Sports Administration.
“We are thrilled to partner with NC Wesleyan University, a sports-minded academic institution that shares our commitment to developing young talent and promoting excellence both on and off the field,” said Chip Allen, Commissioner of the Coastal Plain league. “This collaboration represents a unique opportunity for the Coastal Plain League to expand its reach and impact, while providing student-athletes with a pathway to success in sports and beyond.”
North Carolina Wesleyan University will also provide CBC employees with professional development opportunities and reduced tuition for employees who want to further their education, whether it’s undergraduate or graduate work, or through a certificate program at NCWU. CBC employees will also receive at least one professional development opportunity per year at no cost.
“This partnership demonstrates our continued commitment to providing our students with a practical and purpose-driven education,” said Dr. Joe Lane, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. “By working alongside employees at high-profile companies, these students are developing valuable contacts for their lives after Wesleyan.”
Future internship and job shadowing opportunities will be offered to students in Sports Administration, Marketing, Accounting and other related fields.
About Capitol Broadcasting Company (CBC)
CBC is a bold, future-thinking company, transforming media, entertainment & communities. Locally-owned and community-focused, CBC emphasizes excellence, integrity and teamwork in everything it does. CBC owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAZ-TV, WRAL-FM, WRAL-HD2, WNGT-CD, WCMC-FM, WCMC-HD1, WDNC-AM, WCMC-HD2, WCMC-HD3, WCLY-AM, WCMC-HD4, Microspace, WRAL Digital and Wolfpack Sports Properties (a joint venture with Learfield) in Raleigh, NC; WILM-TV, WILT-LD and Sunrise Broadcasting in Wilmington, NC; The Durham Bulls Baseball Club, Bull City Hospitality in Durham; the Coastal Plain League and The Holly Springs Salamanders in Holly Springs, NC; the American Underground startup hub in Durham, NC; and real estate interests including the American Tobacco Historic District in Durham, NC, and Rocky Mount Mills in Rocky Mount, NC. To learn more, visit capitolbroadcasting.com
About North Carolina Wesleyan University
North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) is a small, private Methodist-affiliated institution with a liberal arts-based core curriculum that prepares students for professional advancement, life-long learning and responsible participation in their communities. NCWU offers liberal arts, professional and graduate degree programs for traditional, transfer and working-adult students. The skills cultivated by faculty and built into the curriculum include critical thinking and reflection, communication, collaboration, and information technology. North Carolina Wesleyan University delivers education that is personal, practical and purpose-driven. Personal…through mentoring and the connections that are provided. Practical…by helping students develop lifelong skills. Purpose-driven…by helping them fulfill their purpose in life. With students from all over the United States and more than 40 different countries, the University has immense cultural diversity. To learn more, visit ncwc.edu and follow on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram.
Statement on NCWU Homecoming Postponement
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – Due to the threat of severe weather approaching the Rocky Mount area, North Carolina Wesleyan University has made the decision to move the Saturday, October 1 football game against LaGrange College to 1:00 p.m. Friday, September 30. In addition, the University has postponed most of its Homecoming festivities originally scheduled for this weekend, which now includes the 1:00 p.m. Alumni Golf Outing. The Athletic Hall of Fame at 7:00 p.m. on Friday will still take place as planned.
All postponed Homecoming events will move to the weekend of Friday, November 4 through Sunday, November 6. The Homecoming game will now take place against Huntingdon College at noon on Saturday, November 5.
For a full updated schedule of events, visit ncwc.edu/homecoming.
NC Wesleyan To Induct 6 into Athletics Hall of Fame Class of `20 and `21
N.C. Wesleyan University is preparing to induct six members to its Athletics Hall of Fame.
The Bishops will honor the 2020 and 2021 classes during an invite-only ceremony on Oct. 9. The new members include the late and former athlete and administrator Cliff Sullivan, as well as former players Brittany Insley-Pecora, Chris Bryant and LeeRon Boykin in the 2020 class.
The 2021 class includes athletes Trey Drake and Caitlin Sanderson. READ ENTIRE ARTICLE >
NCWC Homecoming Returns
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University will kick off its Homecoming week festivities on Monday, October 4 leading up to the Bishops’ football game against Greensboro College on Saturday, October 9. For the second time, the Battling Bishops will play their Homecoming game on-campus at the Vernon T. Bradley, Jr. Football Field, after first doing so in 2019.
Throughout the week, many activities will take place both on-campus and throughout the community for students, alumni, faculty, staff and the public. There will also be opportunities to cheer on men’s and women’s soccer, as well as baseball. An alumni football game is scheduled for Friday, October 8 at 8:00 p.m. on the field adjacent to the Gateway Technology Center (GTC), located at the front of campus.
Saturday, tailgating will begin at 9:00 a.m. At 10:00 a.m., the College will be dedicating a plaque recognizing and honoring alumni who served in harm’s way during the Vietnam War. This will be an addition to the existing Vietnam Memorial Courts at the Slick Family Foundation Tennis Center. Also at 10:00 a.m., the Alumni & Kid Zone opens at the football field or catch the alumni softball game at Edge Field. A chili cook-off will be held at 11:00 a.m., followed by the Homecoming golf cart parade starting at 11:30 a.m. Kickoff against Greensboro College is at noon and alumni plan to round out the day at The Rocky Mount Mills from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
For a full list of activities, times and locations, visit ncwc.edu/homecoming or the NCWC Homecoming 2021 event on Facebook. Individual tickets can be purchased at the gate. Tickets are $5 for adults (18+), $3 for ages 12-18 and FREE for all under age 12. Alumni Homecoming Packets can be purchased online for $35 and include a game ticket, t-shirt, parking pass, bookstore discount and a list of Community Partner discounts.
NC Wesleyan Concludes Summer Camps
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – It has been a busy summer at North Carolina Wesleyan University as the campus hosted over 1,000 guests across 10 youth camps. The College’s summer camps wrapped up with Athens Drive Band Camp, which returned to NC Wesleyan for its 25th year.
“Each summer, NC Wesleyan welcomes campers from across the state, and this year, from across the nation, who depend on us to provide a fun-filled home away from home. Our purpose is to provide an enduring partnership that can be trusted, year after year, to provide excellence in every facet of every day for every camp,” stated Kimla Brandt, NCWC Summer Camp Director.
Athens Drive Band, an award-winning high school band from Raleigh, has the longest running camp partnership with the College. During their stay, the campus was filled with music as they marched along roadways and parking lots, practiced their instruments under trees, alone and in sections, and with the steady sound of metronomes echoing throughout.
The NCWC Athletic Department also hosted camps including basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball and soccer. The Battling Bishop coaches and players provided instruction for all levels of athletic ability, from beginning to advanced.
In addition to sports camps, several other groups utilized the College’s beautiful 200-acre campus including the NC Youth Ministers Camp, United Methodist Church Youth Breakaway Camp and Tennessee Mission Camp. In addition, the College’s Connect: Youth Theology Institute (YTI), a transformational experience connecting students through faith, community and love, held a week-long camp for rising ninth through twelfth grade students.
Men’s & Women’s Tennis Hosting NCAA Regionals
INDIANAPOLIS, In. – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has announced that NC Wesleyan will host the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds of the 2021 NCAA DIII men’s and women’s national championship in the Slick Family Tennis Center at the Vernon T. Bradley Jr. Tennis Complex and in the newly minted Indoor Sports and Education Facility (ISEF) on campus. The Bishop men and women recently captured the 2021 USA South Championship in the same venue, with the men earning their 12th straight title and the women earning their 3rd straight championship. READ ENTIRE ARTICLE
NCWU Kicks Off Stadium Campaign
College Seeks Donors for Multi-Phased Approach
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University recently secured donor funds to kick off their Stadium Campaign. These funds will go toward the development of a new turf field with lights on the south side of campus. This project is just one part of the University’s long-term vision.
The new Stadium consists of a turf field, lighting, additional parking, fencing, permanent seating, scoreboards, a press box and a new fieldhouse. While the initiative will support Athletics, it will also benefit the University academically. In the past, athletes have had to miss afternoon classes to travel and practice prior to sundown. A new turf field and lighting will allow student-athletes to practice and play games later in the evenings. The new fieldhouse will contain a training room, weight room, classrooms, meeting space and offices.
“In the spring of 2020, two major donors committed almost $2,000,000 to establish a multi-phase, multi-year project that will be known as the Vernon T. Bradley, Jr. Stadium. Future phases will include a field house that is yet to be named, as well as other infrastructure you would expect to find at a college stadium,” stated President Dr. Evan D. Duff. “This project will not only change the landscape of the University but also the athletic and academic opportunities we can provide our students.”
The Stadium Campaign will be completely donor-funded and consist of four project phases, as funding allows. The University is actively seeking donors in hopes of raising $700,000 to complete Phase One and to unlock an additional $850,000 pledge from Vernon T. Bradley, Jr. for Phase Two. Phase One will include the turf field, lighting and additional parking.
The University is planning future fundraising events for those who have a love for the game of football and Wesleyan. These events will be held in spring and summer of 2021 with specific dates to be announced soon based on state guidelines. These exclusive events will unfold the vision of the new stadium, give participants first access to the future of North Carolina Wesleyan University and invite them to be a philanthropic part of this project.
NC Wesleyan Freshman Speaks on Native American History
Honoring National Native American Heritage Month
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – North Carolina Wesleyan University is home to students from many different cultures and backgrounds. With November being National Native American Heritage Month, NCWC freshman Zachary Blake Scott took the time to educate and enlighten others about his tribe and American Indians in general. National Native American Heritage Month pays tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.
Scott, who is a member of the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina, is majoring in Criminal Justice, minoring in Political Science and outfielder on the NC Wesleyan baseball team. Born and raised in Pembroke, a town in Robeson County, Scott is a community advocate in native outreach among the youth. He is passionate about singing and one of the youngest members of the American Indian drum group, Southern Sun Singers. All of his life, he has enjoyed attending powwows — a way that Native Americans get together to dance, sing and eat. Scott is the grandson of a minister and remains very dedicated to his faith and Christianity.
According to Scott: “The Lumbee are descendants of Siouan, Algonquian, and Iroquoian speaking tribes who lived in North Carolina prior to European contact. We are considered as Eastern Woodland people because we have always depended on the natural resources around us to provide basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing, weapons, medicines and tools. We have a culture of agriculture, family, hunting, gathering and Christianity. In fact, I still live on the farmland that my grandfather was raised on. All of my relatives have worked on this farm as their livelihood. My ancestors lived amongst the pines, swamps and the dark waters of the Lumber River, where we get our name. Many of the Lumbee still call this area home. We have never lived on a reservation. After European contact, my tribe, like others in North Carolina, were colonized. Many of our tribal distinctions were lost at the time. We lost our language, we dressed like colonists and most took on the Christian religion. Not much is written about our history because we, like most all tribes, passed down our stories verbally.”
There are eight state recognized tribes in the state of North Carolina, with only the Cherokee being federally recognized. In 1885, the state of NC recognized the Lumbee Tribe (not originally called Lumbee) and established a separate school system for tribal members. In 1953, the tribe’s name was changed to Lumbee.
Scott notes: “In 1956, Congress recognized the Lumbee as Indian, but failed to give us the status of a federally recognized tribe, which denied us benefits granted to federally recognized tribes. For years, my people have been fighting for federal recognition. There have been numerous bills regarding this to pass the House but has always stalled in Senate. Just this week, the Lumbee Recognition Act was passed out of the House of Representatives again. I am hopeful that it will not be long before we are granted the recognition we deserve.”
About the Lumbee Tribe
The 55,000 members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina reside primarily in Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland and Scotland counties. The Lumbee Tribe is the largest tribe in North Carolina, the largest tribe east of the Mississippi River and the ninth largest in the nation. The Lumbee take their name from the Lumbee River which winds its way through Robeson County. Pembroke, North Carolina is the economic, cultural and political center of the tribe.
NC Wesleyan Homecoming Postponed
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – In July, North Carolina Wesleyan University and the USA South Athletic Conference announced the postponement of the College’s conference football games for fall 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, Homecoming will also not happen in an official capacity this fall. The College’s Student Activities may plan some events for students on campus with appropriate guidelines in place and alumni groups may get together, but there is no “official” Homecoming event planned. If the College is able to resume its football season in the spring, there may be a similar type of Homecoming experience at that time. NCWC values the health and safety of its faculty, staff, and students; therefore, the College does not want to risk having larger-scale events at this time.
