We are so incredibly proud of our Class of 2021 Spartans!

The School of Health and Human Sciences comprises students who show up every day to make the world a healthier, safer, and more equitable place. HHS graduates are uniquely qualified to take on an uncertain future. This is a class that navigated a year of online classes, in some cases pivoted their research studies, study abroad plans, and internships; and juggled the demands of school with family, employment, and other competing responsibilities. Today, we welcome this resilient class into the HHS Alumni community.

Congratulations! We are so proud of all that you have accomplished and look forward to the impact you will make on your communities and the world. To view UNCG’s virtual commencement ceremonies, visit this page.

Danielle Eccles

Graduate
Peace & Conflict Studies

“My graduate career at UNCG has taught me the importance of perseverance, reflection, and growth. My experience as a graduate student has not been a traditional one, and has had roadblocks, however, the Peace and Conflict studies program provided me with opportunities to meet other individuals and gain knowledge that not only expanded my spectrum of comprehension; but that also encouraged and motivated me to evolve on a personal level. I can honestly say that I am not the same person as I was when I first entered my program, have grown significantly since then, and I’m extremely proud and thankful for that.”

“After graduation my intent to utilize my degree to improve and assist my local and surrounding minority communities with the current societal conflicts, injustices, and lack of opportunities. I would like to continue to assist the UNCG community in upholding and continuing its mission to serve students and the surrounding communities. I would like additionally be able to help serve and assist in state and/or federal government with developing and implementing solutions that will provide resolution and further opportunities for cooperation and collaboration on a local, state, national, and global spectrum.”

Danielle currently works for the UNCG Registrar’s Office as a Degree Clearance Analyst III.

Drew Gehrken

Graduate
Community & Therapeutic Recreation

“I am so pleased with my MS CTR experience. I feel I have gained so many tools and so much information to fuel my desire to serve through outdoor recreation. Drs. (Justin) Harmon and (Ben) Hickerson have really helped to prepare me for that next step in my career and helped me to bring so much clarity to my personal mission. I am extremely grateful for my time here and the community of like-minded learners that I have become a part of.”

Ella Porter

Undergraduate
Human Development and Family Studies

“The most impactful experience I’ve had in HHS/HDFS was having the opportunity to be a TA for Dr. Heather Helms’ HDF 212 class. It was taking HDF 212 with Dr. Helms that introduced me to HDFS and sparked my interest in the major, and I loved being able to be part of the class again and being able to support other students! I also really enjoyed the meetings that went along with being a TA, because they allowed me to form relationships with other HDFS students and to get advice and mentoring from Dr. Helms. It was definitely one of the highlights of my time in HHS and HDFS!”

“This year, the pandemic caused me a lot of stress, with all of the changes and upheaval that it brought about, and just all the uncertainty about the future. One thing in particular I worried about was money, and UNCG helped alleviate a lot of that worry by awarding me emergency grants, and also by allowing me to still be paid for my work-study job even though the pandemic meant that for the most part, I wasn’t able to continue doing it. I also appreciated the grace and understanding that many of my professors showed to my classmates and myself during this time. In particular, two HDFS professors I had who I feel did an especially good job of supporting students during the pandemic are Dr. (Anne) Fletcher and Dr. (Rebekah) Pierro, but I would say that most of my HDFS professors were understanding about struggles arising from the pandemic and worked to accommodate students, which I appreciated a lot.”

Dynestie Robinson

Graduate
Social Work

“I had a wonderful time at UNCG both during my graduate year as well as during undergrad. I always looked forward to the wonderful activities during Welcome Back Week that are planned by our student activities board. I’m definitely going to miss all of the wonderful opportunities for meeting new people and making lifelong friends!”