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Meet New First-Year Admissions Coordinator Keith Fraser

Hi Seahawks!

My name is Keith Fraser and I am a new First-Year Coordinator for the UNCW Office of Admissions.  As an alumnus of UNCW, I am truly honored and privileged to be back on campus working with prospective and interested students. This is such a wonderful opportunity to share my passion and love for UNCW with future Seahawks. First, let me tell you a little bit about myself.

I was born and raised in West Milford, NJ, and moved to Wilmington a few days before I began my freshman year in high school. I share that because I can empathize with both out of state and in state students. Transitioning into freshman year can be daunting, but through my experience at UNCW, I was truly impressed with the services and support our community offers. When I first started at UNCW, I lived at home and worked full time. By the end of my freshman year, I moved to campus and immersed myself in campus life. This experience gave me such a lens into how diverse and unique our campus community is. During my time as an undergraduate at UNCW, I held several on-campus positions. I worked for the Campus Activities and Involvement Center, Transition Programs and the Student Health Center. By my senior year, I had the privilege to serve as Student Body President –an incredible journey that allowed me an insight into how the entire UNCW community works together for the greater good of all students.  After four wonderful years, I graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. I am now interested in one day continuing my education through the Public Administration graduate program at UNCW. 

For the last year, I served as the Lead Mathematics teacher in a small middle school in South Carolina. This afforded me the chance to see how important college admissions and communications are with any student, regardless of where they are in their academic journey. In my new role, I will be the regional counselor for the Capital Area in North Carolina (Wake and Orange County).  Regardless of where you are in your college search, please feel free to reach out with any and all questions pertaining to UNCW, campus life or the application process. I look forward to working with all students and being there each step of the way.

With Seahawk pride,

Keith R. Fraser ‘13

First-Year Admissions Coordinator

fraserk@uncw.edu

910-962-7134

AACRAO Technology and Transfer Conference

Last week, fellow Transfer Admissions Coordinator, Tom Tascone and I were able to spend 3 days in Fort Lauderdale, Florida attending the AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers) Technology and Transfer Conference. This conference was an opportunity to collaborate with other college professionals from across the country about new programs and initiatives implemented on their campuses. As a relatively new Transfer Coordinator with UNCW, having the opportunity to network with over 450 attendees gave me insight of how to grow professionally as well as continuously improve the transfer student’s experience from application to graduation. 

There is something to be said for the ability to learn from colleges whose total undergraduate population is nearly equal to the amount of transfer students that start at UNCW in the summer and fall semesters.  Throughout the conference I attended a wide range of sessions including ones on streamlining the transfer of credit process, military students and our institution, and recruitment and retention strategies. Each session gave me a different perspective and ultimately and full view of what it takes to make a college run effectively. It was great to see that each school regardless of being public, private, university or community college aimed to make the overall student experience the best possible. 

As a transfer student myself who graduated from UNCW, I know that being a Seahawk is something to be proud of and we all bleed teal, but I hoped that other people attending the conference would see that as well. During the last session I attended, presented by our very own Transfer Coordinator, Tom, on UNCW’s Teal Track program it was apparent that UNCW was “making waves.” Of course everyone loved our coastal location and history of film production giving Wilmington the nickname “Hollywood East,” but they were also impressed with how our transfer program has grown. You could hear gasps in the room when Tom stated we had between 1500 and 1600 transfer students start last summer and fall and that we had specific tours given by transfer students (Teal Guides) for transfer students. 

Overall, my experience solidified my prior knowledge that UNCW’s processes and procedures are in place to best assist the student. However, we can always learn new and innovative ways of working more efficiently towards our goal that will ultimately make us grow as an Admissions department and university.

Karla Blanton
Transfer Admissions and Financial Aid Coordinator

Our New Front Desk Workers

This month we welcomed our first transfer student front desk workers here in Admissions in James Hall. We love the opportunity to have a multitude of student types and diversity represented in our students and Darius and Drew are already outstanding members of our team. Here is a little bit more about them:

 

    My name is Drew (left), I’m 23 and was born and raised right here in North Carolina. I am a Communication Studies major focusing on Public Relations and minoring in History.  I transferred to UNCW last Fall and started working as a Transfer to Teal guide almost immediately.  More recently I became a mentor for our Teal Bridge program, as well as a worker here at the front desk of the Office of Admissions.  The University and my Department have been nothing but welcoming and inclusive.  I’ve enjoyed my time here at UNCW immensely, and am looking forward to seeing what the next year has in store for me!

 

    My name is Darius (right), I am a 24 year old North Carolina native as well as an avid outdoorsman.  I can usually be found out on one of Wilmington's many waterways or deep in the woods during the hunting seasons.  I chose the coastal life of Wilmington as a change of pace after growing up in the shade of the Appalachian Mountains.  I have served multiple tours of combat duty while enlisted in the United States Air Force and am now pursuing a degree in Geography now that I am off of active duty.  I chose Geography because I have always been mesmerized by the global crises I've encountered in my many trips abroad.  Satellite sensors allow for users to assess and solve problems from thousands of miles away without the need to step foot on ground.   I really enjoy the environment UNCW offers, not to mention the outreach it extends to veterans and their needs. 

Summer Fun in the Port City!

 Much like our campus, there is no shortage of unique activities to do here in the city of Wilmington.  Especially during the summer, Wilmington has a variety of things to do that are priced with the students in mind…..some events are even free!  So whether you are taking classes or just looking to spend a relaxing summer at the Dub, rest assured you will certainly be entertained. 

Take a look below at two of the most popular summer activities in the Port City!

Wilmington Sharks Baseball

Love enjoying the summer weather at the ballpark?  Every summer, the Wilmington Sharks take the field down at Legion Stadium.  The Sharks are a part of the Coastal Plain League, one of many collegiate summer leagues that allow college baseball players to hone their skills in the off-season.  The Sharks offer an exciting atmosphere and chance to see future major-leaguers. You can catch them beginning in the end of May and continuing until the beginning of August.  And the best part- general admission is only $6.50!  Take a bite out of summer with the Wilmington Sharks!

For more information, please visit www.wilmingtonsharks.com!

 

Downtown Sundown Summer Concert Series

 

If live music is your more your style, you’ll find no shortage of concerts in the Wilmington area.  Each summer, Wilmington Downtown, Inc. hosts a summer concert series called “Downtown Sundown.” Downtown Sundown occurs every Friday starting in late May and continuing through late August.  Each week features live music from an opening act beginning at 6pm, with the headliner taking the stage at 8pm.  The main acts feature amazing tribute bands that look, sound, and act like the real thing, and many of these bands specifically request to play Downtown Sundown each year thanks to the enthusiasm of local Wilmingtonians.  Downtown Sundown takes place at Riverfront Park in our historic downtown area, right on the water across from the Battleship North Carolina, and is completely free!

For more information on Downtown Sundown and other great summer activities, visit www.wilmingtondowntown.com/ or www.wilmingtonnc.gov/!