It’s one thing to go to college. It’s another to be successful while you’re there – to choose the right major, find faculty mentors, grow personally and professionally, and graduate on time.
UNC Greensboro is increasingly focused on student success programs and initiatives that will help students find their way and maximize their potential. It’s a tenacious, intentional commitment to student success – one that you’ll find both in and out of the classroom.
As part of this commitment, UNCG brought feature documentary “Unlikely” and its award-winning creator, filmmaker Adam Fenderson, to campus this week for an important conversation on the barriers students face and how universities can best support students.
A 2019 film selection for SXSW EDU, “Unlikely” follows five students who are fighting for a second chance and highlights some of the innovators reimagining higher education for the 21st century.
On Wednesday and Thursday, UNCG hosted free screenings of the film for students, faculty, and staff. Around 100 students packed into the lecture hall for the first screening Wednesday night, and the group erupted into applause when the credits started to roll.
On Friday morning, the campus community was invited to a special Q&A with the filmmaker to talk about some of the key issues in higher education today.
The events concluded with a panel discussion with “Unlikely” co-director/producer Fenderson, UNCG Provost Dana Dunn, and UNCG students Nicholas Smurthwaite, Margaree Brown, and Mckayla Bohannon. A group of university faculty and staff, elected officials, and community leaders were invited to contribute to the conversation and hear firsthand from students about their experiences.
In conjunction with the filmmaker’s visit, the University announced the launch of its newest student success program: the Academic Success Coaching Program for first-year students. To learn more, visit the program website.
To learn more about the “Unlikely” film, and to watch the trailer, visit unlikelyfilm.com.
Story by Alyssa Bedrosian, University Communications
Photography by Martin W. Kane, University Communications
