UNCP Welcomes Class of 2030 at New Student Convocation

Cornelia Oxendine had plenty of options for where to begin her college career.

The Pembroke native was accepted to Clemson University, Duke University, N.C. State University, Coastal Carolina University and East Carolina University. When it came time to choose, however, the place she already knew well felt like the right place for her.

“I felt like I could stay home and still get the same education that I could have gotten at ECU or Duke,” said Oxendine, who plans to study biology before pursuing medical school with the goal of becoming a physician.

Oxendine was among hundreds of incoming first-year students welcomed to UNCP on Thursday, moving into residence halls before joining their classmates for New Student Convocation, a longstanding tradition marking the start of their college experience.

With classes set to begin Monday, the Class of 2030 is taking its first steps into life as Braves.

For Oxendine, UNCP was a familiar place long before she became a student. Her mother works at the university, and both of her parents are UNCP graduates. She remembers visiting campus as a middle school student during freshman orientation and gradually becoming more comfortable with the university.

“When I was in high school, I first said, ‘I don’t want to go to UNCP.’ But the more I came here, I said this would be a great college,” she said. “It’s a friendly environment. It’s smaller. I can get to know my professors better than I could at a larger school. I feel like I would have more support here because of the close community connections.”

Now, Oxendine is eager to see where her decision leads.

“I’m most excited about where my path will take me,” she said.

During convocation, Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings welcomed the incoming class and encouraged students to embrace the personal growth that will come with their college experience.

“In the coming years, you will learn a lot about who you are as a person,” Cummings said. “You will make new friends who are different from you. And somewhere along the way, you will discover something about yourself that you didn’t know when you walked through these doors today.”

Cummings emphasized one of the qualities that distinguishes the UNCP experience: its sense of community.

“Here, people will know your name. Your professors will challenge you. Our staff will support you. And throughout this university, you will find people who genuinely want to see you succeed,” he said.

As part of UNCP's longstanding convocation tradition, an American Indian flutist and the Lumbee Ambassadors led students into the ceremony, symbolizing their entry into the university community.

This year’s keynote speaker, Don “Big Weather” Schwenneker, encouraged students to embrace new experiences, ask for help and persevere when college becomes difficult.

Schwenneker, chief meteorologist for ABC11 Eyewitness News, knows firsthand that educational journeys do not always follow a straight path. A first-generation college student, he left college after receiving a job opportunity in television broadcasting and returned to school 30 years later. He earned his UNCP degree in May 2025 alongside his son, Mason. His daughter, Maddie, graduated from UNCP in 2024.

“College isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about learning to ask better questions,” Schwenneker told the incoming students.

He challenged them to say “yes” to new opportunities, meet people outside their majors and become active members of the campus community.

“You will never see a mountaintop if you don’t go through a valley first,” Schwenneker said.

The incoming class also includes students who traveled much farther to make UNCP home.

Princess Kemigisha, an international student from Uganda, discovered UNCP while researching affordable universities with programs that interested her.

Kemigisha plans to pursue a degree in biology with a concentration in microbiology. As she prepares for her first college classes in a new country, she said she is both excited and anxious.

“I am excited for classes to begin. I am just excited to be a part of this environment. I really don’t know what to expect,” she said.

Mathilde Caillet is another international student beginning her UNCP experience. A graduate of Montpellier Business School in France, Caillet is attending UNCP as part of the university’s partnership established in 2023. She plans to study international business.

“The campus is nice,” Caillet said. “I am excited about getting the classes started. I’m eager to learn new things.

Dominic Blank of Hope Mills chose UNCP in part because of its affordability and its newly-launched Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. Blank, a trombone player, has immersed himself in campus life as a member of the Spirit of the Carolinas marching band.

Nick Homan of Red Springs said he fell in love with the campus atmosphere during summer orientation. He also wanted to remain close to home while pursuing his interest in psychology.

“I’m looking forward to learning more about the discipline, studying people’s emotions,” Homan said. “It’s going to be a learning experience.”

Fayetteville students Zaiden Scriven, Malakhi Maxwell and Malik Whiteside are continuing a friendship that began in high school as they start their college careers together at UNCP.

Scriven chose UNCP in part because of the university’s NC Promise tuition reduction. He plans to major in social work and hopes to eventually establish a nonprofit that helps adults and children escape difficult situations and assists people experiencing homelessness.

“When I was younger, I always wanted to help people and be everyone’s friend, keep positive energy and keep people smiling,” Scriven said.

Maxwell plans to study criminal justice with hopes of becoming a police officer and serving his community. He said he was drawn to UNCP’s campus size and proximity to home.

“It is not too big or too small, and it is close to home,” Maxwell said.

Whiteside plans to study psychology, a field that has interested him since high school. He said he is eager to explore career opportunities in the field and begin learning more about the subject.

“I’ve been waiting for a few years to learn more about psychology. I can’t wait for classes to begin,” he said.

New Student Convocation is one of several events welcoming new and returning students to campus as part of LAUNCH and UNCP’s Weeks of Welcome. Students participated in Brave Walk and BraveNation Bash on Friday, with four more weeks of activities planned to help them connect with classmates, discover campus resources and become part of the Brave community.