Third MATC cohort celebrates commencement | UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media

The third Master of Arts in Technology and Communication cohort graduated from the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media in Saturday’s commencement ceremony at Carmichael Arena.

Seventeen students completed the MATC program during the 2015-16 academic year, and 14 returned to campus for the ceremony, which featured an address by longtime political journalist Cokie Roberts. The celebration began with a lunch reception for graduates and their families in Carroll Hall, home of UNC Hussman.

During the ceremony, Susan King, dean of UNC Hussman, recognized Sarah Lamm as the program’s outstanding graduate. Lamm’s peers also selected her as the winner of the Joy R. Gibson Cohort Award.

In the three academic years since starting the program, 13 members of the graduating class of working professionals have advanced to new jobs or earned promotions. They have also navigated personal and family commitments while completing their studies. Cohort members became parents to six new babies during the program, and four of the students got married.

For several students, Saturday’s ceremony marked a return to commencement at Carolina. Four graduates earned UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduate degrees, and three began graduate study in the Certificate in Technology and Communication program. The cohort previously came to campus for orientation in August 2013 and a weeklong residency in May 2014.

The MATC graduating cohort of 2015-16 includes communication professionals living across North Carolina and in four other states. They are:

Jennifer Bailey, corporate communications (former) at Nestle USA• Amy Brock, lead marketing at Corning
Corey Broman-Fulks, assistant director of video at Emory University
Crystal Chapman, communications manager at UNC-Wilmington
Miranda Dotson, news producer at WRAL-TV
Patricia Harrison, communications specialist at the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
Casey Hart, marketing and instructional design coordinator at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
Quanta Holden, web and communication specialist at the Duke University English Department
Steven Jamroz, strategic marketing consultant at Jamroz Creative
Andrew Joyner, senior manager for insights and analytics at Wasserman Media Group
Sarah Lamm, group account director at CRISP Agency
Zack Rearick, communications and political manager at the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals
John Roberts, creative director and founder of Creative Est.
Randall Roberts, director of development at the University of Nebraska Foundation
Marybeth Sandell, lecturer at UNC-Pembroke
Kristin Saunders, application producer at Wells Fargo
Alex Waterworth, web designer/developer at Appalachian State University