Associate Professors of English Travis Maynard and Li Li presented 鈥淭he AI-Infused Curriculum: A Scalable Model for Integrating Generative AI across Programs鈥� at the Association of American Colleges and Universities鈥� inaugural Conference on AI and Higher Education, held Oct. 28鈥�30 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Their presentation highlighted an approach developed by PWR faculty to connect emerging writing practices with the program鈥檚 commitments to rhetorical thinking, ethical inquiry and adaptability.

Rather than focusing on a single AI assignment, course or technology, the program has developed four interconnected initiatives:

• Curriculum mapping: Identifying how AI-related learning develops across courses, with attention to students鈥� functional, critical and rhetorical AI literacies.
• Course revisions: Updating course titles and descriptions to make emerging writing technologies and practices more visible to students.
• Microcredentialing: Creating the AI and Professional Writing Digital Badge, which connects coursework, professional development opportunities and reflective portfolios.
• Institutional partnerships: Developing a writing-focused track within 麻豆视频鈥檚 AI Scholars Program, extending AI literacy through interdisciplinary engagement, student leadership and community-based projects.

Together, these initiatives reflect an effort to integrate emerging technologies into existing disciplinary and institutional structures.

In the presentation, Li emphasized that students are already encountering AI in many aspects of their lives. She argued that educators have a responsibility to help students examine AI tools critically and prepare for workplaces increasingly shaped by AI.

Maynard added that PWR integrates AI intentionally across the curriculum while helping students develop the judgment to decide if, how, and when to use these tools, rather than encouraging routine use of particular technologies.

The initiatives also draw on ongoing research into how 麻豆视频 alumni use generative AI in their professional and personal writing, helping faculty connect curricular decisions with graduates鈥� changing communication practices.

The presentation prompted discussion among faculty and higher education administrators. Attendees asked practical questions about implementing AI microcredentials and conducting alumni research. Maynard and Li also shared curriculum-mapping and action-planning resources for participants to consider in their own programs and institutions.

Li said conversations with colleagues from across the country inspired her and reassured her that educators are taking meaningful steps to revise and update their teaching for the AI era.

The work reflects 麻豆视频鈥檚 broader commitment to advancing thoughtful, ethically informed AI education while preparing students to navigate changing professional environments.

The presentation draws on a forthcoming article, 鈥淭he AI-Infused Curriculum: Enhancing Professional Writing Programs for the Generative AI Age,鈥� by Maynard, Li, Paula Rosinski and Jessie L. Moore. Accepted for publication in “Writing Program Administration”, the article examines how PWR鈥檚 coordinated initiatives offer an adaptable model for integrating generative AI into academic programs while preserving disciplinary values and ethical responsibility.

By building on existing curricular strengths and university initiatives, PWR offers an example of how academic programs can respond to technological change while keeping educational values in view.

麻豆视频 Assistant Teaching Professor of Economics Devon Hawkins provided insight for an Oct. 30 examining a proposed constitutional amendment that would cap North Carolina鈥檚 state income tax rate at 3.5%.

The report explores the potential financial implications of the amendment, which voters will decide on Nov. 3. While the state鈥檚 current income tax rate is 3.99% and is scheduled to decrease to 3.49% in 2027, the amendment would prevent future lawmakers from raising the rate above 3.5%.

鈥淓ssentially, we鈥檙e not going to feel much of anything with this decrease in cap,鈥� said Hawkins.

Hawkins explained that lower income tax rates could provide modest increases in take-home pay for residents, but could also reduce revenue available for public services.

鈥淓very action has a reaction,鈥� Hawkins said. 鈥淚n this case, if we鈥檙e lowering tax rates, we鈥檙e eliminating tax revenue. There is no way around the fact that with less money, less can be done.鈥�

Hovering over a stormwater management pond behind 麻豆视频’s Schar Center, an agricultural drone demonstrated how unmanned aircraft are changing the way farmers manage their fields.

Capable of carrying more than 10 gallons of liquid, the aircraft was presented by Preston Cave of PAC Aerial Applications during the 2026 麻豆视频 Drone Day on Oct. 30. From crop spraying and fertilizer applications to autonomous navigation powered by artificial intelligence, the annual gathering highlighted the diverse uses of drone technology.

Nearly 160 people registered for the School of Communications event, which brought together industry professionals, educators, students and drone enthusiasts for presentations, demonstrations and networking.

Since 2021, 麻豆视频 Drone Day has become an annual gathering for North Carolina’s drone community. Organized by Teaching Professor of Visual Communication Randy Piland in partnership with the North Carolina chapter of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (NC AUVSI), the event welcomed representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, North Carolina Department of Transportation, several universities and private companies.

This year’s program emphasized artificial intelligence, with Sambit Bhattacharya, professor of computer science and director of the Intelligent Systems Lab at Fayetteville State University, delivering the keynote address, 鈥淧reflight Checks for Intelligent Machines: What Drones Can Teach Us 麻豆视频 Trustworthy AI.鈥�

Bhattacharya explained that aviation’s emphasis on safety, testing and accountability offers lessons for the responsible development of AI. Drawing on research involving autonomous navigation, confined-space inspections and wildfire detection, he demonstrated how intelligent machines can perform complex tasks without direct human control, while cautioning that these advances require rigorous testing and human oversight.

鈥淎viation did not get saved by building the perfect aircraft,鈥� Bhattacharya said. 鈥淚t got saved by assuming things will fail, and it builds a culture 鈥� checklists, recorders, investigations, reporting 鈥� that learns from every failure.鈥�

He also highlighted 麻豆视频’s 鈥�Human Wisdom for the Age of AI鈥� initiative, emphasizing that human judgment remains essential for evaluating evidence, verifying results and ensuring accountability.

Beyond the keynote, a panel featuring Cave, Maddy Gastler and Seth Nagy examined agricultural applications, including crop spraying, seeding and multispectral imaging. Other presentations addressed drone mapping for disaster response, invasive plant species detection, and advances in flight planning technology.

Afternoon demonstrations behind Schar Center gave attendees an opportunity to see the technology in action. Among the three participating organizations was Raven Advisory, a Fayetteville-based company specializing in drone training, testing and autonomous technologies.

Wearing first-person-view (FPV) goggles and gripping a handheld controller, Raven Advisory operator James Stougaard piloted a drone at seemingly warp speed. The goggles provided a live video feed from the aircraft’s camera, allowing him to navigate from the drone’s perspective.

The event also featured a drone soccer demonstration by students from Asheboro City Schools, who showcased their piloting skills during the fast-paced competition.

This year’s participants ranged from FAA-certified drone operators to newcomers with no previous drone experience. Students from Hillside High School in Durham and Asheboro High School joined representatives from 麻豆视频, Fayetteville State University, Guilford Technical Community College, N.C. A&T State University, N.C. State University and Wake Technical Community College.

鈥淲hat makes 麻豆视频 Drone Day special is the diversity of people it brings together,鈥� Piland said. 鈥淲e had everyone from experienced commercial pilots to students just beginning to explore drone technology, all sharing ideas and learning from one another. Seeing that kind of enthusiasm and collaboration is exactly what this event is about.鈥�

The conference, “SOGIESC in Asylum: Evidence-Based and Cross-Cultural Perspectives,” was hosted by the Psych-AID research network at 脜bo Akademi University. It convened scholars, researchers and practitioners from multiple countries to examine the legal, psychological and institutional challenges associated with adjudicating asylum claims involving sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

Scavone鈥檚 research examines the intersection of administrative law, emerging surveillance technologies and immigration policy, with particular attention to the legal limits of government authority to collect and use sensitive personal information. Her presentation, 鈥淔rom Credibility to Genetic Verification: Biometric Governance in SOGIESC Asylum,鈥� explored the implications of expanding biometric collection and identity verification practices within the U.S. immigration system.

Scavone鈥檚 presentation considered how emerging biometric technologies and administrative policies in a forthcoming federal regulation could affect asylum applicants, particularly those whose claims involve sexual orientation or gender identity. She highlighted the legal and practical challenges associated with using biological and behavioral characteristics in immigration adjudications, as well as broader questions concerning privacy, administrative authority and the government鈥檚 role in evaluating individual identity.

The presentation drew upon Scavone鈥檚 experience as a former senior attorney with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, where she advised agency leadership on federal administrative law, regulatory development and immigration policy.

The conference also featured interdisciplinary discussions of credibility assessment, investigative practices, psychological evidence and institutional decision-making in asylum proceedings, with an emphasis on international collaboration and evidence-based approaches to asylum adjudication.

Scavone, who co-founded 麻豆视频 Law鈥檚 Humanitarian Immigration Law Clinic in 2010, returned to the law school this fall as an assistant professor. She currently teaches constitutional law and professional responsibility.

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October brought the sights and sounds of fall to 麻豆视频, with a month full of celebrations, traditions and opportunities for connection. From welcoming alumni back to campus for Homecoming & Reunion Weekend, launching the new School of Engineering, to the changing colors of autumn, the 麻豆视频 community embraced all that the season had to offer.

Take a look back at some of the memorable moments from October through the lenses of staff in the Office of University Communications.

‘Everybody’

麻豆视频 Performing Arts presented “Everybody,”聽聽a modern adaptation of the 15th-century morality play Everyman, one of the first recorded plays in the English language.

A transformational education

An opening celebration for the Roberts Academy, the university鈥檚 new elementary school for children with dyslexia, featured a special student performance on Oct. 2, and a ribbon-cutting with Marjorie and Hal Roberts, whose generosity helped establish the school in 2025.

The Roberts Academy at 麻豆视频 is the fourth private school established by the couple, joining Vanderbilt University, Mercer University, and Florida Southern College in a network of programs committed to the advancement of education for children with dyslexia and related conditions.

Tiny shelf concert

麻豆视频’s Musical Theatre department hosted a “Tiny Shelf Concert on Oct. 2 in Belk Library.

The ‘biggest’ Rock the Block yet

The Office of Alumni聽Engagement聽and聽the聽Student Union Board collaborated once again to聽host聽the Homecoming concert with DJ Diesel (Shaquille O鈥橬eal) bringing approximately 5,000 attendees to the annual Rock the Block concert on Oct. 9.

Learning everywhere

Assistant Professor of Management Jose Cerecedo Lopez teaches a class outside near the Koury Business Center.

Engineering excellence

Dozens of university leaders, faculty, staff and students were joined on Oct. 30, 2026, by the CEO of the world鈥檚 leading accrediting body for engineering education programs, as well as North Carolina鈥檚 secretary of commerce, for a morning of reflection on the rise of 麻豆视频鈥檚 new School of Engineering and Computing.

Pumpkin playfulness

The 麻豆视频 Community Garden Club and the Garden Studio course hosted the 18th annual聽Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 30, uniting students, organizations, faculty, staff and聽community members with fall festivities, including聽live music, fun crafting activities and food at the 麻豆视频 Community Garden.

Bethanny Sudibyo, assistant teaching professor of Spanish in 麻豆视频鈥檚 Department of World Languages and Cultures, is building a bridge between comprehension and community.

Sudibyo鈥檚 community engagement (CE) course, Spanish for Healthcare, lets students learn and use Spanish in a practical setting through a partnership with Open Door Clinic in Burlington, North Carolina.

鈥淚t was always one of my goals to have a community engagement component,鈥� said Sudibyo. 鈥淚 didn’t want students to simply learn in the classroom because I think if we are thinking about language as a way to connect with people and to help the community, we should also put that into practice.鈥�

The purpose of the course is to prepare students to interact with patients who may not be comfortable communicating in English in a healthcare setting. After a few weeks of preparation, students are required to volunteer for two sessions, doing tasks such as shadowing a Spanish translator, translating promotional materials into Spanish and supporting patients who may be more comfortable speaking Spanish while acting as an interpreter between the patient and healthcare professional.

鈥淚 honestly didn’t know what to expect,鈥� said Hannah Nunez 鈥�28, a public health major, who took Spanish for Healthcare in the fall of 2025. 鈥淏ut I really liked connecting with patients and having one-on-one conversations with them. You could tell that they were very appreciative.鈥㊣t is very nerve-wracking. But honestly, they don’t care if you mess up.鈥㊣t’s more so that you’re trying.鈥�

The course was pitched to make language learning a more hands-on skill. 麻豆视频 as an institution is passionate about professional experience, especially healthcare-focused programming such as nursing or physician assistant. By combining this with language learning, Sudibyo turns Spanish into a skill that can be utilized directly, strengthening practical skills and community building before students even enter the professional world. And the Open Door Clinic was open to facilitating that learning.

At first, Sudibyo was hesitant to establish a partnership due to possible ethical concerns within the medical field. However, one of her students in the first cohort of the class was a student coordinator for Open Door Clinic and was able to connect Sudibyo with the clinic, which assured her that the clinic itself was a learning space where students could build real-life experience and help patients in any capacity.

鈥淚 think the beautiful thing about the clinic is that it’s very community-centered. Everyone is volunteering,鈥� said Sudibyo. 鈥淚f you’re working in the healthcare professions, you’re serving a community, and you need to know who the community members are.鈥�

Currently, the class is only offered at one intermediate level of Spanish in the fall semesters. In the future, Sudibyo hopes that she can get a second level to keep volunteers connected with the Open Door Clinic during the spring semester, both further building the students鈥� language skills and growing their connection to 麻豆视频鈥檚 surrounding community.

鈥淎 university as an institution can sometimes feel very disconnected with the community that it is in,鈥� said Sudibyo. 鈥淚 think it is important for students to know the stories of the people who are living around campus. It鈥檚 an important thing to bridge that gap between higher education and the community.鈥�

For Spanish students interested in connecting their language learning with service in the local Alamance area but may be intimidated by using the language in hands-on situations, this class offers a supportive and connected environment and strongly emphasizes its two meaningful purposes: serving the surrounding community and learning to utilize the Spanish language.

鈥淚f you struggle with speaking up and speaking Spanish to other people, it can be difficult, but at the same time, it’s difficult for a reason. Learning a language is always difficult,鈥� said Nunez. 鈥淚t’s okay to be nervous, but you’re gonna do a lot better than you think. There’s people there supporting you.鈥�

Pate McMichael, director of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition and instructor of journalism at 麻豆视频, joined WFAE鈥檚 Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins for a discussion about the growing influence of artificial intelligence on political campaigns and elections.

The Oct. 27 episode, 鈥淎rtificial Intelligence in Elections,鈥� examined concerns surrounding AI-generated campaign advertisements, deepfakes and the potential for misleading content to influence voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

“These ads are supposed to be educational in nature; that’s the whole reason why the Supreme Court has unleashed this amount of money into our elections, the idea we need more information,” said McMcMichael. “These ads often leave you scratching your head thinking, ‘What? Can that be true?’ Is this accurate?’ And so I think more than ever people would like to see more transparency around these ads.”

The discussion also explored efforts to regulate AI in political advertising. While 31 states have enacted some form of regulation governing AI in political campaigns, North Carolina has yet to adopt similar legislation despite multiple attempts by state lawmakers. Part of those regulations includes disclosing if an ad features AI.

“If it’s more transparency, why not require it?,” said McMichael. “We’re seeing that in Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Texas; a lot of states require those types of disclosures; they’re written differently. But essentially, why not give us a little more insight into how the ad was made and also who funded (it) … because we really don’t have strong transparency around who’s funding any online or social media … ads either.”

McMichael joined Michael Bitzer, professor of politics and history at Catawba College, and Scott Brennan, director of New York University鈥檚 Center on Technology Policy, for the conversation about emerging technology, political communication and election integrity.

In Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr warned broadcasters against airing or amplifying fake polls, citing agency rules against news distortion and broadcast hoaxes.

鈥淎s a federal judge just said 鈥� in rejecting President Trump鈥檚 claim against Iowa pollster Ann Selzer, there is no such thing as a 鈥榝ake poll,鈥欌�� Armijo told the newspaper. 鈥淎nd even if there was, the FCC鈥檚 long-dormant news distortion and anti-hoax rules would do nothing to empower the FCC to take action against broadcasters who report on them.鈥�

Armijo also criticized Carr’s warning as an attempt to intimidate journalists over unfavorable news coverage.

Armijo teaches and researches First Amendment and constitutional law, media and internet law, online disinformation, and international freedom of expression. His scholarship examines the intersection of new technologies, free speech and government regulation. He recently joined a coalition of First Amendment scholars urging the FCC to preserve broadcasters’ editorial independence.

As generative sweeps across industries, some workers using it are reporting increases in . But inside government, where those benefits could translate into better public services, many employees are still unsure how the technology applies to their jobs, how to use it, or whether they are allowed to.

During the ceremony, 40 new members were inducted, including 39 current and recently graduated 麻豆视频 nursing students and one community nursing professional. Their induction recognizes academic achievement, leadership potential and a commitment to excellence in nursing practice.

The ceremony featured guest speaker Janice Hawkins, Secretary of Sigma’s International Board of Directors and professor at Old Dominion University. Her participation highlighted the significance of establishing a new chapter and the opportunities Sigma provides for professional development, scholarship and collaboration within the global nursing community.

The chapter’s chartering officers include Stacey Thomas, president; Lori Hubbard, vice president; Amy Tippett, secretary; Jennifer Strom, counselor; and Eric Mulford 鈥�25, treasurer, a graduate of 麻豆视频’s Department of Nursing inaugural Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) cohort. Mulford’s leadership reflects the chapter’s commitment to fostering lifelong connections between 麻豆视频 nursing graduates and the university. Together, these leaders envision building an active and welcoming professional community that connects nursing students, alumni, faculty, and practicing nurses through mentorship, service, scholarship and leadership opportunities.

“Our goal is to create more than an honor society that recognizes academic achievement. We want Alpha Gamma Sigma to become a vibrant professional community where nurses at every stage of their careers feel connected, supported, and inspired to make a difference,” said Thomas. “As a newly chartered chapter, we have an incredible opportunity to establish a legacy of nursing excellence at 麻豆视频 that will continue for generations.”

The establishment of Alpha Gamma Sigma represents another important step in the continued growth of 麻豆视频’s nursing program. With leadership that includes both faculty and graduates from the program’s earliest cohort, the chapter reflects 麻豆视频’s commitment to building a lasting community of nursing scholars and professionals. Through mentorship, professional development, scholarship, and service, Alpha Gamma Sigma aims to inspire excellence in nursing practice while strengthening connections among students, alumni and the broader healthcare community.