New semester brings new names

By Pine Needle Staff

Sybil Jones Bullard of Pembroke has been elected to a one-year term as chair of the UNCP Board of Trustees. She took the gavel from Carl Meares Jr. of Fair Bluff, N.C. Bullard was the first woman to be named Robeson County Farmer of the Year in 2003.          

She farms 1,800 acres with her husband Danny in the Pembroke area, raises beef and operates J.R. Jones Grain, Inc., a grain elevator in Red Springs, N.C. She is also on the board of directors of the Lumbee Guaranty Bank.            

Dr. Breeden Blackwell of Fayetteville, a retired teacher and member of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, is vice chair of the Board of Trustees.

Donald Bonner of Rowland, N.C., a retired teacher and four-term member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, is secretary of the Board of Trustees.            

Dr. Alona Smolova from the Virginia Community College System is director of the Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Assessment and also an associate professor of English.

She will provide data analysis to university administrators.            

Todd Anderson from Mississippi State University is Sports Information Director for UNCP.

Robert N. Cooper is director of the Office of Student Life coordinating student activities and advising student organizations.

"Coop" had been assistant director under the former director Abdul Ghaffar.            

Sara L. Jahansouz is director of the new Office of Greek Life responsible for building and advising a strong and productive community of sororities and fraternities at UNCP.