About

Emmaline graduated in May 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in art and a concentration in painting. As an incoming freshman, Emmaline was awarded a Provosts Scholarship for her excellent academic  performance. Her time at UNCP was rather eventful. In 2015, her freshman year at UNCP, Emmaline was chosen as a Student Speaker for the Future Business Leaders Conference for high school students that was hosted at UNCP.  In the spring of 2016, she interned for the Office of Finance and Administration on campus. In the fall semester of 2016, Emmaline joined the university’s first swim team. And during that time, she has also been a member of the Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, which has led her to other opportunities on campus. Emmaline served on UNCP’s All-Greek Council for two years: first as the Vice President of Communications and Marketing 2016-2017 and then as President for 2017-2018. She has also worked as a Hawk Assistant for Fraternity and Sorority Life, a tutor for drawing, an Orientation Leader, and a graphic designer for the Center for Student Success. She also had the chance to host multiple paint parties for the BraveStart program in the summer of 2019. Emmaline credits all the opportunities she was given at UNCP to helping her blossom into the person she is today. 

The  Honors College offered Emmaline a chance to participate in courses she otherwise would not have had. Being able to meet and interact with peers that shared a similar work ethic made the experience even better. Emmaline also enjoyed getting to know her professors because of the small class sizes and was amazed at how helpful they were along her journey to her degree. 

For her senior project, Emmaline chose to do a creative project that focused on getting artwork out into the general public. She contacted the Town of Pembroke and gained approval to paint a mural on the side of a building on Main Street. Her vision centered on an image of the sun: a symbol to remind others that there is always light in the darkness. She entitled her piece “Be the Light.” Growing up in Pembroke, Emmaline had always hoped to be able to someday paint a mural in the town. When she was given the challenge to create a senior project, she thought no better time to make her childhood dream come true. She’s always believed Pembroke to be a beautiful town and wanted to gift her town and community with a mural. 

After graduation, Emmaline hopes to continue painting murals and creating commissioned artwork. She loves to use her talents and bring other’s visions to life, and she hopes to be able to continue her career with more opportunities to do so. She has also begun teaching visual arts at both Union and Oxendine Elementary Schools, imparting the importance of creativity to the younger generation.  

To future and potential honors students, Emmaline encourages you to not be afraid. The work may seem intimidating, but she assures you that when you are in the program, it is not. The extra classes and requirements are not too much to handle, and it is easy to create a senior project that connects with your own personal passions. She encourages you to join and get involved, and promises that it will all be worth it. 



Senior Project

"Be The Light"

Heather McMillian Nakai