What barriers do students face as they pursue an education and meaningful career? And how can we help break down these barriers?
To help answer these pressing questions, UNC Greensboro is bringing the feature documentary “Unlikely” and its award-winning filmmaker to campus next week for a series of events and discussions around student success.
A 2019 film selection for SXSW EDU, “Unlikely” follows five students who are fighting for a second chance and highlights some of the innovators reimagining higher education for the 21st century. The film includes interviews with LeBron James, Howard Shultz, university presidents, and other leading voices in education.
On Wednesday, April 3, and Thursday, April 4, UNCG will host free screenings of the documentary at 5:30 p.m. in the School of Education Building, Room 114. Faculty will help lead discussions after each screening.
On Friday, April 5, filmmaker Adam Fenderson will visit campus. Students, faculty, and staff are invited to a special Q&A with Fenderson at 10:15 a.m. in the Claxton Room in Elliott University Center. UNCG is the first university in the state to screen the documentary and bring the filmmaker to campus.
The week’s events are part of the University’s ongoing efforts to improve student success. UNCG is member of the prestigious Gates Foundation “Frontier Set” to drive success for low-income, first-generation students, as well as students of color, and is one of 12 institutions named to the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Southeastern Cluster, dedicated to improving the transfer student experience.
In January, UNCG was awarded a Mellon Foundation grant to transform humanities education through undergraduate research, and in the fall, the University announced a $1.2 million grant from the Edward M. Armfield Sr. Foundation for a Scaling Student Success program.
To learn more about the film and to watch the trailer, visit unlikelyfilm.com.
Story by Alyssa Bedrosian, University Communications
