Gia Long '91

Gia Long ’91 was more focused on saving her parents’ money than becoming a second-generation Seahawk when she enrolled as an undergraduate at UNCW. A full academic scholarship brought her to UNCW, but she’s proud to carry on the family tradition that started when her mother, Emily Freeman Todd ’77, graduated from UNCW.  

“That whole legacy thing does mean something,” she said. Her children have attended UNCW events such as Homecoming despite not being alumni. “They understand that UNCW holds a special place in my heart,” she said.    

She has carried on that legacy with deep and long-standing ties to the university. Soon after graduating, she joined the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors and has recently returned for another term. One of her favorite parts of the Seahawk connection is the bond that forms with current students and recent alumni.    

Long has also worked to develop that bond through the leadership of UNCW’s African American Graduate Association. A past president of the organization, she now serves as vice president and has watched the group change as the volunteer organization became a chartered member of the Alumni Association.  

“Our numbers weren’t big at the start, but creating intentional events and programming brought people together even more,” she said.  

When she graduated with her undergraduate degree in environmental studies, Long turned her student job with computer support into an IT career. After a staff position at UNCW and time in the private sector, Long now works for New Hanover County. She was the longtime leader of a team that set up the technology necessary for elections. The most recent election cycle was the first in many years she wasn’t involved in the physical setup and troubleshooting required to ensure voting ran smoothly.   

Long said she always wanted to start a business outside her technology work, but she didn’t know what her passion was. She once thought it might be owning a neighborhood pub, “where you can bring the dogs and babies,” she explained. But visiting a Wine & Design store where visitors can enjoy a glass of wine while painting a canvas to take with them convinced her otherwise. She saw it as the perfect way to allow people to have a good time with their friends. “Probably less than a year later, my husband and I became franchisees,” she said.   

They now run the Leland location. Even when running her business, she keeps the Seahawks in the forefront of her mind. She’s raised money for Hawks Harvest, the free food pantry for all UNCW students, by offering discounts to those who donated. “I feel like I owe it to UNCW to pay the experience forward,” she said. “I feel a responsibility to do all I can do.”