Contact

Seahawk RISE participants have dedicated and enthusiastic student leaders, faculty, and staff devoted to helping you be successful during your first year at UNCW!

Kristen Harris, M.Ed.
Lead Advisor: First-Year Studies
910.962.3549
harriskm@uncw.edu 

Hi, I am Kristen Harris, an academic advisor in University College. I am from a small rural town, Richfield, North Carolina. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from UNCW and Pfeiffer University, and a Master’s degree in Education, Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education from UNC-Greensboro.

I love being an academic advisor because I enjoy helping students find their place at UNCW, feel connected, and be successful. As a freshman student at UNCW during the Dawson's Creek days, I fell in love with UNCW and hope to help other students enjoy their time here just as much. I will be the Seahawk RISE Academic Advisor.

My office is located in the Graham-Hewlett Residence Hall Advising Office, room 003G.

Patrick Gosier
Seahawk RISE Coordinator 
910.962.3529
pjg4761@uncw.edu 

My name is Pat Gosier and I am the Program Coordinator for the Seahawk RISE program and in my first year with University College. I grew up in in the outskirts of Rome, New York and spent many summers with my grandparents in Chaumont, NY, which had a total population of around 600 people (about the average traffic that passes through Times Square during a 3 minute span). I graduated from SUNY Brockport with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice where I was also a member of the track and field team. After college, I worked with Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection as a Youth Advocate, a nonprofit organization assisting urban youth obtain an on-time high school graduation and attend college or pursue a career. I am currently in my second year of the M.Ed in Higher Education and previously worked in Housing and Residence Life as an Assistant Residence Coordinator.

In my free time I enjoy going to the beach. On those rainy and wintery days, I spend time playing video games (Fortnite is the new craze) and watching Netflix and TV Shows. I am a huge sports fan especially football (Go Patriots), basketball and baseball but you name it, I will watch it. I also enjoy taking spontaneous trips to new places, my most recent being a backpacking trip through Europe!

My favorite part about working with students is getting to know each one on an individual level and what drives them to pursue their goals. I view the advisee-advisor relationship as one where learning is a mutual benefit. I enjoy challenging students to think “outside the box” and engaging them in meaningful reflection on their experiences.

My office is located in the Graham-Hewlett Residence Hall Advising Office, room 003G.

Erin Carter
Seahawk RISE Graduate Intern
910.962.7051
emc8991@uncw.edu 

My name is Erin Carter and I am in my second year of the Masters of Education, Higher Education program here at UNCW. I am from Raleigh, North Carolina and attended UNC Chapel Hill as an undergraduate, majoring in Exercise and Sport Science. I also work as an Assistant Residence Coordinator for Housing and Residence Life.

I enjoy connecting with students and encouraging others to live an authentic life. I hope to work as an Academic Advisor in the future to connect students' passion with their education.

Becky Hyde, MSEd. 
Seahawk RISE UNI 101 Faculty and Adjunct Instructor in Cameron School of Business
910.962.2153
hyder@uncw.edu 

Hi, I am Becky Hyde and I am excited to participate in the RISE program here at UNCW. I am from a small town in South Dakota, where I received my bachelor's degree in Accounting from Northern State University. I have worked in government and higher education administration for nearly 30 years, in a variety of organizations and locations. I also earned a Master's degree along the way, in Higher Education Administration and Accounting from Texas Tech University. I have been teaching college courses for the past eight years, focusing on Human Resources, Leadership, Public Administration, and Freshman Seminar.

Based on my academic research and experiences, I recognize the need for incoming students to feel connected with their peers, mentors, professors, and the University community in order to persist to graduation. As a first-generation college student, I was completely unaware of what to expect from my college experience; I believe this helps me to relate to many of my students. The RISE program provides a great opportunity to establish these connections. I strive to be receptive, engaged, and challenging in support of my students.

I have been in the Wilmington area for just over three years. My husband is an Accounting professor at UNCW. Our twin daughters attend UNCW and will graduate this year, giving me a parental perspective on what it means to be a UNCW student. Our younger daughter is beginning at Cape Fear Community College and our son just started at Isaac Bear Early College High School. We settled in Kure Beach and love the beach lifestyle!

My office is in Cameron Hall, Room 230-F in Management Suite.

Dr. Bill Sterrett
Seahawk RISE LED 211 Faculty and Associate Professor and Program Coordinator in Watson College of Education
910.962.37995
sterrettw@uncw.edu 

Hello, my name is Dr. William Sterrett and I serve as a faculty member and program coordinator at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. I look forward to working with you beginning in the fall! I have been here at UNCW since 2010. I previously served as a principal, assistant principal, and middle school science teacher in Virginia, and I teach a variety of courses in leadership to prepare teachers to become principals. I earned my B.S. in Middle Grades Education from Asbury College where I also played basketball (I was a “role player” at best!) and my Ph.D. in Educational Administration & Supervision from the University of Virginia.

I really enjoy working with students to help them become more organized (as a first year college student, I struggled initially to carve out a schedule that helped me succeed, but soon learned some valuable strategies), to plan and dream big, and to work to meet their goals.

In my spare time, I enjoy playing basketball and running 5ks. My wife, Stephanie, is a nurse (and also finishing her Master’s at UNCW) and we have three sons (they will span the school levels next year; one in elementary, one in middle, and one in high school) and they keep us busy with sports and activities ranging from golf and tennis, to basketball and Legos, to swimming.

You can reach me at sterrettw@uncw.edu in the office (Watson Room 384) or via phone at 910-962-7995. I am on Twitter @billsterrett