Where are they now?
We checked in with former N.C. high school journalists and summer Institute attendees of years past to see where life has taken them. Q&As were conducted via email by Katie Schanze.
Pharen Bowman, NCSMA assistant,’05-’08
Pharen Bowman is an undergraduate admissions and financial aid officer at Harvard University, where she also serves as the Director of the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative. A UNC-Chapel Hill alum ’08, She worked with NCSMA as a work-study student for 3.5 years, during which she had the opportunity to work with the summer Institute, conduct research for the planning of the NC College Media Association, and serve as a counselor for the Chuck Stone Program. Although her career has taken her away from journalism, she remains grateful for all that she learned at NCSMA. Her yearbook adviser was Jan Reid at John T. Hoggard High.
Philip Rogers, NCSMI ’99
Philip Rogers is the vice president and chief of staff at the American Council on Education (ACE). Prior to joining ACE in July 2013, Rogers served as chief of staff and policy analyst to the chancellor at East Carolina University. He attended NCSMI in 1999. Rogers earned a doctorate degree in higher education management with distinction from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree in communication from Wake Forest University.
Sam Fulwood III, NCSMI ’73, Garinger High School
Sam Fulwood III is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, where he has worked since 2009 analyzing the influence of national politics and domestic policies on communities of color across the U.S. A UNC-Chapel Hill alum ’78, before he joined American Progress, Fulwood had a 30-year long career in journalism. He worked at The Charlotte Observer, Baltimore Sun, and Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was a national correspondent in the Washington bureau of the Los Angeles Times — where he contributed to the paper’s Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Los Angeles riots in 1992 — and the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where he was a metro columnist. His career got its initial boost when he served as co-editor of The Rambler, the student newspaper at Garinger High in Charlotte, N.C. He won an award for his feature writing from NCSMA.
Nicole Bogas, NCSMI ’99 and ’00
Nicole Bogas is the founder of NC MADE, a company offering handcrafted North Carolina foods in packages that can be ordered as gifts. She also works for Our State magazine in their retail products division, where she helps to market goods that celebrate North Carolina. A UNC-Chapel Hill alum ‘05, Bogas once worked as an assistant for NCSMA and helped organize and execute the summer Institute. Her literary magazine adviser was Marva Hutchinson at Providence Senior High.
Andrew Dunn, NCSMI ’04
Andrew Dunn is the editor-in-chief of Charlotte Agenda, a startup media organization covering the city’s news and lifestyle. He joined the company after four years at The Charlotte Observer, where he covered banking and education. A UNC-Chapel Hill School of Journalism alum ’10, he has won several Best in Business Awards from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. He is married to Erin Zureick Dunn, whom he met while on staff at The Daily Tar Heel, the student newspaper at UNC-Chapel Hill for which he served as Editor-in-Chief.
Kim Stone, West Henderson High School
Kim Stone is the Executive Vice President of the Miami Heat and General Manager of American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida, and is one of only three women in the country to run an NBA arena. A UNC-Chapel Hill School of Journalism alum ’90, she is a veteran of South Florida’s sports and entertainment market, and has worked for the Miami Heat for 20 years, where she started in media relations. She has received the prestigious “Women of Influence” award from Venues Today, the trade publication for the facility industry, and was recognized by SportsBusiness Journal as a 2015 Game Changer. Although she’s no longer in the journalism industry, she credits it as an invaluable skill she’s relied on throughout her career. Her journalism teacher was Brenda Gorsuch at West Henderson High.
Adam Playford, N.C. Journalist of the Year ’05
Adam Playford is the Director of Data and Digital Enterprise at the Tampa Bay Times. His team at the Times analyzes data for investigative stories, builds digital graphics and experiments with new ways to tell stories on the Internet. Previously he was a reporter on the investigations teams at Newsday and The Palm Beach Post. At Newsday, he was a finalist for the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, for revealing widespread secret misconduct by Long Island police officers.