Excerpts from your letters:
“I am proud to be a Bear! Both my parents attended UNC back in the 1960’s and 1970’s. My dad, James H. Smith, received his Master’s in Education in the early 1970’s. My mom, JoAnn Beran (Smith), attended UNC for coursework in the 1970’s. My years at UNC were filled with learning and growing. I understood that I was supposed to be an educator, and my double major in Elementary and Middle School Education was a great first step. I have since completed a Master’s in School Administration (1995) and a second Master’s in Special Education in 2004. As of today, I have been in education for almost 29 years.
I currently teach special education, self-contained life skills for students in second through fifth grades in the North Thurston Public Schools in Lacey, Washington. I am also an adjunct professor at Centralia College where I am teaching prospective teachers general and special education skills and strategies. Living and working in the Great Northwest is exciting, and I do know I am making a difference for the learners with whom I work. Thank you UNC for giving me a great start!"
James M. Smith BAE ’88, Olympia, Wash.
Setting the Record Straight
Thank you for mentioning me in your alumni notes, but I would like to correct the record. After a successful career as an actor in NYC, appearing in four Broadway shows and four national tours, I have transitioned to costume supervising for which I won an Emmy for Sex and the City. Although I did not work on War Paint, I was the Costume Supervisor for The Greatest Showman.
–Mark Agnes BA ’80, New York, NY
