Mullins, Vines will speak at commencement

Award-winning singer, songwriter-producer and recording artist Shawn Mullins '91 and University of North Georgia (UNG) Foundation Trustee Marvin Vines will serve as keynote speakers for UNG's Dec. 7 commencement ceremonies. Tracy Amaya and Charlotte Sims will be the student speakers. Dr. Maria Westerfield '15 will serve as the alumni speaker for both ceremonies.

Mullins and Amaya will address graduates of the College of Arts & Letters, University College, College of Science & Mathematics, and Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental & Spatial Analysis in the 10 a.m. ceremony. Vines and Sims will speak to graduates of the Mike Cottrell College of Business, College of Education, and College of Health Sciences & Professions in the 3 p.m. ceremony.

Mullins earned a degree in music education from UNG and previously served in the Army Reserve. He earned a No. 1 hit with "Lullaby" in 1998 and other hits with "Beautiful Wreck" and "Shimmer," while serving as a co-writer on the Zac Brown Band's No. 1 hit "Toes." His music has been featured on film, TV and radio for 25 years. He is currently writing for his 17th studio album.

"The Soul's Core" album featuring "Lullaby" sold more than a million copies in the U.S., as well as receiving gold and platinum sales awards in Australia and Canada.

Mullins earned the Young Alumnus Award from UNG in 2001.

Vines holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina.

He is a veteran of the Coca-Cola Company for 30 years, serves as vice president of industry leadership and retail for Coca-Cola North America Operating Unit. He is responsible for creating and cultivating C-suite level relationships most strategic retail partners and industry leaders.

Prior to his current role, Vines served as group director for national sales, leading the Aramark account team, where he was responsible for leading his team to drive sustainable growth with Aramark, the third-largest concessionaire in the world. His other roles in Coca-Cola range from finance to sales analysis to deal management and negotiation.

Amaya is earning a degree in political science with a pre-law concentration. She is passionate about assisting immigrants' assimilation into the United States by advocating for an efficient and fair path to citizenship.

She has worked with the nonprofit organization Boy With A Ball as a peer mentor and English as a second language tutor. Amaya is also vice president of logistics for the Latino Student Association and served on the steering committee when UNG hosted the Model United Nations conference. She also took part in the prestigious Meridian-Cox Service Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Washington, D.C., this summer.

Following graduation, she hopes to continue her education by pursuing a J.D. with a specialty in international and comparative law.

"The faculty and staff have been super encouraging for me to apply for scholarships, fellowships and internships," she said. "Being at UNG has given me this new-found confidence of believing in myself and not selling myself short."

A second-generation Kenyan-American, Sims has kindled a growing interest in leadership opportunities in her four years at UNG. While she is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration in management, her minor in Korean helped her decide to pursue a career in teaching English as a foreign language in South Korea. She is seeking a Fulbright grant to support this path. Sims has also served as vice president of the Korean Club this semester.

She started college as a retail worker in Helen, Georgia, and is ending it as a day-of coordinator for a wedding planning company based in the north Georgia area.

"Being here and collaborating with fellow students, being in clubs, it gives you confidence and refines you as a leader," Sims said. "The faculty are always ready to help you find opportunities beyond the classroom."

Westerfield is in her fellowship for sports medicine at Self Regional Healthcare in Greenwood, S.C., actively covering NCAA Division II college athletics and high school athletics.

She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in biology and a minor in Spanish from UNG. Westerfield then attended Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Georgia, as a Nathan Deal Scholar, with a commitment to serving rural Georgia upon completion of her training.

Most recently, Westerfield completed her family medicine residency at Self Regional, where she served as chief resident and completed focal tracks in sports medicine, obstetrics and women's health, and global health. She was awarded the South Carolina American Association of Family Physicians Most Outstanding Resident of the Year Award by her faculty and program.