Every summer, one of North America’s most colorful birds makes a seasonal appearance at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh — the painted bunting. 🎨 Our own Dr. Christopher Moorman has the scoop on this beautiful songbird and tips for how to best spot it.

⏰ Get outdoors during the first few hours after sunrise.

💻 Check out the eBird website or app for recent sightings.

🐦 Use 8×42 binoculars to observe these smaller birds.

📸 Use a telephoto camera to document sightings and assist with species identification.

🎶 Use a mobile app like the Merlin Bird ID app to identify the birds by sound.

Learn more at the link in our bio.

Congratulations to Lia Novak ‘28 on being this year`s recipient of the Peter W. Hart Graduate Student Award! 👏

Lia is currently doing her graduate studies in the Department of Forest Biomaterials and expects to graduate in May 2028.

During her time in the college, she has received the Goodnight Doctoral Fellowship. Lia also received the second-place poster award at the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Bioproducts & Bioenergy Consortium conference.

“This award grants me the opportunity to travel and present my work to other like-minded people. Presenting and learning from others will not only help me academically, but also professionally. This recognition shows me that the work I’ve been doing for the past two years is important and also serves as motivation to keep going, growing and learning.”

After graduation, Lia plans to go back into the industry. After her undergraduate education, she worked for two years as a research associate.

“My supervisor and other co-workers who held doctorate degrees were so gracious and willing to teach me. In a kind of “pass it on” mentality, I’d love to manage a lab and hopefully help, teach, and inspire others.”

Meet Paige Neiman ‘24, youth community outreach specialist for the Carolina Hurricanes. 🏒

In the spring of 2024, Paige graduated from the College of Natural Resources with a bachelor’s in sport management. During her sophomore year, she got her first view into the world of college sports as a football recruiting intern for NC State Football.

Later, Paige became involved with the college’s Women in Sports Leadership Summit. "This conference, started by me and a group of women in the sport management program, is for both faculty and students, and works to facilitate the sharing of connections and information between women in the sport industry,” she said. “It has since expanded to include mentorship programs with local high school students.”

In her spare time, Paige has volunteered and worked with the Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department. In the spring of 2024, she secured an internship with the Pittsburgh Pirates, working in their community department. It was there that she solidified her passion for working in professional sports, particularly in community relations.

Since February 2025, Paige has worked for the @canes as their youth community outreach specialist. This January, she also took over the team’s girls and women’s outreach efforts. For Paige, a typical week during the season includes youth game day activations, creating and planning events, supporting youth hockey efforts through coaching or running clinics, and many other tasks.

“My time with the Canes has connected me with a lot of great people within the triangle area. Whether it`s students or professionals, I have been able to expand my network and find new opportunities in the community.

I have learned so much about the world of hockey and the way this team operates. Being able to plan and activate playoff community/marketing events has been such a valuable experience.” -@paige_neiman