Ian graduated from UNC Greensboro in 2017 with a major in Political Science. And just a short three years later, he’s already working as an attorney for the Philadelphia District Attorney.

So how did his time as a Spartan play a role in this remarkable career trajectory?

“UNCG helped me prepare for my career by really developing in me an appreciation for the beauty of diversity and inclusion,” Ian says, “while also encouraging my commitment to social justice and community engagement.”

He originally chose to begin his studies at UNCG because of the University’s “significant work in and impact on the Piedmont Triad Community,” he says, in addition to wanting to stay somewhat local (he grew up in Reidsville, NC) but also find something “new and fresh.”

Some of his favorite memories of campus include studying late into the night at Jackson Library, when he was able to admire just how “beautiful and quiet the campus was at night.”

After graduating UNCG (part of his degree included a Pre-Law concentration), Ian received his Juris Doctor (JD) from North Carolina Central University, a historically black college just down the road in Durham. 

Through his work with as an Assistant District Attorney in the Appeals Unit in Philadelphia, he’s able to live out his commitment to the values of diversity, inclusion, and social justice he honed at UNCG.

In addition to his professional work, Ian is a member of the Phi Beta Signa Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Pi Professional Fraternity, the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Appellate Committee, American Bar Association, and the Philadelphia Bar Association. 

And true to the spirit of service and community that runs deep through UNCG, Ian also serves as a current board member of The Appellate Project, a new nonprofit organization committed to equipping, refining, and developing minority law students interested in appellate advocacy.

He encourages current Spartans embrace the spirit of inclusivity and diversity that runs through UNCG, as well as to “develop your sense of self-awareness and take advantage of every positive extracurricular opportunity presented to you outside of your academics.”

And for his fellow alumni, he urges everyone to take the lessons and experiences lived while at UNCG and continue to apply them in your life and work-field.” 

He embodies the University’s commitment to service, adding, “We are a school of activists so find your cause and spread that spirit everywhere!"