UNCW prepares its students to spread their wings and take flight beyond the nest. As Seahawks, we take pride in celebrating our alumni who continue to make an impact at UNCW as well as in their local, regional, national, and international communities. Through active involvement and engagement with the UNCW Alumni Association — as well as attending events; networking with students and alumni; and giving back with their time, talents, and treasures — the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients are no exception.
Join the UNCW Alumni Association in honoring our 2025 award honorees, including Robert Abbotts '85, Distinguished Alumnus; Lauren Shackelton Hillen Engel '14, Distinguished Young Alumna; Mary Claire (MC) Curran '11, Distinguished Citizen; and John Scholz '84, Distinguished Diversity and Inclusion honoree.
Explore below to learn more about our Distinguished Citizen honoree Mary Claire (MC) Curran '11.
Mary Claire (MC) Curran is the founder and creative director of Muse Media Services, a consultancy and communications firm that focuses on problem-solving at the intersection of activism, culture and sustainability practices. Under Curran’s leadership, Muse Media Services has spearheaded several impactful initiatives, including an upcoming contest to redefine Maryland’s state song, Maryland, My Maryland. She also created and provided strategic leadership for the “Periods Don't Stop for Pandemics” grassroots fundraiser, which successfully raised over 60,000 menstrual hygiene donations two years in a row for the Wilmington community.
Curran's recent endeavors include curating promotional materials for Laura Strickling’s Grammy-nominated album, Confessions, and providing project management and consulting for various publications, including BUSTED! Police and Public Safety Ethical Decision-Making and The Oxford Handbook of Religious Perspectives on Reproductive Ethics. Her investigative reporting with Middleclass Artist led to significant industry changes, including the termination of a critic accused of harassing singers.
Before founding Muse Media Services, Curran had a successful career as a professional opera singer, making her Carnegie Hall debut at 25 years old. She has received numerous awards and honors, including the City Artist Corp Grant in 2021 and the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition's Rohatyn Great Promise Award in 2018. A career highlight was singing Musetta’s Waltz in Opera Wilmington's 2019 production of La bohème.
Curran has served on the board of the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition where she facilitated special events and fundraising and volunteered with organizations such as Harlem Lacrosse and PupStarz Rescue.
Curran graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s in music in vocal performance and later earned a master's in music in vocal performance from the University of Miami in 2014. She also holds certificates in sustainable business strategies and entrepreneurship essentials from Harvard Business School online. Curran credits her success to the mentorship of faculty, staff, scholarship donors and the Wilmington community who provided invaluable support and guidance.
“I'm so glad I chose UNCW (and UNCW chose me!) because I received a top-tier education, with scholarship support, and outstanding individualized vocal instruction that I would have never received at a larger school," said Curran. "I’m grateful for the small class sizes, on campus housing accessibility and a safe and walkable campus.”
Learn more about all 2025 honorees, qualifications for awards, and more at alumni.uncw.edu/awards. The 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards Reception will be hosted on Saturday, June 7, as part of the second annual Weekend in Wilmington — registration is now open.