Feb. 20, 2026 | Emily Reier ’28
At the end of each school year, third-grade teacher Trevor Todd ’16 gives every student a small, personal keepsake — a hand-sewn bowtie or hair bow made by his grandmother, Patsy Miller.
The choice of gift is no coincidence. Known for frequently wearing bowties himself, it’s become part of Todd’s signature style — a small but meaningful symbol his students can carry with them.
It’s a simple gesture, but reflects how he views teaching: personal, joyful and lasting.
At Castle Hayne Elementary School, Todd is known for creating a classroom where students feel supported, challenged and part of a team. A graduate of the UNCW Watson College of Education, he has earned recognition at the district and state levels for his work in the classroom — including New Hanover County Schools’ Elementary Educator of the Year (2020–21) and the National University Teacher Award for North Carolina (2020).
This year, he adds another honor: UNCW Alumni Association Distinguished Young Alumnus of the Year. The award recognizes alumni who graduated within the past 10 years and demonstrates a strong commitment to the university and its mission through professional achievement, service and continued engagement with the Seahawk community.
Todd’s work as an educator, mentor and community member reflects that spirit. In addition to teaching, he remains closely connected to UNCW, serving as the Watson College of Education representative on the UNCW Alumni Association Board of Directors and regularly welcoming UNCW education students into his classroom for hands-on teaching experience.
When Todd reflects on his time at UNCW, he doesn’t hesitate about what shaped him most.
“The faculty and staff at the Watson College of Education really had a resounding impact on how I currently teach,” he said.
He points specifically to two professors — Dr. Schlichting ’86, ’92M and Dr. Zinner — who, he said, “have made a lasting impact on how I approach the job and how I approach the difficult work that a teacher has to do.”
A decade after graduation, those relationships continue. Zinner now volunteers in Todd’s classroom multiple times a week, working with students in math.
“It’s been fun to watch the roles reverse,” Todd said. “He was my teacher and helped me become the teacher I am today. But also now I’m essentially leading him in how he can best help my students.”
That mentorship has come full circle in another way. As a partnership teacher, Todd hosts UNCW education students in his classroom each year.
“I’m able to impact even more students because of my work with UNCW undergraduates that are eventually going to have their own students,” he said. “Hopefully whatever they're learning and seeing in my classroom can benefit them in their future and, in turn, impact more students in the long run.”
For Todd, that ripple effect begins with something foundational: relationships. His goal is simple — that every child who walks into his classroom knows “Mr. Todd has my back and he’s going to do everything he can for me.”
Ask his students, and they’ll tell you exactly how it feels.
“He’s so kind and does so many things for us!” one student said. Another added, “He’s always positive.”
If they had to sum him up in three words? “Fun, creative and happy,” one said. “Nice, cheerful and helpful,” said another.
After 10 years in the classroom, Todd says the biggest surprise has been how much joy the work brings.
“The job can be a lot of work, but the job can also be so much fun,” he said. “There’s nothing in my mind that I can imagine doing other than being an educator. Teaching is so much a part of who I am.”
That sense of calling is part of what he hopes families see when they learn he’s a UNCW alum.
“I hope that signals, “he’s well prepared and equipped to do the work that my child needs him to do,” Todd said. “I hope that they just know that by being a UNCW alum, their student is in good hands.”
And years from now, when students look back, Todd hopes the impact reaches beyond academics.
“I hope they’d say I helped them become a better person,” he said. “Not just that I taught them what they needed to know, but that I helped them grow into who they’re meant to be.”
In a career still in its early chapters, Todd has already multiplied his influence through his students, future teachers and his continued commitment to UNCW and the community that shaped him.