Charlotte’s youngest fall graduate builds strong foundation, makes connections

Joy Kamel celebrated her 19th birthday in November — barely a month before she will cross the commencement stage on Dec. 12 as the youngest student graduating from UNC Charlotte this fall.

Kamel is earning two degrees with four majors: a Bachelor of Science in accounting and a B.S.B.A. with majors in finance, management information systems, and operations and supply chain management. She currently maintains a 4.0 GPA and expects to graduate summa cum laude.

“Academics have always been my main focus,” Kamel said. “I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to keep going, whether that meant a master’s degree or even a Ph.D. Accelerating my education made it easier to stay in that mindset. My whole family encouraged me, and my parents Feeby and Sameh, who are both electrical engineers, helped me plan things out.”

With her undergraduate studies complete, Kamel’s attention is shifting to the working world. She has 2026 internships lined up with Big Four accounting and professional services firms. She is also studying for the CPA exam, with public accounting as her long-term career goal.

Three key takeaways from Kamel’s journey

• As this December’s youngest Charlotte graduate, Kamel’s exceptional academic record reflects a habit of looking deeper, asking questions and pushing herself beyond the minimum.
• Two degrees and multiple majors have given her a comprehensive business foundation, opening doors to internships at Big Four firms and preparing her for future full-time roles and advanced study.
• Her motivation and support system are rooted in her close-knit family and in the UNC Charlotte community that has encouraged, challenged and supported her.

Getting on the fast track

Kamel’s accelerated path began in eighth grade during the COVID-19 pandemic, when her brick-and-mortar school went online. The following year, she enrolled in an accredited online school and began taking Advanced Placement classes. By her junior year, she transitioned to homeschooling and enrolled at Central Piedmont Community College through the Career & College Promise program, North Carolina’s dual enrollment initiative that covers tuition for high school students taking college courses.

After that, UNC Charlotte was a clear choice. At the time, her older sister Anna was pursuing dual undergraduate degrees at Charlotte and is now thriving in two Charlotte master’s programs, data science and business analytics, and bioinformatics.

Her experiences at the University and in the college have lived up to her expectations. “I love the Belk College of Business,” Kamel said. “I genuinely think it’s one of the best programs. I’ve enjoyed it so much that I was excited to realize I could fit in one more major during my last semester. I really appreciate three things, which are the faculty, the students and the curriculum.”

Connecting theory and practice

Belk College faculty have played a central role in Kamel’s experience, bringing real-world insight into the classroom.

“Many of my professors don’t just teach — they’ve worked in the field,” she said. “A lot of the adjuncts I’ve had have full-time jobs or significant industry experience. That’s been especially true with my accounting professors who worked in public accounting, which is where I want to be.”

Kamel also values how faculty support students who seek out extra opportunities, such as conferences, student organizations and academic clubs that complement course content. She credits professors including Gregory Martin, Al Ghosh, Alan Turovlin and Steven Kanczewski for bringing in speakers, connecting students with professionals and helping them find solutions when challenges arise.

She also points to Kaitlyn Kubacki, assistant director of transfer admissions, whose professionalism has guided three Kamel sisters through the UNC Charlotte admissions process. Kubacki helped her fast-track her degree by carefully aligning her community college coursework with Charlotte’s requirements.

Faculty, in turn, describe a student who has sought opportunities and accepted responsibilities.

“When Joy told me she was only 18, my immediate question was how she was able to accomplish all that she had done,” said Clinical Associate Professor Turovlin. “She told me she studied during COVID, set her goals and followed her plan. I can certainly vouch that it has paid off.”

Learning through collaboration and a strong curriculum

Beyond faculty and staff support, Kamel has grown through relationships with fellow students, who have helped each other grow academically. “The students at Charlotte are incredibly collaborative,” she said. “People genuinely want to help each other.”

She is equally impressed by the Belk College curriculum. Digging into fundamental details has helped her grasp the systemic underpinnings of what she is learning.

“I’ve talked to accounting students at other schools, and I told them our professor made us write out a balance sheet from scratch,” she said. “They told me, ‘We’ve never had to do that. We just use a system and plug numbers in.’ Here, by first focusing on the basics, we’re doing more than just getting the answer. We’re really learning the concepts.”

Building a versatile business and technology toolkit

Kamel credits her parents for instilling a deep respect for education in her and her four sisters. Her older sister’s experiences at Charlotte, along with challenges of the rapidly changing, data-driven world, inspired Kamel to add a technology-focused dimension to her studies.

“Before my first day at Charlotte, I saw how advanced my sister became in technology and felt that I also wanted to be at the forefront of technology.” she said. “Today, you need technological skills and a solid background to stay relevant.”

She initially explored computer science before finding a home in management information systems.

“MIS ended up being very technical, but in a way that was directly connected to business,” she said. “Then, after taking my financial management class and learning more about stocks, I realized I needed a stronger understanding of how businesses actually generate money. That’s when I added the finance major. I’m really interested in how businesses function, both financially and operationally.”

As she entered her final semester, Kamel discovered that by adding just a couple more classes, she could complete a major in operations and supply chain management. Instead of coasting, she took a full load that offered a full rounding of her education to help her understand every part of business operations.

Making time for fun, faith and family

Even with a demanding academic schedule, Kamel has made time to enjoy campus life and has gotten to know people she is sure will be among her lifelong friends.

“I love exploring the University with my friends such as fellow double-major Business Niners Nina Boger, Dawson Spears and Lucero Rodriguez-Lopez,” she said. “There’s always something happening. After class, my sister, friends and I will walk around, grab something to eat, join a campus event or do something in the University area like the boardwalk.”

Her faith and family remain central in her life as well. “I love going to church and being involved when I can,” she said. “I also get to spend a lot of time at home in Huntersville with my family.”

Kamel enjoys being with her three younger sisters — taking Meray and Susanna to the park and curling up at home to read with Sarah, a high school senior.

When they’re not trading book recommendations, UNC Charlotte is another favorite topic. Kamel is thrilled that her sibling’s application to Charlotte has been accepted. Kamel’s advice to her younger sister and others interested in Charlotte is to look closely, and they will find the unique elements that Charlotte has to offer — just as she did.

Kamel’s journey is a reminder that success is not necessarily defined by a straight path or a single formula. In her case, an ambitious combination of multiple degrees and majors and the backing of faculty, friends and family shows that when support and determination intersect, the possibilities are wide open.