Anything is possible at Carolina.
We see that every day. From finding new cures to providing new scholarships, at Carolina we know that the best is yet to come. And we hope you see it, too.
This site is a resource and playground. It is a place where you can learn about some of the incredible stories that happen here. Or perhaps you have a story to share? Help us create this site by sharing something bold, innovative or inspirational that you experienced at Carolina, particularly because a private donation made it possible. Anything is possible here, but it isn’t free. Thankfully we have generous donors who see the potential and help make it happen.
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The Writing and Learning Center provides personalized academic coaching and resources to help students succeed. Programs include both writing and academic coaching, peer tutoring, study groups, test prep, online resources, English language support and more. On its oft-visited website, the center offers advice on common writing and studying challenges, such as thesis statements, the use of passive voice and how to deal with procrastination.
Private support for the Writing and Learning Center during the Campaign for Carolina has the potential to impact every student. Donors during the campaign laid the groundwork to relocate the center from the southern end of UNC’s campus to the centrally located Robert B. House Undergraduate Library.
“The Writing and Learning Center provides personalized academic support that matches the rigor of UNC, and we seek to meet students where they are,” said Kim Abels, director of the Writing and Learning Center. “We are grateful to the library for this partnership, which will give students access to services in one convenient spot.”
Mike and Laura Grace gave the first gift to set up a relocation fund in 2018. The Graces became acquainted with the center during their son Patrick’s first-year orientation. Patrick graduated in 2019, but Laura Grace continues to serve on the center’s advisory board.
“A large population of UNC students, no matter their major or level of academic performance, uses these services,” she said in 2019. “We’re in a diverse learning and cultural environment, and there’s nothing more important than improving how we communicate, being open to others and appreciating our strengths and weaknesses.”
Michael Stutts ’02, a donor and member of the center’s advisory board, has also supported the relocation fund and is dedicated to building awareness of the center’s comprehensive services.
“I want every student who goes to UNC to get the same enriching experience that I did,” he said. “I’m passionate about creating that boost for people who need it.”
Chris Hall ’23 took a low point in his life and turned it into something positive, all in memory of his mother, Lynn, who died of triple negative breast cancer in 2018 at age 47. With a head for business and a drive to help others, Hall is working with the North Carolina Basnight Cancer Hospital to help fund a Parenting with Cancer Clinic through the hospital’s Comprehensive Cancer Support Program.
CCSP provides support to patients and their families, from diagnosis to treatment and into survivorship, and its goal is to help families just like Hall’s.
Hall, a business major who graduated in spring, has already put his business savvy to work, amassing more than $1.5 million in sales from his online enterprises, monetizing advertising on his social media channels and selling those for a profit — all to keep a promise he made to his mother when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“She was declared in remission when I was in eighth grade, and it sparked a little fire,” he said. “It made me think a little bit. I promised myself that I’d pay off her mortgage before I’m 25.”
After his mother passed, Hall wanted to find a way to repurpose his goal. He created the Lynn Hall Parenting with Cancer Clinic Fund to honor her.
The clinic’s mission is twofold: 1) to help cancer patients with minor children talk to their children openly and honestly about their cancer; and 2) to help with legal issues that can accompany cancer, such as end-of-life decisions, wills, trusts and custody agreements.
“Putting your affairs in order does not mean giving up hope. It’s a gift to your family to have a plan. Rather than worrying about what might happen, patients can have peace of mind that their families will be taken care of,” said Cindy Rogers, director of patient assistance at CCSP.
Three UNC-Chapel Hill faculty members received the 2023 Faculty Awards for Global Excellence in a ceremony at the FedEx Global Education Center on May 2, 2023. The annual awards, administered by the Office of the Vice Provost for Global Affairs, recognize faculty contributions to advancing the University’s global vision.
Gina Chowa, associate dean for global engagement and the Johnson-Howard-Adair Distinguished Professor at the School of Social Work, was honored as the founding director of the School of Social Work’s Global Social Development Innovations (GSDI), a research center focused on tackling youth economic security, workforce development and financial inclusion in the Global South. She also works with World View, a UNC-Chapel Hill outreach program that engages with North Carolina’s educators to support integration of global perspectives in classrooms.
Robert Jenkins, teaching professor in the political science department, was recognized for his development of several study abroad programs, chairing the Study Abroad Advisory Board of the College of Arts and Sciences for 15 years and playing an integral role in UNC-Chapel Hill's Diplomacy Initiative, a program that equips Carolina students with the practical skills needed for solving global problems.
Tori Smith Ekstrand, associate professor in the Hussman School of Media and Journalism and the Caroline H. and Thomas S. Royster Distinguished Professor for Graduate Education, was recognized for her efforts in growing collaborations with Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen and organizing the 2022 Royster Global Conference.
