FYI Newsletter - August 2008

August 2008

Chancellor Holden Thorp and Student Body President J.J. Raynor unfurl the Class of 2012 banner at the new student convocation. At right, first-year students gather with plenty of Tar Heel spirit for the Carolina Kickoff, a three-day bonding experience that has been a UNC tradition for 60 years. Classes began Aug. 19 after a "Week of Welcome" for new students. Click here to see a multimedia photo gallery and here for a fact sheet with details about this year's student body.
	Honors Program reaches goal of doubling with gift A $2 million capstone gift from the Hyde Family Foundations of Memphis completed the goal of doubling the number of students invited to the Honors Program in the College of Arts and Sciences. The gift adds faculty to teach honors courses and qualifies for a $1 million state grant. The University announced the gift with UNC Trustee Barbara Hyde, president of the J.R. Hyde Family Foundation.
	Students cover Olympics in Beijing Thirty-one School of Journalism and Mass Communication students spent part of August in China supporting international journalists covering the Beijing Olympics. Some were reporters at basketball, baseball and shooting events gathering quotes from athletes in English and taking them to the media center for translation. Others worked directly with journalists at media hubs.
	Creative writing students to study with notable writers A major gift to the College of Arts and Sciences will enable creative writing students to study with some of the nation's most notable writers. Made on Chancellor Holden Thorp's first day in office, July 1, the gift from UNC Trustee Sallie Shuping-Russell will fund a new course featuring work by active writers who will hold a visiting professorship within the Creative Writing Program.
	UNC attracts world-class data research team The University is now home to the world-renowned Data Intensive Cyber Environments (DICE) group, a recruiting coup seen as a boon for extending Carolina’s leadership nationally and internationally in managing, sharing, publishing and archiving research data. The DICE team's expertise includes developing digital data technologies, including open source software.
	UNC ranked 5th best public university Carolina ranks fifth among the nation's best public universities for the eighth consecutive year in the annual U.S. News & World Report magazine rankings. Among public universities, Berkeley was first, followed by Virginia (second) UCLA (third), Michigan (fourth) and UNC (fifth). Overall, Carolina ranked 30th among public and private national universities. The same 25 privates and five publics have placed in top 30 spots for the last five years.
	High school seniors get college help Greater help in navigating college admissions and financial aid is on the way to more than 7,000 seniors in 38 North Carolina high schools, thanks to an expansion of the Carolina College Advising Corps. The corps, based in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, has increased from four advisers to 19 this year. The goal is to help low-income, first-generation and under-represented students attend college.
	Chancellor Thorp to be installed on University Day Holden Thorp will be installed as Carolina's 10th chancellor on University Day, Oct. 12, the birthday of the nation's oldest state university. Thorp will give an installation address, and the University will honor distinguished alumni during a festive ceremony steeped in campus history. Alumni, parents and friends are invited to attend.
	Cheer for the Heels in Kenan Coach Butch Davis and the Tar Heel football open this Saturday with a sold-out McNeese State game this Saturday. If you're making the trip to Chapel Hill and beautiful Kenan Stadium this season to cheer on the Heels, check out this year's Fan Guide and tarheelblue.com for the latest news about the team.