Media Advisory

'Hinton James,' UNC's first student,
to revisit Smith Center

Each year the University of North Carolina General Alumni Association honors UNC-Chapel Hill students by celebrating the arrival of the university’s first student, Hinton James, UNC Class of 1798. On Feb. 12, 1795, Hinton James arrived for the first classes held at a state university in America, after walking the 160 miles from his home on the North Carolina coast.

Drew Herring, a UNC sophomore, dressed to portray Hinton James, UNC Class of 1798 will join fans in the student risers section of the grandstand during Wednesday’s men’s basketball game against Georgia Tech. All students seated in the risers will be given "We Got Here First" T-shirts, celebrating Carolina’s position as the nation’s first public university. Rameses, the mascot, will toss extra T-shirts into the crowd during the game. Students will be invited to stop by the alumni association’s student membership table for special giveaways.

-- 30 --

General Alumni Association Contact: Sarah Lamm, Manager of Marketing, (919) 962-1276, sarah_lamm@unc.edu

News Services contact: Mike McFarland, (919) 962-8593, mike_mcfarland@unc.edu