Laurie Norman is one of Carolina’s priceless gems
The Massey Award winner connects the Carolina community through her role at the UNC School of Education.
Laurie Norman has been a Tar Heel since she was 4, visiting her older sisters attending Carolina. She graduated in 1983 and spent the past 35 years serving the University, now as director of alumni relations for the UNC School of Education.
Her endless dedication to helping alumni, students and the Carolina community earned her the 2026 Massey Award.
“She helps newcomers come to understand the history and uniqueness of what it means to be a Tar Heel in Chapel Hill and beyond. Laurie works tirelessly behind the scenes to be sure every detail is attended to and that all feel seen and welcomed,” said one nominator. “Laurie is truly one of Carolina’s priceless gems.”
Norman expressed her gratitude for the award. “Having worked on campus now for over 35 years, knowing other staff members across campus who have won the Massey Award and having such great respect for them makes it so heartwarming to know I’m on that list, too,” she said. “It’s a sense of fulfillment I never imagined.”
Falling in love with Carolina
Norman saw Carolina at an early age when her parents took her to visit her older sisters at college. “I just thought Chapel Hill was the greatest place in the world, and I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else,” she said.
She enrolled at Carolina, too. In her sophomore year, she became a charter member of Carolina Alumni’s Order of the Bell Tower, serving as president as a senior. She learned more about the University, hosted visiting alumni and helped organize class reunions.
“I love and appreciate the sense of service our campus embodies every day to try to not only make our students better, but our faculty and state better,” said Norman. “Whether it’s research, public service, medicine, all the myriads of things we as a public University do every day through our people.”
After graduation, she moved into a full-time role with Carolina Alumni as the director of alumni activities and worked there for 13 years.
“Technically, I never even left Carolina. I went home for a month and came back to start my job,” said Norman.
After working a few years off campus, Norman returned to Carolina in an alumni relations position at the School of Education in 2002, She felt a special connection to the education since her sister Nancy worked with special needs students, and her sister Beth was a school nurse.
“I think it’s in my nature to want to help people, do things for people and fix things,” said Norman. “My door is always open. If people have a question, I want to be a resource for students, new faculty and new staff. That contributes to the family atmosphere here at Peabody Hall.”
Norman manages the school’s alumni council, a group that returns to campus twice a year to learn about the school, provide insights from their practice and join discussions about the school’s work.
She also leads annual efforts to honor School of Education alumni at the annual Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony and works with the school’s student affairs office to plan the graduation ceremony. Norman led the launch of a student-alumni mentoring program and works to find new ways to connect students and alumni.
“Laurie has an uncanny ability to connect with anyone and everyone,” said one nominator. “I’ve seen Laurie pick up a phone or fire off an email to generously connect colleagues. After University-wide meetings, I’ve seen Laurie introduce two people by saying, ‘I just thought you should know each other.’”
Norman loves building those relationships across the University. “I feel like I have a School of Education family, a Carolina family and my real family,” she said. “I’ve gotten so much support from those people along the way.”
