Trip to Ireland is ‘Much More Than a Game’

Carolina football kicks off its season in Dublin, playing Texas Christian University on Aug. 29 in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.

But the Tar Heel experience in Ireland will be “Much More Than a Game.”

That’s what the University is calling the wide range of activities and events for students, fans, alumni and faculty and staff going to Dublin.

Carolina leadership (left-to-right: Rick Wernoski, Veronica Flaspoehler, Rick Steinbacher and Chris McClure) met with Aer Lingus and Embassy of Ireland officials about the upcoming matchup between Tar Heels and TCU. (Submitted photo)

“This became more than just a football game — it became a Carolina initiative,” said Rick Wernoski, associate vice chancellor for operational excellence and chief transformation and integration officer. “We’ve engaged our entire community across academics, athletics and administration and used football as the catalyst to create new opportunities and build relationships that we hope will continue long after the game is over.”

UNC-Chapel Hill is participating in activities spanning research, education, public service, business, innovation and the arts, showcasing Carolina internationally while creating new opportunities for students, faculty and partners. The week of the game, Carolina faculty and staff will host and participate in several events designed to build relationships and identify opportunities for longer-term collaboration with Irish and European counterparts.

Students from Carolina, TCU, University of Limerick and Munster Technological University will engage in a case competition. Students will also participate in community service initiatives. The UNC School of Medicine and UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy are working with Trinity College Dublin and University College of Dublin, focusing on biopharmaceuticals and life sciences.

Rick Wernoski (left), associate vice chancellor for operational excellence, helped plan Carolina’s “Much More Than a Game” initiative. (Submitted photo)

Wernoski and Rick Steinbacher, Carolina’s senior associate athletic director of capital projects, facilities and event management, are planning to visit NovaUCD. The technology innovation hub at University College of Dublin is an example of how research and emerging technologies move from universities into practical and commercial applications.

They hope to apply those insights as the University develops a more integrated approach to performance and recovery that connects Carolina Athletics with faculty, creating opportunities for research focused on performance, recovery and health.

“What has made this special is seeing athletics, academics and administration come together around a shared opportunity,” Wernoski said. “When Carolina works as one university, we can create an impact that goes far beyond the game.”

Some Tar Heel football players took advantage of the Phillips Passport Initiative to get passports ahead of the football game. UNC Cheer, the Marching Tar Heels and the Carolina Girls dance team will be attending events and the football game. So is the Tar Heel women’s soccer team, playing the Shelbourne Football Club in Dublin on Aug. 28.

Steinbacher said it’s important for student-athletes to get international experiences.

“Usually, international experience is part of most undergraduates’ time at Carolina, but it’s hard for athletes to do that. Some of these football players have never been on a plane, let alone out of the country,” said Steinbacher. “It’s a neat experience for them and one of those things that can have a transformative impact on a student. When you go to another country, you experience another culture. It broadens your horizons and expands your way of thinking about things.”

Steinbacher said he’s “fallen in love with the people of Ireland” through planning for the game and the rest of the events for Tar Heels.

“I’ve built relationships through this work that will continue long after the game is over,” he said. “I really learned a lot about people from different cultures and backgrounds.”

Rick Steinbacher is excited that many Carolina student-athletes will gain experiences abroad. “It broadens your horizons and expands your way of thinking,” he said. (Submitted photo)

The success of Much More Than a Game will be measured by what happens next as the University aims to apply lessons learned back home in Chapel Hill.