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Celebrating our graduate and professional students
Excellence in graduate education
Last updated March 25, 2026
Tar Heels who come to Chapel Hill to study as graduate and professional students better the state, nation and world with their research, teaching, service and civic engagement. These students go on to become leaders, researchers and public servants in countless fields.
As we celebrate Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week April 6-10, learn about their vital contributions to our University.
- 12,092graduate and professional students (35.5% of student body; fall 2025).
- 160+graduate degrees offered across 80+ programs.
- 204external fellowships and awards received by graduate students in 2024-25
- 20graduate programs ranked in the top 10 of U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 “Best Graduate Schools” list.
Serving NC
Medical student Matthew Hutchens commits to serving NC
The Community Health Training Program is helping his dream of becoming a rural family medicine physician take shape.
Dental students give kids a smile
UNC Adams School of Dentistry scholars provided free dental care and fun to local children on Feb. 6.
High schoolers Shadow a Scientist at Carolina
This graduate student-run program shows North Carolina teens the many roles and focuses in medical research.
Community classes promote digital literacy
Locals learn tech skills at a SILS-run workshop series at Chapel Hill and Durham libraries.
SHAC provides health safety net
Tar Heels in the Student Health Action Coalition help others while training for careers.
Pharmacy student has a passion to serve rural patients
“It fuels a fire in me to be a voice for this population,” says Cassidy White.
Law students see veterans’ challenges on Asheville trip
Visits to a hospital, homeless shelter and courtrooms showed ways to help former service members adjust to life after the military.
Doctoral student tracks antidepressants in NC waterways
Emily Crawford’s findings could reframe how we think about the downstream effects of prescription drugs.
Graduate School announces 2025 Impact Award winners
These researchers examined health care burnout, breast cancer disparities and other challenges affecting North Carolina.
Research impact
Dentist/doctoral student helps patients find their voices
Her personal experience with jaw surgery led Dr. Erika Silva to a study confirming it fixes patients’ speech, not just their looks.
Doctoral student also wearable tech CEO
Lessons he learned as a Tar Heel help Jasper Mark balance his medical school studies and a start-up company.
Can AI be a trustworthy health resource?
Viviane Ito’s research on artificial intelligence’s reliability will fit right in at the new UNC School of Data and Information Sciences.
‘Stubborn’ astronomer makes major ‘lost sisters’ finding
Carolina graduate student Andrew Boyle and collaborators discovered the Seven Sisters Pleiades star cluster numbers in the thousands.
Medical student wants no sponge left behind
Scott Giberson was part of a research team that discovered a flaw in a crucial final check for surgery patients.
Algorithms bring couple together
Two Carolina graduate students share a passion for computer science and love for each other.
Dancing turtles unlock scientific discovery
Carolina researchers publish a groundbreaking study on how turtles navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field.
Clinical psychology students make a match
Scholars like Nick Myers in the nationally renowned, comprehensive doctoral program recently received internship placements.
Extreme weather research vital to saving lives
When a grant for doctoral candidate Hunter Quintal’s studies disappeared, The Graduate School stepped in with bridge funding.
Doctoral student studies urban heat
With a Graduate School summer research fellowship, Katherine Burley Farr collected data that can be used to target relief.
Get to know graduate researcher Rodney Earl McClendon Jr.
The multitalented musician and scholar bridges the disciplines of musicology, Black studies and performance practice.
Turkish biology student joins Aziz Sancar’s Carolina lab
Through the Fulbright program, Hümeyra Kaanoğlu pursues research with the Nobel laureate who’s also from Turkey.
Grad School alumni
Alumna serves rural communities as OB-GYN
Alisa Eanes ’08, ’15 (MD) graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and continued on to the UNC School of Medicine with support from the Carolina Covenant. Inspired by and grateful for her experiences, she is now giving back to the state as an OB-GYN in western North Carolina.
Twins team up on cancer research
At Lineberger, the search for solutions is personal for postdocs Ryan and Brandon Mouery ’24 (PhD).
Dissertation dating leads to marriage
Kierra Peak and Daniel Johnson bonded over state fair food and built their relationship during the gaps in graduate school.
Entrepreneur gives back, a bagel at a time
After all the support he received from the University community, Alex Brandwein feels an obligation to pay it forward.
Carolina alum gives back to eastern NC
When Roy Dawson ’11 ’14 (JD) dropped out of high school to support his family, he never imagined he’d graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill twice — and serve his community as an attorney in Kinston.
MBA graduate succeeds at pinching pennies
Becca Wright turned her grandmother’s cheese biscuit recipe into Piedmont Pennies, an award-winning business.
Emotion detective tracks effects of stress
Doctoral candidate Adrienne Bonar studies the many factors that shape people’s feelings.
She followed her dad into public health
When Kim Enders’ adviser couldn’t make it to her doctoral hooding, her father, Dr. Bert Peterson, gladly stepped in.
Social work graduate helps sexual violence, trafficking survivors
As a social worker, Hannah Collins works in a police department but doesn’t have a gun or wear a badge.
Becoming double Tar Heels
Rameses goes to grad school
Once Carolina’s beloved mascot, Alex Henson ’25 is also an agroclimatology researcher.
Graduate student discovers youngest transiting planet ever
Identified by Carolina astronomer Madyson Barber ’22, the “baby” planet is 3 million years old and roughly the size of Jupiter.
EMT, doula work shaped her road to medical school
A first responder at the height of the pandemic, Leah LeClair ’19 navigated two application cycles before becoming a doctor.
National champion runner also to earn two degrees
Makayla Paige found success on the track and academically in Chapel Hill.
Doctoral student aims to bridge research-policy gap
Explorations as a Carolina Covenant scholar led Ariayana Harrell ’23 to her research on how social factors impact teen health.
Jack Leland ’20 honors a Carolina medicine legacy
Both his parents earned their medical degrees from the UNC School of Medicine and were trusted physicians in Tarboro.
Pharmacy student goes from base to beakers
Gunho (Luke) Lee ’25 returns to the classroom after serving in the Korean Army.
James Blizzard ’24 is living out his Carolina dream
The Master of Applied Professional Studies student is pursuing a career combining sports and business.
Rhodes scholar returns to Gillings
Takhona Hlatshwako ’22’s passion for public health led her from her native Eswatini to Carolina then Oxford and back again.
Supporting military students
Applied data science grad earns major promotion
Matthew Ray now has a new Army rank and a master’s degree from Carolina.
String of flukes led Brittany Akers to law school
Now she uses her UNC School of Law degree as a senior staff attorney for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Army major studies resiliency of military personnel
Maj. Kenneth Harris III, also a Carolina doctoral student, published a research paper in Military Psychology.
‘Don’t hesitate to take the leap’
Ashley Sperry earned her MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School as an active-duty Army officer and a single mother of two.
Royster Fellow and veteran will study global conflict
After improving operations for the U.S. Air Force, Emily Arnsberg returns to Carolina for a second degree.
Resiliency drives active-duty researcher
The challenges U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Alison Cruise has overcome inspire her doctoral studies at Carolina.
Military grad student up for promotion
Through the Army’s Green to Gold program at Carolina, LeBon Hobayan can earn a graduate degree and become a commissioned officer.
Service meets innovation for education graduate student
Omari Tait combines military experience, commitment to education and interest in technology to expand college access for students.
Erin Mathis goes Service to Service
The U.S. Marine Corps pilot is earning a Master of Public Administration through a new program designed for military-related students.
Helping working professionals
Heather Stevenson is ‘a Tar Heel helping Tar Heels’
Heather Stevenson ’00 wears many hats — assistant director of career services, professor, student and mom of four. “Coming to Carolina was one of the best things that ever happened to me,” said Stevenson.
Pharmacy graduate juggles school, work and family
A mother of twins, Sadé Byrd ’25 earned a master’s degree from UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy while working full time. “Even with the sacrifice, I always kept my eyes on the end goal to get through the program,” Byrd said. “I can now grow within the industry and be an example to my daughters of what’s possible.
Meet 3 employees using the Tuition Waiver Program
For Elyse Molewyk, Jen Drake and Greg Sabin, UNC-Chapel Hill isn’t just a place to work — it’s also where they study. The University’s Tuition Waiver Program, which allows employees to take three free courses per academic year (some exceptions apply), helps Tar Heels continue their education on their own timeline.
Learn how and why three University employees are using the tuition waiver.
Wolfpack alum becomes a Tar Heel
Joshua Baird enjoys serving the public, using his skills from the Master of Public Administration program at the UNC School of Government in his role as water resources director for the town of Clayton. His role involves overseeing the planning, organization and direction of water and sewer utility operations, ensuring efficient service delivery, regulatory compliance and environmental stewardship.
Learn why the two-time NC State alumnus came to Carolina for a “top-notch” program.
Global reach
Accolades
UNC-Chapel Hill earns top national rankings for graduate education
U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 “Best Graduate Schools” list names multiple Carolina graduate degree programs in national top 10.
Business, nursing online programs rank among nation’s best
Offerings from the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and UNC School of Nursing scored Top 5 marks in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs Rankings.
Graduate TAs honored with 2026 Tanner Awards
For their excellence in educating undergraduate students, the teaching assistants receive a one-time stipend of $5,000.
16 student researchers receive NSF fellowships
The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program awards work in STEM-related fields.
Bridge Beyond Carolina funds humanities internship
English doctoral student Katherine Stein used the funding from The Graduate School for a summer job at the National Humanities Center.