Driving the
Tar Heel state
The University for North Carolina
At Carolina, we have a mission to support our home state and its citizens. The work done on our campus doesn't just stay here — it's meant to serve the public, starting right here in the Tar Heel state.
One way Carolina remains committed to serving North Carolina is through the Tar Heel Bus Tour, a trip taken by Carolina faculty members and senior administrators. They learn about the University's work throughout the state and hear from North Carolinians about their needs and how Carolina can partner to help solve challenges they face.
The time spent, relationships formed and perspectives gained often inform future ideas and projects, including downtown revitalization in towns like Kannapolis and the creation of the Carolina Across 100 initiative.Keep reading to learn more about the Tar Heel Bus Tour, which hits the road again later this week.
Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 18, 53 Carolina faculty members and 22 senior administrators, representing 13 schools and 53 campus units, will depart from Chapel Hill and head throughout the state. Two buses, one traveling to the East and the other to the West, will make 21 stops in 19 counties, covering over 1,000 total miles.
“Understanding where my students are coming from, going to where they’ve grown up and seeing their community is going to be invaluable for my teaching and mentorship,” said Dr. Marie Lina Excellent, an assistant professor in the Gillings School of Global Public Health, who will travel on the West bus.
There is a lot of potential in what Carolina can do with these strong community partnerships. We can offer expertise but always in partnership with the community and being responsive to what they need.
Lynn Blanchard, director of the Carolina Center for Public Service
Statewide impact
At last week's University Day, Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz remarked that the University is “present in the lives of people from the mountains to the coast, from the cities to the farms.”
Check out the stories and statistics below to see how work done at Carolina is felt throughout the state.