A Tar Heel's years in Chapel Hill may be short, but the knowledge and expertise that they gain at Carolina propels them into promising careers.
Our alumni take what they've learned in the classroom out into the world to leave their mark as teachers, business leaders, musicians, journalists, health care professionals and more.
Meet some of our young alumni who are leveraging their Carolina degrees to make an impact in their fields and in our state.
Carolina equipped me with not only the leadership skills but the confidence, tenacity and wisdom for me to navigate through the music and tech industry. My time at Carolina helped me work on my communication skills, both personally and professionally, so I can continue building relationships throughout the course of my lifetime.
Paapa-Berchie Berko ’20, musician and business owner
I firmly believe that I wouldn’t have been able to take on such a challenge without the support I received from so many of my professors and clinical faculty. … Many of them may never know the lasting impression they left on me and how they shaped me to be the nurse I am today.
Amanda Atkins ’20, a registered nurse at Duke University Hospital
After struggling to find clothes for a traditional wedding in India, Carolina alumna Niki Shamdasani and her sister launched their own South Asian-inspired fashion brand, Sani. The Tar Heel says Carolina helped her hone the crucial problem-solving abilities she now uses as a business owner.
After spending the early days of the pandemic working out in her living room, Anna Shuford channeled her frustrations with virtual workout programs into market research and came up with a solution that improved the experience for everyone.
A Carolina Covenant Scholar and a first-generation college grad, Tyrell Carter ’21 aims to make it easier to start and run a business. Carter is currently the CEO of ANTE, a company that provides the tools for entrepreneurs to get their businesses off the ground.
Two-time Carolina graduate Caroline Lindley is utilizing what she learned at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School as an undergrad and MBA student to help lead her family's business: the nearly three-century-old Lindley Mills in Graham, North Carolina.
Alumnus Tim Walker always knew he wanted to be a teacher. After earning his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Carolina, followed by a Master of Arts in Teaching at the UNC School of Education, he now teaches social studies at Carrboro High School, building community for the next generation of learners.
Yesenia Pedro Vicente came to Carolina for her undergrad as a "first-generation everything." Now, she has returned to the University to help underrepresented graduate students navigate obstacles.
From the moment Kevin Giff stepped on campus as a first-year student in 2013, his involvement with APPLES Service-Learning — a student-led public service program in the Carolina Center for Public Service — defined his Carolina experience. It also led to a career as the community development manager for Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, where he also helps APPLES students gain experience.
Alumna Spencer Bakalar has made a career out of filming world leaders and newsmakers like Serena Williams and Oprah Winfrey. But before she first got behind a camera at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, the Carolina Covenant paved the way for her in Chapel Hill.
Ever since she was a kid, Carolina alumna Janie Sircey knew she wanted a career with LEGO. Using the skills she first honed in Chapel Hill, Sircey has built a career that led to that dream job. The Tar Heel is now a digital marketing manager with LEGO Group.
After graduating from Carolina in 2017, Mary Thurman moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in professional animation. She recently landed a job at Noggin, Nickelodeon’s children’s network, as a junior writer and producer on the short-form animation team.