Friends,
The Thanksgiving season is upon us, and we want to wish you a very happy holiday from all of us at the Coalition for Carolina. We hope you get to spend some quality time with family and friends and reflect on what is most important.
We are thankful for all of you who read this newsletter every week and who continue to support and give to our Coalition and to the University directly.
In honor of the season of giving, below is a note from UNC-Chapel Hill Vice Chancellor for Development Michael Andreasen encouraging your continued support of Carolina and reminding us what we have to be thankful for as Tar Heels.
Carolina has done so much good for so many people and for our community. We thank you for being part of our Coalition and encourage your continued support of Carolina in this season of giving and in those to come.
Lux Libertas,
The Coalition for Carolina
A Great American Virtue: A History of Generosity
The debate over the future of higher education in this country seems to be at an unprecedented level. Certainly, as I complete my 35th year in service to public higher education, I can’t recall a time of more passionate debate, rapid technological change, financial uncertainty and shifting public opinions on how the sector is responding to the needs of our time. And yet, in spite of the vigorous debate, we welcome a new cohort of students every fall with a sense of optimism and excitement, filled with possibility about what their college experience will provide.
Fall is also the season of giving and gratitude. As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I am reminded of one of the greatest foundational pillars of the American experiment – philanthropy. It’s not that American generosity historically leads the world in giving – true in most years – but the culture of giving has been sustained since the inception of the country. Countless generations of citizens have stood on the shoulders of the donors who came before them. In 2024, American generosity surpassed $592 billion and for the first time in three years, the year-over-year increase surpassed the rate of inflation (Giving USA). Higher education received $88 billion of this total, up 13% over the prior year (Giving USA).
At Carolina, we proudly celebrate our distinction as the first public university. But before the first corner stone of Old East was placed, it was a donor, Col. Benjamin Smith, who granted the land to begin the development of our campus in 1789. This legacy of giving continues today.
Last year, over 40,000 donors contributed more than $471 million in new commitments to our campus (up 14.5 % over prior year). These funds will support students through scholarships, cutting-edge research, elevate and honor the extraordinary contributions of our faculty, and provide invaluable resources for community partnerships across the state. Led by our alumni, parents, friends, foundations and corporate partners, these donors affirm their belief in UNC’s public mission. Over 95% of these gifts are restricted to a specific part of the University where the donor and the unit have come together in a shared commitment. And finally, over 20% of our total commitments came from donors who made the thoughtful decision to support our university through their estate. Philanthropy is alive and well on our campus and is an exceptional illustration of the great American tradition of giving and the deeply held sense of pride and love our donors have for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
January will mark my third anniversary as a member of the Carolina community. It’s an honor to work alongside a team of fundraising professionals who share in the belief of our public mission and are equally inspired by the generosity of our donors.
I am confident that the late Col. Smith would have said he was living in a challenging and uncertain time, as we do today. What he didn’t know, and what brings me comfort in these trying days, was that his legacy would form a foundation of generosity that persists more than 230 years later. Here’s to the next two centuries, and the foundation we are laying today.
With gratitude and warm wishes for the season of giving.
Michael C. Andreasen
Vice Chancellor for Development
UNC-Chapel Hill