Tar Heel Alumni and Partner Alliance

Journalist and Carolina alumnus Charles Kuralt once famously wondered, “What is it that binds us to this place?” His question speaks to a fundamental truth that UNC-Chapel Hill alumni inherently understand: there is something that sets Carolina apart in the hearts and minds of those who have walked along the stone walls, sipped from the well or heard the bell tower chime. When students graduate, they don’t just look back on Carolina fondly and leave it behind. Their time in Chapel Hill is something that they carry with them across generations and geography. They forever feel a Carolina connection.

These alumni include professionals who learned entrepreneurial skills in Chapel Hill. They’ve spent years successfully putting their knowledge to work in startup ventures, corporations, government agencies and educational organizations. And while their sense of connection to Carolina remains strong through a particular school or department, they’re often looking for more. They want to get involved with students and the larger innovation and entrepreneurial community that’s thriving in Chapel Hill.

 

How this opportunity makes a difference
The Tar Heel Alumni and Partner Alliance is an interest-based network that helps alumni become personally and actively engaged in the full UNC-Chapel entrepreneurial community. No matter where alumni live or what their major is, this alliance gives them opportunities to connect with current student entrepreneurs, innovation-focused faculty and one another. They’re instantly part of a network of thousands of fellow Tar Heels who share their passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. The alliance gives UNC alumni opportunities to:

  • Work with a concierge to find new ways to get involved in the UNC entrepreneurial community based on their personal areas of expertise and interest.
  • Mentor current UNC students who are eager to learn from their professional experiences.
  • Attend training sessions, workshops and online training courses that expose alumni to the same cutting-edge entrepreneurial practices taught by Carolina faculty in the classroom.
  • Learn from investors and industry partners: requirements for becoming an angel investor, best practices for running an enterprise, and more.
  • Participate in networking events where alumni can connect and explore professional opportunities with other Carolina entrepreneurs.
  • Judge a student competition that gives students a chance to win seed funding for their early-stage ideas.
  • Inspire and educate current students by participating on a panel, podcast or a class to share their real-world entrepreneurial journeys.

 

Why your gift matters
With your gift, we can bridge the expertise of Carolina’s most successful professional entrepreneurs to the passion of our most enterprising young students. We can create a global community of innovators who are not only connected to the University but to one another. Support is critical to help us maximize the knowledge and relationships that exist in the larger Carolina community. We can help alumni entrepreneurs uncover ways to help the entrepreneurial minds of tomorrow – and their fellow Tar Heel innovators of today – make the difference possible on a social, economic and human scale.

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