Concluding the Bicentennial
Posted on June 1, 1994“‘ The purpose of life is a life of purpose.’ …
To touch one human being. To change one other human being’s existence for the better. That’s enough. Have your goals, have them be grand, but remember what really counts [are those single] human beings who you come in contact with.”
— Dr. Francis S. Collins ’77 (MD),
speaking at the Bicentennial Commencement in Kenan Stadium, May 15, 1994.
(The complete text may be found beginning on page 52 of this issue of the Review).
At noon Sunday, May 15, church bells rang across North Carolina, proudly signaling the conclusion of Carolina’s eight-month Bicentennial Observance and ringing in the third century of public higher education. With 32,000 others in the splendor of Kenan Stadium, I watched as the “Bicentennial Suite” was played by 16 herald trumpeters, representing each of the 16 campuses of the UNC System. Sociology Professor Peter Uhlenberg, his wife and several of their 14 adopted children of many races presented the new University flag for the third century.
Our Bicentennial Observance year has gone by too quickly. Under the outstanding and inspiring leadership of Bicentennial Observance Committee Chairman Dick Richardson, Observance Executive Director Steve Tepper ’89 and the hard-working Observance staff, hundreds of programs attracted more than 300,000 participants to events in Chapel Hill and across North Carolina and beyond.
Among the Observance highlights was Carolina Saturday, our University-wide open house on Saturday, April 9. On a spectacular spring day during a six-hour span, 132 events appealing to alumni of diverse interests and of every age drew 30,000 alumni, faculty, University staff, students and friends of Carolina together to personally witness our University’s outstanding faculty, staff and students. Some of the most popular programs, exhibits and demonstrations included the Chemistry Magic Show (starting a fire with water, hammering a nail with a frozen banana); Cosmic Quiz (astronomy quiz for middle-school students held in Morehead Planetarium); Stupendous Physics Show; The Art of Map-Making; A Debate for the Ages (the ghost of B.F. Skinner debated the ghost of Sigmund Freud); virtual reality; and a Clef Hangers concert (before a standing-room-only audience in the George Watts Hill Alumni Center).
During the past eight months our Bicentennial Speakers for North Carolina, composed of some of Carolina’s most outstanding faculty, addressed hundreds of North Carolinians at civic clubs, churches, public schools and elsewhere on topics ranging from jazz to genetics, economics to anthropology, the South to global politics. And our local Bicentennial Ambassadors have helped carry Bicentennial programs to each of North Carolina’s 100 counties.
As UNC Chancellor Paul Hardin has written, “The Observance [has been] a time to reaffirm the ties between the University and the people of North Carolina, between students and teachers, between friends, former students, co-workers and all whose lives have been touched by the University. It is time to express gratitude to the generations of North Carolinians whose support has made possible the ‘people’s University’ and renew the University’s commitment to lead, teach and serve our state and our nation.”
For 200 years our University has touched the lives of several generations of North Carolinians and others. We have helped to enhance the well being of those who have attended Carolina as students and those who have generously supported Carolina as citizens. And in your community and in your profession, you, our alumni and friends, are to many The University of North Carolina.
The Bicentennial Observance has left Carolina’s sons and daughters with restored pride, hope and optimism for our University’s future. Pride — in Carolina’s past and present record for service and excellence. Hope — that North Carolina’s “priceless gem,” our University, will find its best years lie ahead. Optimism — that with renewed appreciation and understanding of our University, all will work together to provide needed support for Carolina’s third century of service. Hark the Sound!
Yours at Carolina,
Douglas S. Dibbert ’70
