Elite — But Not Elitist

Posted on Sept. 14, 2017

On Nov. 2, 1789 — weeks before ratifying the U.S. Constitution — the N.C. General Assembly approved a milestone in education: the charter for The University of North Carolina. Four years later, the cornerstone of Old East was placed, and on Feb. 12, 1795, Hinton James became Carolina’s first student.

Our University was the only public university in the 18th century with buildings, faculty, students and alumni. And today, Carolina is widely recognized among the elite public, global and student-centered research universities.

Today’s high-achieving students expect to attend an elite institution and seek that out. Those who attend Carolina find that affirmation — and they learn that Carolina has long prided itself on not being elitist.

Below are a few examples of this coexistence. (This compilation is not exhaustive; please share with me anything that strikes you the same way.)

As chair of the Employee Forum at 2011’s University Day — and after having shared an impressive inventory of the contributions of University staff — the late Jackie Overton ’85 (’89 MEd) noted: “This is what we do. … This is who we are.” And at the University’s Bicentennial Observance, the late Charles Kuralt ’55 stated that Carolina “is as it was meant to be — the University of the People.” Their words underscored how Carolina has earned its “elite” recognition without becoming “elitist.”

Yours at Carolina,

 

 

 

Douglas S. Dibbert ’70

doug_dibbert@unc.edu

 

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