The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: A Legacy of Notable Alumni

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), a distinguished public research university, has a rich history of producing remarkable alumni who have made significant contributions across various fields. As a UNC-CH alumna, I often reflect on the famous alumni that have walked these brick paths before me. We were students, all of us, spending a few years on this beautiful campus, seeking to better ourselves and enrich our lives through the collective college experience. A group of scholars as distinct as snowflakes, yet united as Tar Heels.

A Shared Experience

UNC-CH alumni share a unique bond, forged through common experiences on the Chapel Hill campus. We shared the same hallowed lecture halls that Hinton James, the first UNC student, attended in 1795. We took sips from The Old Well to refresh ourselves on hot, humid days. We all tripped on roots and bricks on the way to class at least once. We had professors who inspired us and challenged us. We learned the vital skills of critical thinking and to appreciate well-written prose. We met life-long friends. We dreamed about the future. And we wondered how to best incorporate all of this new-found knowledge and experience into our lives upon graduating.

A Global Network of Tar Heels

Out of the many UNC alumni there have been since its founding, 286,707 are still with us as of May 2012, scattered all over the globe. While many alumni make silent yet worthy contributions, others have achieved widespread recognition for their accomplishments. The university's extensive network of alumni spans diverse professions, including:

Business
Politics
Arts and Entertainment
Journalism
Athletics
Academia

Notable Alumni Across Disciplines

The following is an overview of notable UNC alumni, showcasing the breadth of their achievements:

Arts and Entertainment

Billy Crudup: An acclaimed actor, a four-time Tony Award nominee, winning once for his performance in Tom Stoppard‘s play The Coast of Utopia in 2007, starred in numerous high-profile films, including Without Limits, Princess Mononoke, Almost Famous, Big Fish, Mission: Impossible III, Watchmen, Public Enemies, Spotlight, Jackie, The Stanford Prison Experiment, Justice League, and Alien: Covenant.
Andy Griffith: A beloved actor, best known for The Andy Griffith Show.
Sharon Lawrence: An actress with a prolific career in television and film.
Melissa Claire Egan: A soap opera actress.
Eboni K. Williams: TV and film producer, writer, director; executive producer of Survivor; director of The World Made Straight; writer of Good vs. Evil.
James D. Brubaker: Screenwriter, Where's Poppa?

Business

Michele Buck: CEO of The Hershey Company.
James M. Wells III: SunTrust Banks Inc.
Marcus G. Lemonis: Former Chairman and CEO of Walt Disney Imagineering and St. E!
Paul Kolton: Led the American Stock Exchange.
Eduardo Belmont Anderson: Forbes.
Caroline Lindley: 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.
Niki Shamdasani: 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.
Anna Shuford: 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.
Tyrell Carter: 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.

Community Building

Tim Walker: 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: 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.
Kevin Giff: 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.

Creative Arts

Spencer Bakalar: 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.
Janie Sircey: 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.
Mary Thurman: After graduating from Carolina in 2017, Mary Thurman moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in professional animation.
Paapa-Berchie Berko: musician and business owner

Government and Politics

James K. Polk: The 11th President of the United States.
William Rufus de Vane King: The 13th Vice President of the United States.
Charles Brantley Aycock: Former governor of North Carolina.
John Branch: Former governor of North Carolina.
Aaron Venable Brown: Former governor of Tennessee.
Tod Robinson Caldwell: Former governor of North Carolina.
Gaston Caperton: Former governor of West Virginia.
Elias Carr: Former governor of North Carolina.
Henry Toole Clark: Former governor of North Carolina.
Roy Cooper: Current governor of North Carolina.
John Edwards: Former U.S. Senator from North Carolina.
Terry Sanford: Former U.S. Senator from North Carolina.
H.R. McMaster: Former National Security Advisor.
Nina Albert: Public Buildings Service Commissioner.
Jonathan Howes: Former Mayor of Chapel Hill.
Dan K. Moore: Former governor of North Carolina, former justice of N.C.
Edwin Y. Webb: Director of the Domestic Policy Council for the George W. Bush administration.
Gordon Gray: Politician, official in the government of the United States during the administrations of Harry Truman (1945-53) and Dwight Eisenhower (1953-61) associated with defense and national security.

Journalism and Media

Brooke Baldwin: CNN anchor.
Pamela Brown: CNN Senior White House Correspondent.
Heather Childers: Fox News anchor.
Helene Cooper: New York Times correspondent.
Woody Durham: Sports broadcaster.
Molly Sullivan: Sports reporter.
Maddie Gardner: News anchor.
Monica Malpass: News anchor.
Stuart Scott: ESPN anchor.
Lloyd Shearer: Celebrity columnist.
Kayla Tausche: CNBC correspondent.
Nikole Hannah-Jones: New York Times journalist; recipient of UNC's Distinguished Alumna Award.

Athletics

Michael Jordan: Legendary basketball player.
Lawrence Taylor: Hall of Fame football player.
Julius Peppers: Football player.
Jeff Saturday: Football player.
Mia Hamm: Soccer player.
Dustin Ackley: Baseball player.
Daniel Bard: Baseball player.
Kent Emanuel: Baseball player.
Zac Gallen: Baseball player.
Matt Harvey: Baseball player.
Andrew Miller: Baseball player.
Colin Moran: Baseball player.
Kyle Seager: Baseball player.
Cole Anthony: Basketball player.
Harrison Barnes: Basketball player.
Vince Carter: Basketball player.
Danny Green: Basketball player.
Tyler Hansbrough: Basketball player.
Antawn Jamison: Basketball player.
Ty Lawson: Basketball player.
George Lynch: Basketball player.
Bob McAdoo: Basketball player.
Kenny Smith: Basketball player.
Jerry Stackhouse: Basketball player.
Rasheed Wallace: Basketball player.
James Worthy: Basketball player.
Donna Andrews: Professional golfer.
Meaghan Francella: Professional golfer.
Yael Averbuch: Soccer player.
Crystal Dunn: Soccer player.
Allie Long: Soccer player.

Academia

Alfred P. Fish III: Andrew W. Mellon Distinguished Service Professor in Spanish and Comparative Literature.
Douglas A. Shackelford: UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.
C. Hugh Holman: Southern Historical Collection at the Louis Round Wilson Library Special Collections.
Bruce Waller: Philosophy professor at Youngstown State University.

The Enduring Impact of a Carolina Education

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. The skills and knowledge gained at UNC-CH extend far beyond the classroom, preparing alumni to excel in their chosen fields. 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. The ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and solve problems are hallmarks of a UNC-CH education.

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