225 years of Tar Heels: Bill Friday

Posted Mar 1, 2019
Bill Friday, who passed away on University Day 2012 at age 92, served as president of the UNC System for 30 years. Friday remarked that the University of North Carolina was “the beating heart of the state itself.” A fierce defender of free speech, civil rights and academic freedom, Friday dedicated his life to serving the people of North Carolina. (UNC.edu)

Related: Campus Connections

When Every Second Counts: This UNC Device is Saving Lives
A breakthrough from UNC is helping frontline teams fight America’s drug crisis. Chemist Mike Ramsey’s research led to the MX908, a handheld mass spectrometer, that...
Sun Feb 22, 2026

Forbes Names Carolina to “Best Large Employer” List
The University of North Carolina is the top-ranked public institution in North Carolina on the Forbes 2026 Best Large Employer List released Tuesday. UNC is...
Sat Feb 21, 2026

For Tift Merritt, Time and Patience Have Made the Difference
Tift Merritt never thought she’d end up back in her hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina. For about 15 years she toured through America and Europe...
Sun Feb 15, 2026

Rich Eisen can’t bring himself to watch Stuart Scott ’30 for 30' yet
ESPN’s latest 30 for 30 documentary stays close to home, covering the life of Stuart Scott, an icon of the Worldwide Leader’s SportsCenter era. Rich...
Sun Feb 15, 2026