January 15, 1795: UNC Holds Its Opening Ceremony
Posted Jan 15, 2018
UNC held its opening ceremony on January 15, 1795, and soon after became the first state university to enroll students. The winter of 1794-1795 had been rough, and the roads were a muddy mess. It was a cold, windy, rainy day and the area looked more like a construction site than a college campus. Only the East Building and the unpainted wooden house of the Presiding Professor had been completed.
(UNC.edu)
Related: Campus Connections
UNC researchers developing the world’s largest sky-survey telescopeUNC is embarking on a bold new era of astronomical discovery with the construction of the Argus Array, a revolutionary telescope system that will be...
Wed Jul 1, 2026These Tar Heels are working the World Cup
As the world visits North America this summer for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, some Tar Heels are helping make the historic event happen. The...
Tue Jun 30, 2026
America250 At Carolina
As the nation’s first public university, UNC-Chapel Hill has been guided for more than two centuries by a commitment to lead our state and our...
Sun Jun 28, 2026
UNC alum, former Tar Heels soccer player Jenny Chiu hosts FIFA World Cup TV series
Jenny Chiu ’17 always aimed to become a soccer star. And she has — just not in the way she imagined. As 48 countries compete...
Sat Jun 27, 2026