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 student reflects on overcoming two bouts of cancer
Days away from his 25th birthday, Derrin Mallory is set to mark another major milestone this year. 2025 marks ten years since he first heard...
Sun Jan 11, 2026

Educator, Historian and UNC Statistician Freddie Kiger Inducted Into Order of Longleaf Pine
A Chapel Hill institution and longtime community contributor was recent recognized with the highest civilian honor in North Carolina. Members of the East Chapel Hill...
Sat Jan 10, 2026

90-year-old Triad neurosurgeon ‘finally’ earns UNC undergraduate degree
Dr. David L. Kelly Jr. says this moment is a dream come true. “I’m finally getting my undergraduate degree because I lacked one course by...
Tue Jan 6, 2026

UNC School of Pharmacy retains No. 1 ranking for external research funding
The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy has retained its No. 1 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy ranking for external research funding among U.S. schools...
Mon Jan 5, 2026