UNC Campus Connections

Complete coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels Campus Connections.

Carolina astronomers capture images of the cosmos

The difficulties associated with obtaining these rare glimpses of the cosmos make the stories behind them all the more mesmerizing. The UNC College of Arts and Sciences’ physics and astronomy department recently assisted with the capture of several astronomical objects and events that helped us learn more about the nature of our distant universe. (UNC.edu)

Hometown Hero: UNC Scientist Nabarun Dasgupta

Nabarun Dasgupta is an epidemiologist who heads up UNC’s opioid data lab. They help people with substance use by giving them information about what substances they’re actually using by analyzing street drugs. When someone has an emergency or is seeking help, there could be other harms associated with the mixes in the substances. (Chapelboro.com)

The Most Mouthwatering Burger in North Carolina Is Waiting For You at Al’s Burger Shack

Ask a University of North Carolina student where to find the best burger in the state, and they’ll point you to Al’s Burger Shack. Al’s has four locations, including one right in the shadows of UNC. Other locations are in Leland, Apex, and a second one in Chapel Hill. No matter which location you visit, you’re in for one of the best burgers you’ve ever had. (Only In Your State)

31 Carolina faculty named ‘highly cited researchers’

UNC has 31 faculty on Clarivate’s 2025 list of Highly Cited Researchers, recognizing those who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their fields of study. Each researcher has authored multiple papers that rank in the top 1% by citation for their field and publication year in Clarivate’s Web of Science platform over the past 11 years. (UNC.edu)

UNC Alumni on Pulitzer-Winning Journalism Teams

Three alumni of the Hussman School of Media and Journalism — Brian Cassella ’05, Alex Kormann ’19 and Emmy Martin ’25 — were part of reporting teams whose work won Pulitzer Prizes, among the most prestigious honors in journalism. Jason Armond ’19 was on a finalist team. Cassella has been a photojournalist for the Chicago Tribune since 2009. (Carolina Alumni Review)

Eric Church Uses His Guitar To Deliver Powerful Commencement Speech At UNC

UNC-Chapel Hill held its 2026 graduation ceremony, and the commencement address was delivered by North Carolina native and diehard Tar Heel fan Eric Church. And it was unlike anything you’ve ever heard. Church, of course, found a way to put his own – musical – spin on the graduation speech, and broke out his guitar to deliver some powerful lessons. (Whiskey Riff)

Carolina Performing Arts Unveils Multi-Day Performance Festival for ‘Campus and Downtown’

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and, in our modern society, many people are struggling with loneliness and finding connection with others. Alison Friedman, the Executive and Artistic Director for Carolina Performing Arts, says helping address that is at the core of her department’s new festival - called “All. Together. Now.” - unveiled on Tuesday. (Chapelboro.com)

Play-by-Play Class in UNC’s Journalism School Wraps Up Debut Semester

Listeners of 97.9 The Hill know Matt Krause as the voice of UNC women’s basketball. The most recent season was Krause’s eighth behind the mic. But this past spring, a group of UNC students knew Krause for a different reason: he was their class instructor. Krause taught Sports Commentary and Play-by-Play in UNC’s School of Journalism and Media. (Chapelboro.com)

Newly Minted Carolina Alumni Celebrate at Commencement

Country musician and North Carolina native Eric Church delivered the commencement address with his six-string in hand, complemented by a guitar strap featuring an interlocking N.C. He received an honorary degree, an honor recommended by the faculty and approved by the Board of Trustees. Church used the guitar’s strings as metaphors for life. (Carolina Alumni Review)

UNC’s App Redesign Drives Student Engagement

What was once an underused mobile app at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been rebuilt to serve as a central hub for student information and services. The app, Hello Heels, was relaunched during first-year orientation last fall after undergoing a redesign following input from students through advisory boards, focus groups and surveys. (Inside Higher Ed)

Next >