CHAPEL HILL – Out-going Chancellor Holden Thorp is welcoming Orange County leaders to his house for dinner Tuesday.

Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton is going—he says it is goodbye dinner of sorts but also a time to just talk.

“It’s a basically social occasion to thank each other for working closely together to lead our community,” Chilton said.

Chilton says other attendees will include Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt and Chair of the Orange County Commissioners, Barry Jacobs.

He says Thorp has been a committed community member during, and also before his time as chancellor. During his five years at the helm for Carolina, Chilton says Thorp has successfully built collaborative efforts between the university and local governments in the area.

“His effort to reach out is indicative of who he is as a person. He was a member of our community before he was chancellor and has been a resident of this area for a longtime, going back to when he was an undergraduate,” Chilton said.

Thorp is departing Chapel Hill to take-on a new position as provost at the University of Washington in St. Louis. Dr. Carol Folt, who currently serves as interim president of Dartmouth College, will officially assume the chancellorship on July 1.