The UNC community will see one of its own vying for a chance at romance on ABC this summer.

Doctoral candidate and Carrboro resident Xavier Bonner was announced as one of the contestants on the upcoming season of “The Bachelorette.” The 27-year-old is among the 25 other contestants revealed earlier this month. The new season of the popular ABC show is set to begin on Monday, June 26.

Bonner, who is a native to Ohio, began attending UNC’s School of Medicine in 2018 to earn a doctorate in biochemistry and biophysics and quickly became a campus leader in the space. Earlier in 2023, the university’s Graduate School Magazine profiled Bonner for his research into how HIV viruses enter different cells in the body and his efforts to build community among Black peers.

“I want to build a bridge for Black students who want to be a consultant, venture capitalist, or pursue other opportunities that are inside the biotech sphere,” Bonner said in the profile, speaking about his Society for Black Biomedical Scientists organization. “Everybody deserves a shot, no matter your skin color or background. We live in a world where now everyone has more access and there might be younger generations who know that they can become a scientist because of the space you take up now as a researcher and through volunteer work.

According to the biography shared by ABC’s official webpage for “The Bachelorette,” Bonner’s hobbies include knitting and playing video games on a computer he built. He lists his ideal first date as skydiving and cites his parents’ decades-long marriage as the example of a relationship he’s looking for.

Throughout the season, Bonner will be vying to earn the affection of Charity Lawson, a child and family therapist from Columbus, Georgia. Lawson saw herself eliminated in Week 8 of competition in Season 27 of “The Bachelor,” which aired earlier this year, but was invited back to the star of this new season.

As part of the lead-up to the premier, “The Bachelorette’s” social media included some footage of Bonner and Lawson together to tease what will happen as the show unfolds.

Season 20 of “The Bachelorette” airs weekly on Monday nights at 9 p.m. on ABC.

 

Photo via ABC Entertainment.

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