2 from UNC Being Honored with the North Carolina Award

Two individuals affiliated with UNC will receive the North Carolina Award, the state’s highest civilian honor, this November.

Among the six honorees for the award, which were announced Tuesday by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, were Michael McFee and William Roper.

The announcement described McFee as an “institution” after teaching in the English Department at UNC since 1990. He is credited with authoring 16 books and has received numerous literary awards.

“McFee is a devoted teacher, mentor and dedicated champion of the literary culture of North Carolina,” the release said.

Roper, meanwhile, has served as the CEO of UNC Health Care and dead of the UNC School of Medicine since 2004. He will be retiring next spring.

UNC Health Care has grown significantly during Roper’s tenure, flirting with partners for a potential merge as recently as last year before those talks broke down this spring.

“Roper has an unwavering commitment to improving the health of all North Carolinians,” the department said when announcing the honor.

Roper formerly served as the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The awards will be presented to the six honorees at a banquet and ceremony at the Raleigh Convention Center on Friday, November 16.

“It is an honor to pay tribute to these outstanding individuals who have made North Carolina better by their extraordinary involvement in this state,” secretary of the department Susi H. Hamilton said in a release. “Each of them has enriched the lives of North Carolinians through their lasting achievements in the arts and public service.”

The other 2018 honorees are Carolyn Q. Coleman, of Pleasant Garden, and Gene Roberts, of Bath, for public service. Former WRAL-TV anchor and musician Bill Leslie, of Cary, and Barbara B. Millhouse, of Winston Salem, will receive the honor for Fine Arts.