An anonymous donation is spurring fundraising efforts for need-based and merit-based scholarships at UNC.

Officials announced on Tuesday the university had accepted a $20 million “match challenge” to benefit both Carolina Covenant and Morehead-Cain Scholarships.

The challenge, known as the “Give for Good: Scholarship Challenge,” will allow UNC to continue meeting the university’s mission of being “truly need blind during the admission process.”

Chancellor Carol Folt said announcing this challenge on University Day – celebrating the opening of UNC – was an appropriate way to further the university’s cause.

“This is a wonderful way to mark Carolina’s 223rd birthday with an incredibly generous gift and the match challenge, which will help us raise additional funds for need- and merit-based scholarships,” Folt said in a statement issued by the university. “Carolina continues as a leader among public universities at meeting the full financial need of all undergraduate students who qualify for federal aid. We believe that all students should have the opportunity to go as far as their talents and hard work takes them. This initiative will help provide additional scholarship resources for our deserving students.”

The challenge is the next piece of a fundraising campaign that has set records for annual giving in each of the last two years.

“We are profoundly grateful for a gift that so deftly aligns with our core values, upholds UNC-Chapel Hill’s commitment to excellence, accessibility, and affordability, and at the same time issues a call to action to others in the Carolina community to help enrich the lives of deserving students and their families,” vice chancellor for university development David Routh said in a release.

The Morehead-Cain Foundation, which was founded in 1945, established the first merit-based scholarship program in the country and has benefitted more than 3,100 students over that time frame, according to UNC.

The Carolina Covenant scholarship program was launched in 2004 with hopes of providing students from low-income families to attend UNC and graduate debt free. The program serves many students who are the first in their families to go to college. More than 6,000 students have been a part of the program over its 12-year existence.

The match challenge runs through October 2017.

Related Stories
‹
New UNC Scholarship for Military Students Looks to Tackle Loan Debt
The Lieutenant Colonel Bernard W. Dibbert Carolina Covenant for Military Families Endowed Scholarship Fund was made possible by a $2 million gift from the UNC General Alumni Association. The new scholarship announced last week targets loan debt from military-affiliated UNC – Chapel Hill scholars and will cover tuition debt for 25 students. At the scholarship’s […]
Parking, Parties and Team History: What to Know Ahead of Mexico vs. Türkiye Soccer in Chapel Hill
The men's national soccer teams of Mexico and Türkiye will meet in Chapel Hill Tuesday for a friendly. Here's what to know before you go.
Police: UNC Student Victim of Carjacking in W. Franklin Street Parking Deck
Chapel Hill Police are investigating the carjacking of a UNC student that took place early Saturday morning. No injuries are reported.
Honoring Chapel Hill's Black Builders: UNC Landmarks and the Local Faces Who Built Them
Maps are storytellers, but they can exclude certain narratives. Fowota Mortoo said that’s the case for Chapel Hill’s Black builders.
No More Coal? Chapel Hill Prepares for Hearing on UNC's Co-Gen Plant and Potential New Fuel Source
Chapel Hill Town Hall will host a hearing on Thursday to take comments on a potential alternative fuel source for UNC's cogeneration plant.
Photo Gallery: Chapel Hill Sees First Snow in Years
For a few hours over the weekend, the greater Chapel Hill community was in a winter wonderland. A winter storm blanketed Orange County and the surrounding area with a thin layer of snow on Friday. Overnight on Saturday, it was later packed down or rinse away by freezing rain, which its own layer of ice […]
UNC: Ridge Road Open to One Lane After Month-Long Closure, Still 2 Weeks From Normal Traffic
Ridge Road on UNC campus is allowing vehicles and pedestrians through once again. But normal traffic patterns are likely still weeks away.
Chapel Hill Police Investigate Pair of Overnight Armed Robberies Reported 8 Minutes Apart
A pair of armed robberies reportedly took place less than ten minutes from each other during the early morning hours of Saturday, according to Chapel Hill Police.
Chapel Hill Jeweler Contributes 'Blue Crown' Prop to Latest Season of Netflix's 'Outer Banks'
Chapel Hill jeweler William Travis Kukovich was hired to create the Blue Crown, a featured prop, for Netflix's new season of "Outer Banks."
Sancar Scholars Residence in Development to Support Visiting Turkish Academics and Students
Construction is underway for the Sancar Scholar Residence, which will provide accommodations for visiting Turkish scholars and students.
›