Making the Difference
Wachovia and Carolina
A Natural Fit
By Yancy Strickland
Wachovia and Carolina share a special bond. They both call North Carolina home, the Charlotte-based banking giant employs more than 1,000 UNC alumni and Kenan-Flagler Business School has delivered a customized leadership program for Wachovia executives.
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| Wachovia’s support has bolstered the student experience at Carolina, along with providing many other benefits. |
So it’s no surprise that Wachovia and the Wachovia Foundation have long ranked among UNC’s largest corporate supporters, and that the foundation continued that tradition in the Carolina First Campaign.
“Supporting UNC is a way we can support the people of our state and beyond,” said David Carroll, senior executive vice president with Wachovia and foundation board member. “The relationship is a natural fit for us.”
No wonder, then, that Wachovia’s support during Carolina First spanned the campus. The foundation’s generosity enabled the University to provide critical resources to faculty and students, meet infrastructure needs and further its public service mission.
“Wachovia is the ideal corporate partner,” Chancellor James Moeser said. “They share our commitment to excellence and to serving the people of our state. They share our values, our belief in diversity and access. Their giving reflects this dedication. They have strengthened every aspect of what we do, enabling us to do more for our students, for our faculty and for North Carolinians.”
Highlights of the Wachovia Foundation’s support in Carolina First included a commitment of $2 million divided between Kenan-Flagler Business School, the School of Medicine and the School of Law.
The commitment established Kenan-Flagler’s Center for Corporate Finance, which works to serve as a bridge between theory and practice of corporate finance. The center promotes innovative and timely research that is applicable to real business decisions.
At the School of Medicine, the Wachovia Scholars Endowment Fund helps recruit and provide scholarships for disadvantaged and minority students entering medical school. The fund also supports the school’s Medical Education Development Program, which holds a nine-week medical school course each summer for minority and disadvantaged college students interested in medical or dental school.
The remainder of the $2 million commitment went to the School of Law’s Center for Banking and Finance to create the Wachovia Term Professorship in Banking and Finance. This provides salary supplement, professional development opportunities and research dollars for a faculty member in the area of banking and finance.
Another Wachovia Foundation campaign gift of note supports the UNC-Elizabeth City State University doctor of pharmacy partnership program. The funds cover training, recruitment and retention costs for prospective pharmacy applicants from northeastern North Carolina. The program focuses on minority students, who receive mentoring as applicants.
And supporting undergraduate students is a $2.8 million campaign pledge providing discretionary funds to endow need-based scholarships that will forever ensure that more deserving students will be able to get a Carolina-caliber education.
Wachovia serves as the official financial services partner of Tar Heel Athletics and provides on-site sponsorship for various Carolina athletics facilities.
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