Carolina basketball fans notice every move head coach Roy Williams ’72, ’73 (M.A.T.) makes from donning retro Air Jordans in a game against Duke to uttering his latest “Roy-ism” to dancing in the locker room after a hard-won victory.
But Coach Williams’ followers may not know about the many generous donations he and Wanda Williams ’72 have made to scholarship programs and non-revenue sports over the years. That includes the couple’s $600,000 gift that funded scholarships for spring-sports seniors whose seasons were cut short by the pandemic.
For the most part, the Williamses have preferred to keep their philanthropic endeavors quiet, to support without fanfare the people and programs they hold dear. Now, to meet the urgency of the moment, Coach Williams and Wanda have made their largest one-time gift to Carolina: $3 million to support scholarships for athletes, Carolina Covenant Scholars and Chancellor’s Science Scholars. And this time, they agreed announcing the
Mom group feeds UNC students with financial struggles
Kat Murphy / The (Raleigh) News & Observer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. Like many college students, Jenny Deview was relieved when the fall semester was over. But for her, classes ending didn’t mean going home to family for Thanksgiving and a relaxing winter break at home.
Instead, she’ll be picking up extra shifts at her job to help pay rent in Chapel Hill and relying on kind strangers for healthy, home-cooked meals.
“I’m adulting in my own way, and at times it’s really horrible worrying about expenses and time,” said Deview, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill.