Carolina Across 100 Announces Counties for Our State, Our Homes Program

Carolina Across 100 (CX100) is announcing the 22 counties selected to participate in the Our State, Our Homes program! These North Carolina communities will bring different sectors together during this 18-month program to design and implement strategies that improve access to and availability of affordable housing. Selected teams will meet together for the first time on January 16, 2025.

Because housing is a multifaceted challenge, this program will bring together campus partners from a wide range of disciplines, including the UNC School of Government’s Development Finance Initiative, the Department of City and Regional Planning, Kenan-Flagler Business School, and the UNC School of Medicine, as part of this pan-university effort.

A total of 87 counties showed interest in this program, and more than half of North Carolina’s 100 counties applied to participate. Carolina Across 100 is committed to making public all learnings and resources gathered during this 18-month collaboration to allow communities in every county to benefit..

MPA Alumnus to Speak at Gillings

Thursday, January 23, 3:30 pm, 1301 McGavran-Greenberg

Tim Leshan, UNC MPA '93, will be speaking at Gillings School of Global Public Health next week on What's Next in Federal Public Health Policy? Mr. Leshan serves as the Chief External Relations and Advocacy Officer at the Association of Schools and Programs of PUblic Health (ASPPH) in Washington, DC.

Carolina Changemaker Masterclass Series

Are you a graduate student or postdoc interested in taking your ideas from early stages to tangible outcomes? Innovate Carolina and The Graduate School are partnering to host a masterclass series on how to make your ideas a reality!

Our goal is to bring grad students and postdocs from all disciplines together to learn about changemaking using Ashoka’s Changemaking competencies as a guide for the sessions.

All events will occur at the Graduate Student Center, 211A W. Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC.

Session 1 – January 15th from 2-4pm

I want to be a changemaker! How do I start?

The first session in the masterclass series will start by covering the 4 key Ashoka Changemaking Competencies. Then representatives from The Graduate School will walk students through building a career plan for academic and non-academic careers. This session will focus on the importance of empathy and collaborative problem solving regardless of your intended career path.

Session 2 – January 22nd from 2-4pm

I have an idea: How do I know if it’s a good one? How do I protect it?

The second session in the masterclass series will discuss how to know if your idea is a good one using empathy and collaborative problem solving. Then attendees will learn methods for effectively protecting their ideas, which is an important step for making them a reality!

Session 3 – January 29th from 2-4pm

I have an idea: How do I talk about it and get support? What do I do next?

The final session in the masterclass series will cover leadership, effective communication, and teamwork. We will wrap up with a quick overview of resources available to students and postdocs who would like to continue on their Carolina Changemaker journey.

REGISTER

Carolina Seminar on Global Indigeneity & American Indian Studies

January 17 from 1:30-2:30 PM

Donovan Lounge, Greenlaw Hall

Join us for snacks and community as we kick off the Spring 2025 semester!

Volunteer to Judge National High School Ethics Bowl Regional Event

Hello,

I hope that you are doing well!

I am reaching out to UNC department staff and faculty to inquire whether the graduate students of your discipline might be interested in volunteering as judges for the National High School Ethics Bowl (NHSEB) regional event. The event will take place in person on Saturday, January 25, 2025, on UNC’s campus.

For any who aren't familiar with us, the NHSEB is an educational program housed at the Parr Center for Ethics in UNC's Philosophy department. It is a competition where high school students collaboratively analyze and discuss real-world ethical dilemmas in a supportive and structured environment. It emphasizes dialogue over debate, encouraging critical thinking, communication, and ethical reasoning. You can learn more about the NHSEB here.

Volunteers are needed for multiple matches throughout the day, and we encourage those who are interested to indicate all the times you’re available. We’ll use this information to finalize the schedule.

We welcome judges from all disciplines and backgrounds—no prior experience with philosophy or the NHSEB is necessary! The Ethics Bowl is designed to help students engage in thoughtful conversations about real-world ethical dilemmas, and having diverse perspectives among our judges enriches the experience for everyone.

If you know of any students who are passionate about fostering critical thinking, open dialogue, and ethical reasoning in young people, we’d love to have them join us! A diverse range of voices, whatever the field, will make a meaningful impact!—we’ll provide all the training needed before the event. The first Judge training session will be held virtually on the evening of January 17, and digital training resources will be circulated for any volunteers who cannot attend. 

If anyone would like to participate, please have them complete the availability form (https://go.unc.edu/NCHSEB25volunteer). We will reach back out with additional information including dates for additional judge and moderator training sessions and your schedule for the events in the coming days.

This is a wonderful opportunity to support ethics education and work with talented high school students as they engage in thoughtful discussions about real-world ethical dilemmas.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Best,

Leo Kirby (he/him)

Director, National High School Ethics Bowl

Parr Center for Ethics

Caldwell Hall 207F

240 E. Cameron Ave. | Campus 

Pajama Cookie Potluck

Let’s settle in to the semester together! Join the LGBTQ Center and Pride Place in Joyner Hall for a Pajama Cookie Potluck, taking place Wednesday, January 29 from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Bring your favorite cookie (store-bought or homemade), show up in some cozy clothes, and we’ll have a winter wonderland get-together. Featuring crafts, games, cookie decorating, and fun, come out and enjoy quality time with your community. It’s the perfect chance to relax, connect with friends, and kick off the new semester with some sweet memories. Don’t miss out – we can’t wait to see you there!

I hope this email finds you well. The Society for Transportation Policy and Administration (STPA) is pleased to invite undergraduate and graduate students to participate in the Best Student Paper Award competition.

If you have authored a research paper related to transportation policy and administration, we encourage you to submit it for consideration. The STPA Best Student Paper Award aims to recognize outstanding contributions to the field and promote excellence in research.

The best paper will receive a $250 cash award and a commemorative plaque, which will be presented at the 2025 American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) Conference. The conference is March 28^th – April 1, 2025 and will be held at the Mayflower Hotel Autograph Collection located in Washington, D.C. If selected, please plan to attend in-person for the award reception.

Below are the submission details:

Submission Criteria:

• Papers should be between 20 and 35 pages in length.
• Follow a standard style (e.g., APA 7^th edition).
• Include citations and references.
• Submit copies of conference papers or unpublished manuscripts.
• Literature reviews and review essays are not eligible.
• Papers co-authored with faculty members are not eligible.
• Maximum of three student collaborators/co-authors.
• Attach the title page as a separate document in the email.
• Only include author(s) name and affiliation on the title page.

Submission Process:

• Submit papers as e-mail attachments in Word (.doc) or PDF Format (.pdf).
• Subject of the email: "STPA Student Paper Competition."

Review Process:

• Papers will be evaluated through a blind review process.
• Evaluation criteria include relevance, research design, methodology, writing clarity, and overall research quality and contribution to the field.

Awards:

• The best paper will receive a $250 cash award and a commemorative plaque.
• STPA will cover the conference registration fee for the awardee to attend the 2024 American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) conference.
• If the selected paper is co-authored, STPA will cover the registration fees for up to two co-authors. An honorable mention paper may be selected at the discretion of the Committee.

Submission Deadline: January 31^st, 2025

Please send your submissions to Theodore W. Johnson, Ph.D., at theodorejohnson@unomaha.edu by the deadline.

We look forward to receiving your research contributions and wish you the best of luck in the competition.

Sincerely,

Theodore W. Johnson, Ph.D.

Chair, Best Student Paper Awards Committee

Executive Board Member

Society for Transportation Policy and Administration (STPA)

theodorejohnson@unomaha.edu

Nominations being Accepted for 2025 Boka W. Hadzija Award

The Graduate School is happy to announce that we are currently accepting nominations for the 2025 Boka W. Hadzija Award for Distinguished University Service by a Graduate or Professional Student. This annual award recognizes a currently enrolled graduate or professional student who exemplifies exceptional:

• Character
• Scholarship
• Leadership
• Service to the University and broader community

Any faculty, staff, or student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill may submit nominations. Students may not self-nominate.

Nominations are due by 5:00PM on Friday, February 14, 2025.

Specific information about this award, the nomination process, and the link to the nomination form can be found on our website: https://gradschool.unc.edu/academics/awards/hadzija.html.

Leveraging Mixed-Income Development for More Affordable Housing with Dionne Nelson

Tuesday, February 18 | 6 p.m.

Kenan Center 204

Mixed-income development builds housing affordable to households at different income levels, including a mix of market-rate and dedicated affordable units. This approach can create affordable housing in light of limited public funding, increasing construction costs, and high land prices. Attend the spring Housing Affordability Speaker event to learn how mixed-income development can promote economic integration, create well-maintained and amenity-rich housing options, and overcome community resistance to development.

Our Speaker

Dionne Nelson is the founder, President, and CEO of Laurel Street Residential, a mixed-income affordable housing development firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Since she founded Laurel Street in 2011, the firm has grown to a portfolio of over 3,600 units, with an active development pipeline and an expanding geographic presence across North Carolina and along the East Coast. Dionne has more than 25 years of experience in real estate development, finance, and operations.

Prior to founding Laurel Street, Dionne served as Senior Vice President at Crosland and led the company’s affordable housing development and multifamily operations. Previously, she managed investments at New Schools Venture Fund and Earnest Partners and built her skills in strategy, organization, and operations as a consultant with McKinsey & Company. Dionne began her career in financial services as an Investment Banking Analyst at Salomon Brothers.

Dionne serves on the Board of Directors for Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ) and the Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) and as a Director for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond – Charlotte Branch. Dionne was also named 2023 Charlotte Woman of the Year for exceptional service and exemplary leadership.

Dionne has her MBA from Harvard University and graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Spelman College.

Sign up today!

Friendship Pathways Research Study

Hello! Do you wonder how the body affects social interactions when meeting someone new and forming a first impression? Are you 18-30 years old? You may be able to take part in a research study that uncovers the communication pathway between the brain and the body when forming friendships! If you are interested and eligible, you’d have three sessions: 

Session I (Howell Hall)

-Review study details, sign consent forms

-Vitals

-Complete Part I of the task

Session II (UNC Medical Campus)

-Possible MRI Scan (randomly assigned)

-Complete Part II of the task

-Single dose of FDA-approved medication or placebo pill (randomly assigned)

-Questionnaires

-Bloodwork

Session III (Howell Hall)

-Vitals

-Bloodwork

-Questionnaires

-Debriefing

-Dismissal



You can earn up to $150 for your participation in the Friendship Pathways study. Click this link to see if you are eligible and visit https://carolinasnhlab.com/friendship-pathways if you want to learn more. We hope to hear from you!

IRB number: 23-2768

Approval Body: UNC Non-Biomedical IRB

Approval Date: 04/23/2024

Principal Investigator: Dr. Keely Muscatell | You may contact the Institutional Review Board at (919) 966-3113 or IRB_subjects@unc.edu