An outdoor, Sunday afternoon concert with Sean Kingston will cap off UNC’s inaugural GenerAction Service Week.
Tickets, which go on sale Friday, will be half price for UNC students participating in the service events the week prior to the April 11 concert.
GenerAction, which operates under the nonprofit umbrella of the East African Children’s Education Fund, is a social movement looking for creative ways to engage high school- and college-aged youths in social action and volunteerism.
Service opportunities and support will be provided by at least 27 student organizations, including Young Democrats, College Republicans and the Order of the Bell Tower.
How to Buy Tickets
Time: On sale starting Friday
Location: Student Union Box Office or by phone at (919) 962-1449.
Info: Tickets are $20. UNC students who participate in GenerAction events the week before the concert may buy tickets for $10. Visit bit.ly/generaction for more information.
There will also be a series of speakers focusing on social action, including talks by economics professor Ralph Byrns and Liz McCartney, founder of the St. Bernard Project and 2008 CNN Hero of the Year.
The concert gates open at 3:30 p.m. It will be held in the parking lot next to the Smith Center, which has a capacity of 12,000, said John Harris, public relations director for GenerAction.
Kingston, a 20-year-old hip-hop and reggae fusion artist, reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with his first single, “Beautiful Girls,” in 2007.
Harris said GenerAction chose Kingston partly because he’s the same age as students.
“He’s a great voice to kick off this movement,” Harris added.
Students had mixed reactions to the choice of Kingston.
Junior Adam Pasour said he doesn’t care for Kingston and was more interested in the local acts that will open the show, but knew many of his friends would be excited about the concert. Like most students, he said he is swayed by the discounted ticket price.
“I’d pay 10 bucks to go, if some friends are going,” Pasour said.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.