Kirsten Valle

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Franklin boasts colorful history

By Kirsten Valle | April 25

A short walk through the woods from where William Richardson Davie laid the cornerstone for Old East — and on the same day — Franklin Street was born. The mile-long thoroughfare has since evolved from a narrow, rutted dirt road to Chapel Hill’s main street, and along the way, has grown and changed with UNC. “The University and the town have a long history together,” said Aaron Nelson, executive director of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce. “Franklin Street is the University’s front porch.”

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UNC epitomizes service mission

By Kirsten Valle | February 28

Long before Dance Marathon and UNC Habitat for Humanity thrust public service into the campus spotlight, UNC established a commitment to serve, an obligation to act as a University of the people. That commitment has evolved and expanded, but it remains central to UNC’s mission, which states, “The University exists to ... improve the condition of human life through service and publication; and to enrich our culture.”

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'Hiving' is all the buzz

By Kirsten Valle | November 12

Americans are becoming more like honeybees, trend-watchers are saying. People in suburbs across the country are practicing "hiving," a return to the home fueled by a desire to reconnect with family and friends. "We were looking for an appropriate metaphor to summarize the phenomenon we've been seeing, and we thought of a beehive," said J. Walker Smith, president of Yankelovich Partners Inc., a Chapel Hill consulting firm. "There has been a shift in American values from materialism to intangible satisfaction," he said. "People are focusing on other things."

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Secret society prompts ghoulish legends

By Kirsten Valle | October 29

Past a stretch of well-groomed lawns, past where Gimghoul Road turns to a winding, gravel drive, an eerie stone castle rises from the woods. It's surrounded by ivy-covered trees, chained-off entrances and rusty signs warning trespassers to stay away. Hippol Castle - better known as Gimghoul Castle - is a sprawling, pre-Norman England-style structure at the edge of UNC's campus that has been the source of some of Chapel Hill's greatest legends.

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Cancer center helps rebuild lives

By Kirsten Valle | October 25

Carolyn Burnett was on vacation in Florida, teaching her young son to swim, when she noticed bruises on his legs. A week later, Edwin, then 2, was rushed to the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center with swollen organs and a white blood cell count of 87,000 - significantly higher than it should be. He was diagnosed with leukemia and a 30 percent chance to live. The diagnosis was a shock - despite his bruises, Edwin had seemed fine, Burnett said.

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Reflections of a storied past

By Kirsten Valle | October 12

Before UNC emerged as a leading national university, before students reveled in game-day victories or spring afternoons on Polk Place, even before the Davie Poplar presided over North Campus with its cement-filled promise that the University would stand forever, founders established an institution with a lofty goal: to serve the people of North Carolina. More than two centuries after the first University building's cornerstone was placed, UNC still sets aside a day to remember its mission and to mark its founding.

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Covenant students hit stride

By Kirsten Valle | September 24

When Renatta Craven was young, she hoped to attend UNC, though she never thought that dream could become reality. But Craven is now a month into her freshman year at the University -- and with the help of Carolina Covenant, she will graduate debt-free. "Carolina was the only place I wanted to go," Craven said. "The Carolina Covenant just made the opportunity a reality." She is one of 225 students who will benefit from the Covenant in its inaugural year.

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Circle of Benches to Memorialize Late Senator

By Kirsten Valle | January 10

When Joel Schwartz met the late Sen. Paul Wellstone nearly 40 years ago, the two seemed destined for friendship. Joel Schwartz was professor of political science at UNC, and Paul Wellstone, a recent graduate, was beginning his doctoral studies. He served as Paul Wellstone's adviser and teacher in two seminars. "Our families became friends due to a confluence of interest," said Myrna Schwartz, Joel's wife. "Sheila (Wellstone) and I both worked in Wilson Library ... and of course, our husbands were in the same academic department."

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UNC Researchers Help Children Write

By Kirsten Valle | December 3

In a society where literacy seems essential for success, a great number of children struggle against disabilities that might leave them behind. A UNC research team seeks to assist children in this battle. A group led by Janet Sturm, a professor of speech and hearing sciences in the School of Medicine, is in the process of developing new software that attempts to help students with disabilities learn writing skills. "Our purpose is to support all students, but especially to allow those with severe disabilities learn to become competent writers," Sturm said. The project, which is

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Students Get a Taste of Southern Culture

By Kirsten Valle | November 15

Will McKinney is a big fan of Carolina barbecue. Eastern or western style, urban or rural, he can't get enough. McKinney certainly isn't alone in his enthusiasm for this Southern tradition, but he might be the king of barbecue at UNC. About a year ago, McKinney, a senior political science major, founded the Carolina BarBQ Society, an organization that meets about once a month to eat barbecue at various locations around the state.