Generous philanthropy supports the liberal arts tradition at Carolina
In 1975, Margaret Harper became the first person to bestow her generosity on the Arts and Sciences Foundation. Her gift of $1,000 began a tradition of giving that would grow and flourish over the next four decades.
The Arts and Sciences Foundation’s mission is to enhance the College by meeting the needs of the various academic departments, promoting teaching, research and service, and supporting the continuing development of knowledge and learning.
As of June 30, 2022, the Foundation managed more than $438 million in endowed funds, compared with $37.6 million in June 1998. The College of Arts and Sciences benefits from an additional $774 million in endowed funds from the UNC-Chapel Hill Endowment and the UNC-CH Foundation.
The phenomenal growth of the Arts and Sciences Foundation has been fueled by the generosity of the College’s many alumni and friends, starting with the philanthropy of Margaret Harper nearly 40 years ago. All future achievements of the Foundation will come from those donors who believe in the mission of the College and feel the same dedication to maintaining the College’s tradition of providing a first-rate liberal arts education.