Reflecting on 50 Years of Stories
November 11, 2025
Lizzy Andrews
My favorite language is storytelling. There is nothing more universal or connective than a story, regardless of the form it takes or the time it hails from. As an English major, I learned to tell and interpret stories; as a graduate student at UNC’s School of Information and Library Science, I’m learning to preserve and protect them; and as an intern at the Arts and Sciences Foundation, I help create the basis for their beginning.
I joined the Foundation this past summer, midway through its 50th anniversary year. In historical terms, five decades may seem brief, but in the life of the College of Arts and Sciences they hold an eternity of stories. Think of all the lives shaped in a single year, then multiplied over generations. Across half a century of philanthropy — of investing in future generations of Tar Heels and pouring into the lives of those who call the College home — how many ideas have been brought to life, through research and travel and teaching, that would not have been otherwise possible?
Every gift creates an experience; every experience becomes a story. Some of these stories appear in our newest project — a commemorative book tracing the Arts and Sciences Foundation’s evolution since 1975, capturing the people and moments that have defined the College.
Given Carolina’s vibrant history and iconic landmarks, there is no shortage of photographs to choose from that capture the spirit of the College. I spent a month paging through old Yackety Yack yearbooks to find images of students and events that defined each decade, searching the University’s digital repository for portraits of College deans and sifting through countless campus photos.
Exploring the Foundation’s archives revealed another story — one that runs beneath every campaign packet and photograph, connecting the faces and places that have shaped the College’s legacy. Tucked among them were glimpses of color and interest: a 1983 pamphlet for the “Dean’s Club,” an early iteration of today’s Dean’s Circle; signed copies of the 1975 Articles of Incorporation; and pages from the first capital campaign, “Foundations for Excellence,” which read less as an appeal for support and more as a love letter to the heart of Carolina. Together, these pieces tell a story, not just of devoted founders, but of constancy and purpose.
The Foundation’s mission has remained steadfast: to champion the students, faculty and future of the College. From my desk today, surrounded by dedicated colleagues, I can see how the Foundation has always been more than a bridge between donors and funds. It’s a place where stories take root and where generosity becomes legacy.
The photos in this book tell a story that extends far beyond the Foundation, the College or even Carolina — a story I feel extraordinarily fortunate to help tell.
By Lizzy Andrews
