Raleigh News & Observer Logo

A university is forever part of my family | Raleigh News & Observer

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • Support
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Sponsorships
    • Stay connected
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Social Media Directory
    • N&O Store
    • Buy Photos
    • Databases
    • Archives
    • Newsletters

    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Health
    • Local
    • North Carolina
    • Nation/World
    • Science
    • Thumbs Up
    • Traffic
    • Weather
    • Weird News
    • All News
    • Counties
    • Durham County
    • Johnston County
    • Orange County
    • Wake County
    • All Sports
    • Baseball
    • Canes
    • College
    • Columns & Blogs
    • High Schools
    • NASCAR & Auto Racing
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • NHL
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Panthers
    • Soccer
    • Schools
    • Duke
    • East Carolina
    • NC State
    • North Carolina
    • All Politics
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • State Politics
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • PolitiFact
    • PolitiFact NC
    • Rob Christensen
    • Under the Dome
    • All Business
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Health Care
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Shop Talk
    • Stocks Center
    • Technology
    • All Living
    • Video Now
    • Best-Kept Secrets
    • Blogs
    • Celebrations
    • Comics
    • Family
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Food
    • Games and Puzzles
    • Home and Garden
    • Horoscopes
    • Mouthful
    • Past Times
    • Pets
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Video Now
    • Arts News
    • ArtsNow
    • Books
    • Contests
    • Dining
    • Entertainment
    • Games
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Television
    • On the Beat
    • Happiness is a Warm TV
    • All Opinion
    • Columnists
    • Dwane Powell
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Letters
    • Opinion Shop Blog
    • Other Views
    • Submit a Letter
  • Obituaries

    • Advertise with us
    • Place Ad
    • Apartments
    • Cars
    • Homes
    • Jobs
    • Legals
    • Obits/In Memoriams
    • Weddings
    • Today's Daily Deal
    • Special Sections
    • Today's Circulars
    • Rewards
    • Photo Store
  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Legals

News-Star: Opinion

A university is forever part of my family

By J. Scott Bolejack

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 13, 2015 10:20 AM

When I went to college, it never occurred to me that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – its institutions, faculty, students and alumni – would come to mean so much to me.

But they have, which is why, for example, I am embarrassed by the academic scandal that has enshrouded the university, and it’s why I mourned the passing earlier this month of longtime men’s basketball coach Dean Smith.

By way of confession, I have not always been a Carolina fan. I grew up near Winston-Salem, so as a kid, I pulled for the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest University. I also attended basketball camp there and did the research for my high school term paper in the WFU library.

And no don’t tell anyone this, but as a high school junior and senior, I followed Duke University basketball because a graduate of my high school, South Stokes, was on the team. Some older readers might remember Kenny Dennard.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

But as a high school senior, I chose UNC over Wake Forest because I could major in journalism at Carolina, and once I arrived on campus in August of 1979, I became forever a Tar Heel.

I suppose that was to be expected to some degree, but what I didn’t expect was how deeply I would feel Carolina’s triumphs and tragedies, especially those that came long after I graduated in 1983.

I was at Carolina when Coach Smith won his first NCAA championship in 1982. I still have the jeans and shirt I was wearing that night, both stained in Carolina blue paint from the celebration on Franklin Street. But to be honest, I enjoyed the 1993 championship just as much, partly because of the leadership displayed by forward George Lynch, who would chastise a teammate for making a mistake, then wrap his arm around that teammate to reassure him.

I feel the tragedies especially hard. I did not know Eve Carson, the UNC student body president, but I felt as though I had lost a family member when she was murdered in 2008. I felt the same way when UNC professor and cancer researcher Feng Liu was beaten to death last year. And now I mourn the loss of three students shot to death this week, apparently in a dispute over parking.

As a youngster and then a young man, I was never much of a joiner – no Boy Scouts, no civic club. But I’m glad I joined the Carolina family, even in times of loss. I suspect anyone whoever attended college knows what I mean.

  Comments  

Videos

Duke’s Jack White talks lessons from Louisville rally

The Call with Independence’s Matthew Smith 02.15.19

View More Video

Trending Stories

‘An angry customer shot me.’ 911 calls reveal panic at Walgreens in Garner.

February 14, 2019 10:38 AM

NC State basketball player Eric Lockett charged with assaulting a woman

February 14, 2019 06:34 AM

What’s with NC State’s basketball roster? Update on 3 players who missed Syracuse game.

February 14, 2019 10:45 AM

UNC will have two players out against Wake Forest, possibly three, depending on Nassir Little

February 15, 2019 03:40 PM

Wake County commissioner accuses board member of lying, taking credit for park plan

February 14, 2019 12:40 PM

Read Next

News-Star: Opinion

Your Letters

Only the extremists grab headlines

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE NEWS-STAR: OPINION

News-Star: Opinion

Don’t fear a robot invasion

April 27, 2017 11:52 AM

News-Star: Opinion

School system is making an effort

April 27, 2017 11:52 AM

News-Star: Opinion

Many factors at play in health-care debate

April 20, 2017 12:20 PM

News-Star: Opinion

We fear what we do not understand

April 20, 2017 12:19 PM

News-Star: Opinion

Schoolyard brawl returns to Raleigh

April 13, 2017 10:59 AM

News-Star: Opinion

Campuses should foster free speech

April 13, 2017 10:59 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Raleigh News & Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Triangletoday.com
  • Legal Notices
Advertising
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Our Ads
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • N&O Store
  • N&O Photos
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Report News
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use


Back to Story