At the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, our disciplines are as diverse as our students. Our many departments, applied research centers and interdisciplinary programs unite behind the shared goal of educating critical and imaginative thinkers through inquiry and engagement. We encourage students to dream big, to challenge themselves, to take risks, to be successful. We cultivate leadership, self-confidence, persistence and responsiveness in a world increasingly characterized by diversity and change. We engage the community broadly, through intellectual offerings that draw from the talents of our faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends.
Up for the Challenge?
Make a bigger impact by taking advantage of the following challenges!
- Esteemed alumna Karen Popp '80 is calling on fellow CLAS alumni and friends to support scholarships within the college. For each dollar given to a CLAS scholarship, Karen will contribute a dollar to the Dr. Dennis Dorin Legacy Fund up to $10,000.
- Professor Emeritus Dr. Bill Brandon is offering a $2,000 challenge grant to launch the "20 for 20" campaign designed to raise $20,000 in celebration of the Public Policy Doctoral Program's 20th anniversary.
- Did you graduate in the last decade?! If so, alumni couple Gene '73 and Vickie '71, '82 Johnson are challenging all colleges to reach 49 young alumni donors during #NinerNationGives. Each college that succeeds will unlock a $4,900 reward. The college that hits the goal first will also win a bonus $4,900! Give now to shape what's next for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
Shape What's Next
College of Liberal Arts & Science Fund
The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences challenges students to create a different space – one in which they interact with each other and with the world around them in new and exciting ways. Students are challenged to think more broadly, more deeply and more independently than ever before. They gain the confidence to take risks and they learn to act compassionately by working alongside their professors and fellow students in the classroom, in laboratories and in the broader community. By investing in this college, you are touching the lives of virtually all students at the university and transforming the region and state through well-prepared future citizen-leaders – our students. With your investment, you leverage discovery for the public benefit through programs of research, creative activities and graduate education that span the disciplines.
The late Dr. Shawn Long was a faculty member, department chair, and senior associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. This fund, established by several of his colleagues and friends at UNC Charlotte, honors Dr. Long’s memory by supporting two of the undergraduate and the graduate programs he founded and stewarded during his time at UNC Charlotte. These include the Organizational Science Summer Institute, which focuses on expanding diversity among students in the field, and the Multicultural Doctoral Summer Teaching Fellowship Program, which provides professional training workshops and teaching experience for doctoral candidates from the humanities, social sciences and sciences. Both programs recruit students from across the nation in an effort to support their scholarly success when they return to their home institution.
Dr. Dennis D. Dorin Legacy Fund
Professor Emeritus Dr. Dennis D. Dorin is one of those special professors who helped change the lives of his students. Through his teachings in political science, Dr. Dorin exposed them to new ideas about government and law. He also worked with the Pre-Law Society and often led trips to Washington, D.C., where his students met many of the U.S. Supreme Court justices. He was a friend and mentor to many who wish to honor his legacy with this fund. The goal is to raise $1 million to support an endowed professorship in Dr. Dorin’s name. This will ensure that transformational professors like Dr. Dorin will continue to make a difference in the lives of future UNC Charlotte students.
20 for 20 Campaign (Public Policy): Dr. Bill Brandon is offering a $2,000 challenge grant to launch the "20 for 20" campaign designed to raise $20,000 in celebration of the Public Policy Doctoral Program's 20th anniversary. PPOL just hosted the Fourth Annual Talking Policy in the Queen City event, which marked the 20th anniversary of the program. We are using this momentum to secure support during #NinerNationGives.
Thomas "Malik" Tillman Scholarship in Africana Studies
The Department of Africana Studies (AFRS) is establishing the Thomas "Malik" Tillman Scholarship in Africana Studies in honor of Malik, who passed away suddenly in March 2017. Malik was a beloved friend and colleague of the department; he believed strongly in expanding education opportunities for Black students in the community and in the region. This endowed scholarship was created to continue his work and to honor his memory. The scholarship will be open to students who exhibit both academic excellence and a spirit of community service, with two of the requirements being the completion of a community-based project and a demonstrated interest in pursuing community advocacy and social justice. We hope to make the first award during the 2023 academic year.
