Class of 2028 begins Carolina journey at convocation
Chancellor Lee H. Roberts urged students to always be curious and gave them a three-part mission for their first year.
Carolina’s Class of 2028 was encouraged to follow their curiosity at New Student Convocation on Sunday at the Dean E. Smith Center.
Chancellor Lee H. Roberts, speaking at his first convocation, reminded the new Tar Heels how important it is to broaden their horizons as they begin their journey at UNC-Chapel Hill.
“All of us need to be curious, to listen and be ready to learn,” Roberts said. “That is always my goal as chancellor, and I think it’s something that we don’t stop getting better at.”
He then gave students three goals for the year ahead.
“In your first month, get a meal or a cup of coffee with someone from a different city or state than you,” Roberts said. “In your first semester, number two, attend a lecture or event outside of class. Third, in your first year, take a course that deepens your understanding of the world.”
Keynote speaker Erin Matson, Carolina’s field hockey coach and the program’s most decorated alum, led students in a “Tar Heels” chant as she took the stage. She emphasized that Carolina is more than a campus: it’s a team.
“We win together, but we also lose together and grow together so that we can win more,” Matson said. “We believe in each other and support each other no matter who you are, what you believe in and where you come from. Tar Heels look out for other Tar Heels.”
Matson then concluded her speech with two simple words: “Welcome home.”
Other speakers included Provost Chris Clemens, who highlighted the importance of integrity and led the new Tar Heels in reciting Carolina’s academic pledge. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Amy Johnson told students it was never too early to think about life after college and shared a handful of resources that will make their time at Carolina more beneficial. Student Body President Jaleah Taylor also took to the podium to urge students to “take charge of your futures, learn from your classmates and embrace the life-changing opportunity to be a Tar Heel.”
The event featured a welcome video with greetings from staff and faculty, including Carolina head football coach Mack Brown. A montage of various events and opportunities showed what students will be able to participate in over the course of their next four years, set to an a cappella version of James Taylor’s “Carolina in My Mind.”
Finishing out the ceremony was the reveal of the Class of 2028 logo, which features artwork of the Bell Tower, and a rendition of “Hark the Sound” from Tar Heel Voices. Students left the arena bound for Fall Fest in the Frank Porter Graham Student Union, the Pit and Polk Place.
