IMPACT THE FUTURE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AT CAROLINA
UNC Computer Science Strategic Fund
Contributing to our general unrestricted fund provides the flexibility to use your donation where it will do the most good, exactly when it’s needed. It’s an essential way to help us respond to unexpected challenges and embark on exciting new opportunities, as they arise. State funding does not stretch far enough to meet the growing demands of our department. You, and other generous donors like you, make it possible to provide an exceptional academic and co-curricular experience for students.
Department of Computer Science Graduate Fellowship
Graduate fellowships are a cornerstone of academic excellence. These prestigious awards help us attract the brightest minds to pursue transformative research without financial constraints, fosters a diverse and dynamic academic community, and upholds our commitment to excellence in higher education.
Undergraduate Computer Science Experience Labs (CSXL)
The CSXL is a collaborative hub that redefines the academic landscape by blending real-world tech experience with a vibrant, community-driven learning environment founded by Professor Kris Jordan in 2022. With a vibrant coworking space and hands-on workshops, the CSXL is a technical experience accelerator unlike any other. Its inclusive community fosters personal growth and practical tech experience, empowering students to transition from theoretical knowledge to real-world application seamlessly. To scale and meet the growing demand, we seek support in the following areas:
- Strategic Expansion: Help develop additional learning labs, creating inclusive spaces for collaboration, large-scale projects, and first-class undergraduate teaching/learning assistant hubs.
- Workshop Fellowship Incubator: Sponsor Undergraduate XL Fellowships to develop workshops that bridge the gap between curriculum and industry, equipping students with practical, in-demand skills.
- Learning Equipment: The CSXL encourages students to use, borrow, and create with experimental hardware such as augmented/virtual reality headsets, robots, Internet-of-Things devices, drones, etc., and will help students envision and prepare for the future of tech right here in Sitterson Hall.
- Club Support: Strengthen student-led clubs, vital for peer-to-peer learning, networking, and hands-on projects. These clubs are the heartbeat of the department, fostering a spirit of community and provide opportunity for leadership development.
- Nurturing Talent: Invest in the professional growth of our students by funding staffing positions that keep CSXL meeting the demands of our large undergraduate student population.
- Company Treks: Support efforts to take students on targeted trips to visit industry in the area. With our proximity to top-tech companies in the Research Triangle area, supporting trips to visit offices and have students see themselves in a professional setting is an important part of connecting the classroom experience to day-to-day life of a tech professional.
Sitterson Renovation Fund
The Sitterson Renovation Fund supports projects such as the Lobby Renovation and beyond. Upgrades to the building and lab spaces throughout Sitterson, would improve student and faculty experience and help attract the best and brightest to the department. These upgrades include space improvements like paint, carpet, and technology upgrades required to maintain needed computing equipment and software for students, faculty and staff.
Toolsmith Endowment Fund
The Toolsmith Endowment Fund was started to honor the department’s 50th anniversary . Its foundation lies in the heart of the Computer Science department’s spirit at UNC Chapel Hill. This fund pays homage to the visionary approach of our founder, Dr. Fred Brooks, who believed in the computer scientist not just as a researcher, but as a toolmaker.
Dr. Brooks once said, “A toolmaker succeeds as, and only as, the users of his tool succeed with his aid. However shining the blade, however jeweled the hilt, however perfect the heft, a sword is tested only by cutting. That swordsmith is successful whose clients die of old age.”
Our mission is clear: uphold the Carolina way of computer science. The Toolsmith Endowment Fund champions undergraduate initiatives, supports graduate fellowships, advances course development, and meets our department’s crucial needs.
Giving Information
For more information on giving via stock, majors gifts, multi-year pledges, and naming opportunities, please reach out to Ronda Manuel, Associate Dean for Development at 919.962.7266.
Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees. The impact of your gift to the UNC Department of Computer Science may be doubled or possibly tripled! To find out whether your company has a matching gift policy, please search the database on this page.
Infinite ways to give
We recognize that our UNC Computer Science community gives back in many ways. Your support by volunteering your time to attend career events, participation in our mentorship program, volunteering your time at our student-run hackathons and other events helps to build a community we are proud of here at Carolina and is essential to our success. Consider ways you can volunteer with the department and share your expertise. Please see our Alumni Page for details about upcoming events and opportunities to get involved.