Charlotte Parents, Alumni, and New Friends — We hope you can join us for a Charlotte Community Event on Thursday, September 10!

Join us for an evening of stories, community, and celebrating all that God is doing in Chapel Hill through the North Carolina Study Center at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. You can click here to learn more and please RSVP below by Friday, August 28.

Come join us for Leverage Your Summer on Friday, August 28th from 12:30–1:30 pm! Open to all students, this session walks you through the Engage → Reflect → Storytell practice — turning your summer (internship, trip, job, or otherwise) into an honest page of reflection and a confident 2-minute story you can carry into any interview, using the C-A-R (Context-Action-Result) technique. Open to all students — bring your own lunch. Please RSVP below.

Come join us for Your Carolina Experience on Friday, August 21st from 12:30–1:30 pm! Open to all students, this workshop is about formation, not just information — who you're becoming, not just what you accomplish. We'll dig into a small-group conversation exercise, a frame for the year, and a checklist to help you say yes widely, reflect regularly, and make the most of your first year. Open to all students — bring your own lunch. Please RSVP below.

Come join us incoming Carolina Way Camp (CWC) Families & Students for our first CWC Family Open House on Wednesday, August 12th from 5:30-7 pm! This is an opportunity to meet Study Center Staff, as well as other parents and students. We will have light refreshments and are looking forward to seeing you! Please RSVP below.

Are you a new parent of an incoming freshman? If so, we hope you can join us for our New Parent Welcome Call on Tuesday, August 4th from 4-5 pm on Zoom! This will be an opportunity to get to know other parents, Study Center Staff, and our Parents Council Co-Chairs. Please RSVP below.

Come join us Seniors & Families to celebrate graduation on Saturday, May 9th from 9:30 am - 11:30 am! We will have light refreshments and are looking forward to seeing you!

Attention incoming Tar Heels and parents from the Charlotte area!

The North Carolina Study Center invites you to join us for this special evening to connect with other incoming freshmen students and parents, to learn from current students about the UNC student experience, and to hear from Study Center staff members about opportunities to get plugged into Christian life at UNC.

It is open to all incoming Tar Heels and their families: Please feel free to pass along the invitation! Be sure to RSVP below & we will email you more information once the event gets closer. Light refreshments will be served.

Attention incoming Tar Heels and parents from the Raleigh area!

The North Carolina Study Center invites you to join us for this special evening to connect with other incoming freshmen students and parents, to learn from current students about the UNC student experience, and to hear from Study Center staff members about opportunities to get plugged into Christian life at UNC.

It is open to all incoming Tar Heels and their families: Please feel free to pass along the invitation! Be sure to RSVP below & we will email you more information once the event gets closer. Light refreshments will be served.

Join us to play Mahjong on April 16th from 7:00-8:30pm at the Study Center! If you would like to learn how to play, come at 6:00pm for a lesson! Everything you need to play Mahjong will be provided.

Join us for a Wilberforce Symposium on Faith and the Rise of AI at the Study Center on Tuesday, April 14th from 6-8PM!

We will hear from a variety of leaders and students about how to understand AI and the changes, challenges, and opportunities we are likely to encounter in the coming years.

Our keynote speaker will be Mark Sears of Sprout AI Studio (formerly founder and CEO of Cloud Factory). Mark will be speaking as a hopeful Christian who has worked in the tech space and is now dedicating his professional life to finding redemptive uses for AI, while also remaining realistic about the hazards and difficulties ahead.

6PM - Dinner and Discussion

7PM- Keynote with Mark Sears (CEO of sprout AI)

While this world is indelibly marked by the goodness of God, it is rife with unspeakable evil. How do those who follow Christ navigate this world, and how do they respond to atrocities committed against themselves or loved ones?

On April 13, we will have a unique opportunity to hear the stories of Christians who have so suffered, and to consider together the call of Christ to love God and neighbor in “this present evil age.”

Join us to hear from Rachael Denhollander and John Ramsey.

Space for this evening is limited to 35 people. To confirm attendance, click RSVP below. Light refreshments will be served.

Speaker Bios

Rachael Denhollander is an attorney, author, and nationally recognized advocate and educator on sexual abuse. She first gained international attention in 2016 as the first woman to publicly accuse Larry Nassar, helping spark a movement in which more than 300 survivors came forward, ultimately leading to his life imprisonment and major institutional reforms at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. Through her advocacy, she played a key role in securing landmark settlements for survivors and has since advised corporate leaders, universities, and policymakers on ethical leadership, crisis response, and abuse prevention. A sought-after speaker and media commentator, she has testified before legislative bodies, contributed to major publications, and spoken at leading universities and institutions. Her impact has earned her numerous honors, including recognition in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, and she continues to educate and equip others to value and protect survivors while pursuing justice and systemic change. She lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan with her husband Jacob and their four young children.

John Ramsey is a businessman whose daughter was tragically murdered in an unsolved homicide case, as recounted in the recent Netflix documentary, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey. A former Navy officer and CEO of Access Graphics, he later moved to Michigan and has remained active in advocating for new DNA testing to solve his daughter’s case.

How do we think about how our faith informs our vocation? How do we navigate identifying a career path, setbacks, and living into a Christian ethic in an overworked society? Please join us for a Wilberforce Leadership Program Discussion & Networking Event with the Study Center’s Board of Advisors! Breakfast & lunch will be provided.

Join us for a taste of the Fellows Program! Dr. Andrew Borror will give a sample Fellows lecture via Zoom, offering a glimpse into what Tuesday nights in the program are like for Carolina students. It’s a great opportunity to experience the kind of thoughtful teaching and discussion that shape the Fellows community. RSVP below to receive the Zoom link.

What is and isn’t Scripture meant to do? What’s its role in the Christian life? Why are some of the stories in the Bible so weird?

Join us for an evening with theologian, writer, and professor Brad East as he helps us think deeply and practically about the Bible—what it is, how it works, and why it matters. Whether you're new to reading Scripture or have grown up with it your whole life, this is a night to ask big questions and hear fresh insights.

We’ll have free dinner beforehand at 6:30 pm for those who RSVP in advance. Feel free to invite a friend! Community members are welcome.

Speaker Bio

Brad East (PhD, Yale University) is an associate professor of theology in the College of Biblical Studies at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. He is the author of many articles and books, including The Doctrine of Scripture (Cascade, 2021), The Church’s Book: Theology of Scripture in Ecclesial Context (Eerdmans, 2022), The Church: A Guide to the People of God (Lexham, 2024), and Letters to a Future Saint: Foundations of Faith for the Spiritually Hungry (Eerdmans, 2024).

Join us for a free lunch, and learn more about seminary classes offered at the NC Study Center!

How can we have confidence that Christianity is true? How do we make the case for Christ in a culture that defaults to cynicism and mix-and-match spirituality? This semester J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church, will join UNC history professor Molly Worthen for three conversations about faith and doubt. We invite you to submit your questions in advance so we can focus on the issues that you think about most.

The format for this event will be a 30-45 minute conversation, moderated by Luke Elliott, a UNC senior and president of our campus chapter of Ratio Christi, followed by audience Q&A. Fill out the form below to RSVP and submit your questions!

Speaker Bios

J.D. Greear

J.D. Greear is the pastor of The Summit Church, in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Under Pastor J.D.’s leadership, the Summit has grown from a plateaued church of 300 to one of over 12,000. Pastor J.D. has led the Summit in a bold vision to plant one thousand new churches by the year 2050. So far, Summit has planted over 700 churches and sent over 2,000 church members to be part of those church plants, including 762 members who have been sent internationally.

Molly Worthen

Molly Worthen received her B.A. and Ph.D. from Yale University. Molly Worthen is a professor of history at UNC who writes and teaches about American religion, politics, and global Christianity. Her most recent book, Spellbound, is a history of charisma in America from the Puritans to the Trump era. She also writes about religion, politics, and higher education for the New York Times and other publications. In 2022, she converted to Christianity from a nonreligious background.

Please join us for our first annual Parents Night March 6th from 5:30-7:30 pm!

Please email Patterson (patterson@ncstudycenter.org) with any questions.

Please join us for a house concert with Trailand Eltzroth in collaboration with Porchlight, a nation-wide art + hospitality network, on Sunday, February 15th at 6:30 pm with guest opener The String Beans!

Artist Bio

Trailand Eltzroth is a rising indie songwriter from Jackson, MS. Since 2023 Trailand has been touring from coast to coast sharing beautiful and relatable story songs. He has three self-produced albums titled Yesterday’s Normal, Ascension and For My Friends and Family. Trailand is a gardener, birder and stargazer.

Right now, 1 in 6 U.S. families spend at least half of their income on housing, and 60% of Americans cannot afford a $300,000 home. In 2022, only 10% of new homes sold by price were under $300,000, and there's a severe shortage of 3-6 million housing units.

What do these trends mean for us, our families, and our communities? How might the shifting housing trends in our communities create opportunities for followers of Jesus to love their neighbors?

Join us to learn more from Jonathan Reckford about the meaning of home in our current cultural moment. This event is in conjunction with our Wilberforce Leadership Program.

Speaker Bio

Jonathan T.M. Reckford is CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. He has served as CEO since 2005. Under his leadership Habitat affiliates in all 50 states and in more than 60 countries have grown, helping millions of people each year build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Named the most influential nonprofit leader in America in 2017 by The NonProfit Times, Jonathan is the author of Our Better Angels: Seven Simple Virtues That Will Change Your Life and the World.

This event was partially funded through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation via the Stephen & Laurel Brown Foundation.

How do we remain faithful in our vocation under pressure and how do we serve others in our work?

Come join us as we listen to Former Congressman Mike McIntyre share about his experiences working in law and politics and how to approach our vocations with a faith and service mind-set. This event is in conjunction with our Wilberforce Leadership Program.

Speaker Bio

Recognized in the newest edition of Best Lawyers in America, Mike McIntyre is Senior Advisor for Government Relations & Economic Development with the law firm of Ward and Smith. Before joining this firm, he held the position of Congressman of North Carolina's 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving for 18 years.

A former Morehead Scholar at UNC, Mike went on to receive numerous awards and honors including the H. Brent McKnight “Renaissance Lawyer Award” from the NC Bar Association in 2024, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by UNC-Chapel Hill "for outstanding accomplishment in public service” in 2023, and the Distinguished Public Service Award in 2013 from The Secretary of the Navy, the highest civilian award given by the Navy, for his exceptional leadership and work on behalf of the Navy and Marine Corps.

In Congress he co-chaired the Congressional Prayer Caucus and was Founder & Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports. He served on the Board of the US Naval Academy and was a member of the US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as "the Helsinki Commission".

He and his wife Dee have two sons, Joshua and Stephen, and three grandchildren: Hamilton, Will and Ruth. Stephen practices law in Lumberton, and his wife, Angelica, is Chief District Court Judge for Robeson County. His son, Joshua, who also is an attorney, is Senior Director for the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, and his wife, Sarah, practices family law in Durham.

Come join us virtually on Wednesday, December 3rd to hear an update on the fall semester from our Executive Director Madison Perry and our Director of Programs & Operations Andrew Borror! Please RSVP below.

How the Early Church Changed Medicine and Why That Matters Now

Join us as Drs. Kavin Rowe and Emmy Yang consider aspects of early Christian experience with far-reaching implications for healthcare - showing the power of the gospel to surprise and transform.

C. Kavin Rowe, M.Div., Ph.D. is the George Washington Ivey Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Vice Dean of Faculty at Duke Divinity School. He’s written many books and articles, including Christianity’s Surprise: A Sure and Certain Hope.

Emmy Yang, M.D., M.T.S. is a Geriatric Fellow at UNC’s School of Medicine and a Theology, Medicine, & Culture alumnus.

Join us for a deep dive into Ecclesiastes with Pastor Bobby Jamieson!

Shouldn't you be happier? Why does it seem like nothing in this life ever delivers the happiness it promises? Join Chapel Hill pastor and theologian Bobby Jamieson for an evening of reflection on how the book of Ecclesiastes diagnoses our deepest dissatisfactions and points the way to a happiness nothing in the world can take away, because it isn't given by the world.

Bobby Jamieson (PhD, University of Cambridge) is the senior pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He is the author of several books, most recently Everything Is Never Enough: Ecclesiastes’ Surprising Path to Resilient Happiness (forthcoming) and, with Tyler Wittman, Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis.

Join us on the lawn for a meet & greet with UNC graduate students!

Resting in God’s Presence

In a world defined by relentless speed, anxiety, and productivity, the ancient practice of Sabbath offers a radically different way of being—one rooted in peace, presence, and joy. Join theologian and Duke Divinity professor Norman Wirzba for an evening of reflection on how Sabbath is not merely a day off, but a sacred rhythm of life that invites us to slow down, delight in creation, and rediscover our identity as beloved creatures rather than restless consumers.

Note: This event has been moved to the North Carolina Study Center! Parking is available in our lot after 5 pm on a first come first served basis. Additional parking can be found in the Park Place Lot or Cobb Deck for $1, following UNC’s weeknight parking regulations.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Norman Wirzba is the Gilbert T. Rowe Distinguished Professor of Christian Theology at Duke Divinity School, where he writes and teaches on the connections between theology, ecology, and everyday life. He is the author of many books including This Sacred Life: Humanity’s Place in a Wounded World, and Love's Braided Dance: Hope in a Time of Crisis. Through his work, Dr. Wirzba invites audiences to rediscover rest, care, and delight as essential to a faithful and flourishing life.

How can we have confidence that Christianity is true? How do we make the case for Christ in a culture that defaults to cynicism and mix-and-match spirituality? This semester J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church, will join UNC history professor Molly Worthen for two conversations about faith and doubt. We invite you to submit your questions in advance so we can focus on the issues that you think about most.

We’re hosting two of these nights, one on Sept. 22nd and one on Oct. 22nd. The format for both events will be a 30-45 minute conversation, moderated by Luke Elliott, a UNC senior and president of our campus chapter of Ratio Christi, followed by audience Q&A. Fill out the form below to RSVP and submit your questions!

Speaker Bios

J.D. Greear

J.D. Greear is the pastor of The Summit Church, in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Under Pastor J.D.’s leadership, the Summit has grown from a plateaued church of 300 to one of over 12,000. Pastor J.D. has led the Summit in a bold vision to plant one thousand new churches by the year 2050. So far, Summit has planted over 700 churches and sent over 2,000 church members to be part of those church plants, including 762 members who have been sent internationally.

J.D. Greear is the pastor of The Summit Church, in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Under Pastor J.D.’s leadership, the Summit has grown from a plateaued church of 300 to one of over 12,000. Pastor J.D. has led the Summit in a bold vision to plant one thousand new churches by the year 2050. So far, Summit has planted over 700 churches and sent over 2,000 church members to be part of those church plants, including 762 members who have been sent internationally.

Pastor J.D. completed his Ph.D. in Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Chick-fil-A since January 2022 and recently served as the 63nd president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Pastor J.D. and his wife Veronica are raising four awesome kids: Kharis, Alethia, Ryah, and Adon.

Molly Worthen

Molly Worthen received her B.A. and Ph.D. from Yale University. Molly Worthen is a professor of history at UNC who writes and teaches about American religion, politics, and global Christianity. Her most recent book, Spellbound, is a history of charisma in America from the Puritans to the Trump era. She also writes about religion, politics, and higher education for the New York Times and other publications. In 2022, she converted to Christianity from a nonreligious background.

This event was partially funded through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation via the Stephen & Laurel Brown Foundation.

Learn more about The Fellows Initiative, a postgrad Christian discipleship program!

Considering what you will do after graduation? Join us in the NCSC library for a light lunch as you learn more about The Fellows Initiative, a network of Christian discipleship and leadership development programs for recent college graduates, seeking to inspire and equip the emerging generation of leaders for the marketplace, church, and society. Three Fellows directors will share more about the benefits of being a part of a Fellows program, explain the aspects that differentiate various programs, and discuss how to think about which program might be the right fit for you.