Chancellor to visit western NC

To demonstrate Carolina’s commitment to promote progress and engage with communities in North Carolina, Chancellor Lee H. Roberts will visit a different part of the state each summer. His first visit in early July will take him to western North Carolina, where he will meet with area leaders and residents to discuss the University’s support for disaster recovery efforts, economic development and regional health care.

The tour will highlight Carolina’s role in disaster recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, support for regional health care and workforce development, and the University’s ongoing contributions to economic development and public service.

Q: Why is it important to you to visit regions of the state in person and meet with the people there?

A: It’s important to connect directly with alumni, elected officials and other key partners to hear what the area’s residents need and find opportunities to match the University’s expertise to those needs.

As the UNC System’s flagship institution, our mission is to serve the state, and that’s particularly important in times of major disasters and hardship. That’s why the first visit is to western North Carolina, which is still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene. I will go to several areas where the hurricane and flooding had a severe impact, Buncombe, Franklin, Macon and Mitchell counties, and talk with residents there about Carolina’s ongoing disaster recovery efforts — what’s been done and what still needs to be done.

Carolina faculty, staff and students have been involved in that recovery every step of the way, from emergency rescue efforts and bringing in vital supplies in the early days to current efforts to help rebuild small businesses and support local governments. On this visit, we’ll discuss next steps as we strengthen existing partnerships and begin new collaborations.

Q: How has Carolina helped to support small business recovery and economic development post-Helene?

One of the first organizations at Carolina to come to the aid of businesses in western North Carolina was NCGrowth, a partner of the Kenan Institute and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Its economic development professionals and graduate students are providing consulting and technical assistance to businesses, local governments and other community organizations in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. Mayland Community College in Mitchell County is one example of that assistance, where a small business center was created with support from NCGrowth. This center provides free resources, classes and counseling to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Another way Carolina is helping with the region’s economic recovery is through the UNC School of Government. Our faculty, staff and students are helping local businesses and governments navigate the complex grant process so they can rebuild their businesses and infrastructure.

Q: How has Carolina supported health care in the region, especially through its partnership with the Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville?

A: Carolina is vital to the region as an institution that educates many of its doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and other health care professionals. It’s important to keep that rural pipeline open to prevent shortages of medical personnel.

Carolina is also an important resource for research about rural health and policies to improve quality and access. Our health researchers have been able to leverage what they’ve learned from global locations to help those much closer to home, including western North Carolina.

MAHEC is a great example of a mutually beneficial collaboration to improve rural health care. UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC, which includes UNC’s schools of dentistry, medicine, pharmacy and public health, emphasizes rural healthcare workforce development, clinical research and practice transformation. I look forward to meeting with MAHEC leadership and staff and seeing the state-of-the-art medical simulation center that allows medical professionals and students to practice life-saving procedures without putting patients at risk.