News
School of Government's Whitney Afonso Named NAPA Fellow, Following ABFM Scholarly Engagement Award
October 26, 2026
Albert and Gladys Coates Term Professor Whitney Afonso will be inducted into the National Academy of Public Administration as part of the 2026 cohort.Read More
Parking Lots and Opportunity: The Development Finance Initiative Helps Local Officials Bring Affordable Housing to Downtown Durham
October 19, 2026
Two parking lots next to Durham County government buildings had long sat underused. When rapid development and growth in downtown Durham raised concerns about displacement for long-time residents, County Commissioner Wendy Jacobs saw an opening. Durham County partnered with the UNC School of Government's Development Finance Initiative (DFI) to assess what those lots could become, and after two years of planning, a path began to take shape. The result of their combined efforts is a plan to convert the parking lots into developments with305 affordable and 248 market-rate apartments, plus childcare facilities and retail on East Main Street.Read More
Bill and Peggy Britt Foundation $5M Gift to Prepare Future Public Service Leaders
October 13, 2026
The Bill and Peggy Britt Foundation made a $5 million gift to the UNC School of Government to help students, recent graduates, and emerging professionals discover, prepare for, and pursue meaningful careers in public service.Read More
UNC School of Government Names First-Ever Local Government Law Fellow
October 6, 2026
Lucas Lawrence has joined the UNC School of Government as the first fellow in a new initiative designed to strengthen the pipeline of attorneys entering local government law across North Carolina.Read More
Mission Moment: Julie Beasley Helps Connect Older North Carolinians with their Local Governments
September 25, 2026
In North Carolina, 26.8 percent of older adults live alone, with 1 in 4 globally experiencing isolation, and 1 in 10 dealing with the effects of depression caused by isolation. Left unaddressed, that isolation frequently leads to heart disease, anxiety, and dementia, along with other severe, life-altering health consequences. Their families have grown up, and old friendship circles are beginning to dwindle. What waits for them in this new season of life?...Read More
Three Government Professors Honored by Richard and Judy Vinroot’s Legacy
September 16, 2026
Three School of Government faculty members have been awarded three-year Robert W. Bradshaw Jr. Distinguished Term Professorships.Read More
Service to Country, Sharpened by Education
September 9, 2026
Few people can say they’re skilled helicopter pilots. Fewer still can say they’ve carried out high-stakes search-and-rescue missions—or coordinated them.Read More
Kirk Boone Retires After Three Decades in Property Tax Education
August 26, 2026
Kirk Boone, associate teaching professor of public finance and government and property assessment expert, retired from the UNC School of Government in August 2026.Read More
Once in a Lifetime: Celebrating Cheryl Howell's 34 Years of Service to North Carolina Family Law
August 26, 2026
For more than three decades, Cheryl Howell has been one of North Carolina’s leading experts on family law. As an educator, scholar, and advisor, Howell has been an essential resource, trusted counselor, and valued friend to the state’s district court judges and other judicial officials.Read More
Mission Moment: Kirsten Leloudis’s County-by-County Commitment to Public Health
August 20, 2026
Kirsten Leloudis calls herself a public health nerd. North Carolina has 86 local health departments serving 100 counties, and Leloudis has made it her personal goal to visit them all. At thirty-eight stops on her road to reach them all, it's hard to argue. She documents each visit with a selfie, hanging the photos on the door to her office to track her progress—but there's a rule. “I can only take photos with departments I've actually worked with," Leloudis said. "That means I have to have advised that county, held a program for them, or had their staff in one of my School of Government-based programs.” As a faculty member at the UNC School of Government, Leloudis specializes in public health law and advises the employees of local health departments on the complex legal questions that arise in their day-to-day work. Serving North Carolina's health departments isn't just a professional obligation. It's a commitment she takes literally, one county at a time.Read More
UNC MPA: Continuing the Legacy of Intentional Admissions
August 12, 2026
The School of Government's Master of Public Administration program is proud to be ranked among the top 20 programs nationally for public affairs, 9th in public management, and 2nd in local government by U.S. News & World Report. This recognition is built upon a deeper purpose: preparing public service leaders whose work transforms organizations, communities, and lives across North Carolina and beyond.Read More
Explore the School's Impact Across All 100 North Carolina Counties
July 27, 2026
The UNC School of Government is pleased to announce our impact website has been updated with FY25 data. The site includes an interactive map displaying our work in all 100 counties across North Carolina. Hover over the map to see how the School has worked with each county, and click on a county to pull up a printable fact sheet.Read More
