Chapel Hill charmed Lilly Washburn ’21 from the start. Surrounded by a family of alums, she grew up steeped in Carolina culture. Then, when she enrolled in 2017 to pursue a degree in public relations and advertising, her love grew, encompassing the scenery of the town, academics and sports.
Now, after becoming an alum herself, Washburn lives in Charleston, South Carolina, and works in marketing for Marius Pharmaceuticals. She stays involved with UNC-Chapel Hill through the Young Alumni Leadership Council (YALC), a volunteer group within Carolina Annual Giving that helps fundraise and advocate on behalf of all Carolina schools, units and programs.
Washburn shared her experience on the committee in this Q&A.
What stands out to you from your time as an undergraduate?
I loved going on walks around Chapel Hill with my friends. Especially when the weather was nice. We could just walk for hours, all through Carrboro, down Franklin and Rosemary. That was always a lot of fun. I also loved hanging out in the quad in between classes, sitting down with friends just chatting. Grabbing a sandwich from Merritt’s or Med Deli in Lenoir and hanging out. And also, obviously, going to any UNC sporting event was always a highlight of my time there.
How did you get involved with the Young Alumni Leadership Council?
I had some friends that were involved, and then I also saw things across social media or LinkedIn. I really wanted to find a way to be involved with Chapel Hill once I graduated just because I want to stay connected. My whole family went to Chapel Hill, so it’s just such a special place. And so I decided, I’m going to apply and see if it’s a good fit, and so far I’ve really enjoyed it.
What does the YALC mean to you? Why was it important to you to come back to UNC?
If a place has given you so much, aka Chapel Hill, I believe it’s part of our duty to give back. And I have such a special place in my heart for Chapel Hill, and there are so many great programs and resources that the school has to offer, but these do require funding.
It’s so important to educate others on why we need to give back because this place gave a lot to us. Give within your means, but it’s important that we can’t just go to Carolina, use it, and then be like, “Okay, we’re done with that.” We still owe Carolina something, because it’s given a lot to us. We owe it not only to the University but also to the next generation of Tar Heels to ensure that Carolina continues to thrive and remains the exceptional place it has always been.
Why should current students join the council when they graduate?
I would say that post grad is hard. Chapel Hill is such a microcosm, a little snow globe. It’s like a perfect world. You’re around all your friends; you don’t have to worry about all of the responsibilities of life yet. And so when you graduate, it’s kind of jarring, and you feel kind of detached. I definitely had some of those feelings when I graduated.
So I think that’s one reason to get involved — to still have that connection to Chapel Hill, and still have that community. It allows you to stay engaged and continue to be involved. If you love Chapel Hill and you also want to do something philanthropic, this is the best of both worlds.
The Young Alumni Leadership Council is a great way for recent Carolina graduates to get involved, give back and connect with other alumni. Click here to learn more about the council and the Young Alumni Carolina Covenant Scholarship Endowment Fund.
Photo submitted by subject.
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