Building a Bridge for Others

Latonya Brown-Puryear

Establishing long-term relationships and creating fruitful memories is what Summer Bridge alumna Latonya Brown-Puryear ’93, ’99 (M.D.) wants for future UNC-Chapel Hill students. That’s why she donated to the Summer Bridge program, a six-week transition program that helps incoming first-year students adjust to Carolina by providing academic enrichment, community building, and co-curricular and experiential learning activities.

Brown-Puryear learned about the program through her high school guidance counselor in Whiteville, North Carolina. As a small-town girl, Brown-Puryear got to experience UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus from a less intimidating perspective thanks to Summer Bridge, which allowed her to take classes on campus the summer before her first year.
“We are so appreciative of Dr. Brown-Puryear and her support, both financially and beyond, of Summer Bridge and our students,” said Victoria Chavis ’14, coordinator of co-curricular and academic engagement with Summer Bridge. “As a participant, or ‘Bridgee,’ myself in 2010, I know the impact these financial gifts have for our students.”

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