The Williamses have been staunch supporters of the Carolina Covenant since the program’s inception.
Carolina basketball fans always noticed every move of former head coach Roy Williams ’72, ’73 (M.A.T.) — from donning retro Air Jordans in a game against Duke to uttering his latest “Roy-ism” to dancing in the locker room after a hard-won victory.
But Coach Williams’ followers may not know about the generous donations he and Wanda Williams ’72 made to the Carolina Covenant over the years.
For the most part, the Williamses prefer to keep their philanthropic endeavors quiet, to support without fanfare the people and programs they hold dear. But in March 2021, just before his retirement, Roy and Wanda made their largest one-time gift to Carolina: $3 million to support scholarships for student-athletes, Carolina Covenant Scholars and Chancellor’s Science Scholars. At the time, they agreed announcing the news of their generosity would hopefully inspire others to help, as well.
The Williamses dedicated $1.5 million of that $3 million gift to the Carolina Covenant, a program they’ve supported since its inception more than two decades ago. They even served as honorary co-chairs of the campaign to endow the Carolina Covenant, which provides eligible low-income scholars a debt-free path to graduation through a combination of scholarships, grants and work-study. Since the first class enrolled in 2004, the Carolina Covenant has supported more than 11,000 students whose contributions and successes are, collectively, a testament to the University’s unwavering commitment to excellence.
“The Carolina Covenant is near and dear to our hearts,” shared Wanda, who taught high school English for several years after graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill. “When Roy came to school here, his mother handed him $100 and said, ‘Have fun.’ If he had been going to school now, he would have been a Carolina Covenant Scholar.”
Coach Williams, the first in his family to attend college, didn’t grow up dreaming of college, and he certainly never imagined he’d one day be a Tar Heel.
“I came down here as a country bumpkin from the mountains of North Carolina and probably still am,” he laughed. “I was so naive about so many things, and the University helped me mature. The idea of where I would be right now if I had gone elsewhere is hard to even envision.
“We need to let other people have these opportunities.”
Support Future Tar Heels
Give back to the next generation. The Carolina Covenant offers top students a debt-free path to endless opportunities, meaning UNC-Chapel Hill is equipped to recruit the best students from all economic backgrounds. Gifts to the Carolina Covenant help ensure that this groundbreaking program thrives for the next 20 years. Make a gift today!
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