“Being a Tar Heel is about relationships that carry on long after you leave campus. It’s about community, wherever you are in the world.”
– Meredith Niles ’97
Carolina alumna and co-editor of the book Change for Better, Meredith Niles ’97 inspires generosity in others while living it out herself in London. This fall, she was integral in bringing together more than 150 Tar Heels in London for an event hosted by UNC-Chapel Hill.
In September 2025, Carolina hosted The Global Well: London, the first event in the new Global Well series. The series is designed to connect international alumni and friends and to celebrate the Carolina spirit that unites Tar Heels, no matter where in the world they may be.
Chancellor Lee H. Roberts joined the gathering to meet some of the 1,000 Tar Heels living in London, recognize the generosity of local donors and foster new Carolina connections abroad. During the event he discussed international students, athletics and AI at Carolina — and how alumni abroad can continue to connect with the University. This trip was especially significant for the chancellor because he lived in London for more than 10 years.
“Numerous alumni told me how much they valued the opportunity to meet so many members of the London Carolina community and hear directly from the chancellor about his vision for Carolina’s future,” Meredith said.
Meredith Niles (right) hosted Chancellor Lee H. Roberts (left) for a fireside chat during the inaugural Global Well: London event. (Photo by Orlando Gili)
Meredith knows firsthand how meaningful it is to feel part of a Carolina community, even thousands of miles from Chapel Hill. Her story reflects the mission of the Global Well series.
Meredith earned her degree in international studies and philosophy. After graduating, she gained private sector experience in investment banking before pursuing her passion for public service. Her career with Goldman Sachs took her to New York and Frankfurt, Germany, then to London in 2000, where she expected to stay for only a year or two. Instead, the city became home.
In London, Meredith pivoted from finance to the nonprofit world, bringing her skills in strategy and fundraising to causes she deeply cared about. She has since gained her master’s from the London School of Economics, served as a leader and board member across multiple organizations, and co-edited Change for Better: Behavioral Science Lessons from the World’s Top Practitioners.
“I find fundraising fascinating because it’s about inspiring people to give when there’s no financial return,” Meredith said. “It’s part psychology, part economics and all about creating impact.”
Becoming a Carolina Parent
In August 2025, Meredith took a trip down memory lane when she dropped off her eldest son William Niles ’29 in Chapel Hill for his first year at Carolina.
“Walking back through campus, the muscle memory of where everything is was still there,” she said. “It felt phenomenal to share that with my son.”
Like mother, like son, William is living in the exact same building Meredith lived in 31 years ago.
“I’ve spent the last few weeks feeling very nostalgic, and it’s amazing to see what’s changed and what hasn’t after all this time,” she said.
Becoming a Carolina parent created a golden opportunity for Meredith to plug back into the Tar Heel community. Recently, she joined the UNC Board of Visitors as well as the London Carolina Club, which has been hard at work growing Carolina’s presence across the pond.
Carolina Blue shines in London
During the 2024-25 academic year, almost 800 UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduates studied in London. The city has been a top study abroad destination for decades, in part because of UNC-Chapel Hill’s 20-year strategic partnership with King’s College London and because of Winston House, Honors Carolina’s London home that serves as a hub for UNC’s study abroad programs and research initiatives across Europe.
JT Tygart ’26 from Colorado Springs, Colorado, spent the spring 2025 semester studying at King’s College London and staying at the Winston House through the Shuford Away entrepreneurship program. His time was filled with three Honors Carolina classes and a 20-hour-a-week internship with Tanager Wealth, a transatlantic wealth management firm. That experience helped secure his summer 2025 internship with Bank of America in Washington, D.C.
“Studying abroad in general is an amazing experience, but to do it in London, where the University has its own building, makes it even more special,” JT said. “While you are thousands of miles away from Chapel Hill, the blue ceilings and photos of campus in the Winston House make it feel like home away from home. Because Carolina has such a strong connection with this city, it sets up its students for lifelong success outside of the United States.”
JT Tygart (right) and his mom, Niki Tygart ’94 (left) at Marylebone Station on their way to Oxford. (Photo submitted by subject)
Community abroad
Meredith Niles hopes the London Club will continue to be a bridge for students and is committed to building a strong Carolina community in London.
“We have a decent presence of Carolina students in London at any given time, and I think it’s always fantastic to help them feel welcome,” she said. “As a current Carolina parent whose son may want to be part of this, I would hope that wherever he goes, he’ll be able to find a Carolina community.”
Meredith said she wishes that community existed when she first arrived in London in 2000. Without social media and an existing London Club, it took her longer to plug into a Carolina community there. Now, she’s grateful for the ability to make an impact in so many Tar Heels’ lives.
“I think the more that people feel invested and close to Carolina, even as they’re living a continent away, the more people will be willing to volunteer and contribute, whether that’s in the form of donations, service, or opening doors for students who are looking for an internship or just want to make professional connections,” she continued. “We’re a fantastic University because of our alumni, and we’ve got to nurture those connections back to the Carolina community if we want our alumni presence to be as strong as possible.”
Interested in connecting with global Tar Heels in your area? Send us an email at [email protected] or connect with the Tar Heel Global Network on LinkedIn.
The Office of International Fundraising and Engagement aims to engage Tar Heels outside of the United States; strengthen our network for the benefit of alumni, students and friends of the University; and advance UNC-Chapel Hill as a more global institution. We invite all Tar Heels to give their time, talents and treasure back to Carolina through volunteerism, mentorship and philanthropy. Additionally, we aim to connect Tar Heels with each other, around the world and across generations, to further strengthen the global Carolina network.
Written by Terzah Dyer
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