2023 Recap

Last fall, 278 incoming first-years and 150 upperclassmen volunteers got together in Chapel Hill, NC for the fifth annual Carolina Way Camp.

Carolina Way Camp is a three-day orientation experience for incoming first- year students, hosted by the Study Center each August in collaboration with several campus ministry partners. It provides an opportunity for new students to build friendships with one another and be welcomed into the extended Christian community at UNC before classes begin. The 2023 edition was the fifth-ever Carolina Way Camp and had the largest student enrollment to date!

The three-day camp flew by as students got to experience some of the best spots on campus and in the surrounding area. The festivities included water activities, skits and games, sports, dancing, and casual hangout times. It was an incredible opportunity for students to build Christian community before starting their time at Carolina.

Staff members from the North Carolina Study Center, along with partner campus ministries, challenged students to broaden their view of Jesus Christ and to consider who they wanted to become over the next four years at UNC. Throughout the week, upperclass students shared encouraging stories of spiritual growth along with ridiculous dance moves.

When camp ended and students started to prepare for classes to start, there was a noticeable effect, as freshmen already had a baseline community of over 200 friends to share life with:

“Carolina Way Camp is the perfect way to get involved in spiritual life at Carolina because it demonstrates that even at a secular university, the Christian community is thriving and growing.” – Ashley Marshall

This class of freshmen is expectant for all the Lord will accomplish over their time at UNC.

We are so grateful for the donors, students, and volunteers who made this experience possible for a remarkable number of students, and we’re already looking forward to CWC 2024! 

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Click here to see our camp photo album on Facebook!