Revisit late novelist and UNC grad John Ehle, who founded some of NC's most innovative schools

Posted Apr 3, 2018
What if you turned over the keys to state government to an innovative novelist/intellectual and told him he had a year to come up with some original ideas for the state? That is what Gov. Terry Sanford did in 1962, when he hired John Ehle as his special assistant and idea man. The result was a burst of creative energy that North Carolina state government had not seen before. (Raleigh News & Observer)

Related: Campus Connections

Sarah Fox, Trey Giddens Represent UNC At ACC Career Trek
Sarah Fox of the UNC rowing team and Trey Giddens of the football program were selected to take part in the three-day ACC Career Trek...
Fri Jul 10, 2026

Andy Griffith’s showbiz status endures
Few entertainers have stayed in the nation’s collective conscience like Andy Griffith. Griffith is best known for his warm and wise television portrayals of Sheriff...
Thu Jul 9, 2026

Tar Heel hoists the Stanley Cup — twice
Mallory Wilmoth knows how much the Stanley Cup weighs. It’s about 35 pounds and can be cumbersome to lift, especially while standing on ice in...
Wed Jul 8, 2026

UNC student, Rhodes scholar brings hope back home to Jamaica
When Tiana Dinham flew home to Jamaica in November 2025, the University of North Carolina senior experienced the “lowest of lows and highest of highs.”...
Tue Jul 7, 2026