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

Best-selling novelist, UNC alum Sarah Dessen reflects on her ‘Change of Plans’
At UNC, Sarah Dessen initially chose psychology as her major. But after she took a creative writing class with the late Doris Betts, she was...
Wed Jul 29, 2026

A guide to Chapel Hill's vibrant music scene
Some of my favorite memories at Chapel Hill have taken place in loud rooms lit by colorful stage lights. Listening to live music with friends...
Tue Jul 28, 2026

The Delicious Legacy of Chapel Hill’s Favorite BLT
Perched just off Highway 15-501 in Chapel Hill, NC, the old-school breakfast and lunch joint Merritt’s Grill serves such comforting Southern classics as pulled pork...
Mon Jul 27, 2026

UNC students gather to remember James Cates Jr. 55 years after his murder: 'A 22-year-old like us'
When students are walking to and from their classes every day, they can find a plaque located by the Pit and beside the Undergraduate Library...
Sun Jul 26, 2026