COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) represents the depth of intellectual opportunity at UNCG. With 25 departments and programs, we are UNCG’s largest and most diverse academic unit.
Our mission is to promote discovery and learning in the sciences, humanities, arts, social sciences, and mathematics. Our breadth of study, commitment to diversity, and cutting-edge research create a big impact on the world around us. Firmly grounded in a tradition of rigorous inquiry, CAS encourages interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching. We are dedicated to the liberal arts mission of higher education, which is to develop the skills and knowledge needed by citizens of a free and just society.
Through Light the Way: The Campaign for Earned Achievement, you can help advance our mission.
— Dean John Z. Kiss, PhDA modern liberal arts education is at the heart of the UNCG College of Arts and Sciences. We provide students with a broad knowledge of the wider world as well as in-depth study in specific areas of interest. This two-pronged approach prepares them for lifelong learning, critical thinking, and problem solving – skills vital in a democracy.
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Funding Priorities
Increasing Endowed Professorships and Developing Research Labs
The marketplace for exceptional instructors and researchers is very competitive. Often, multiple institutions compete for a single outstanding faculty member. The challenge is particularly daunting for universities like UNCG, which does not have a huge endowment from which to draw funds to compete with well-funded private schools or even the public flagships. Moreover, laboratory start-up costs to recruit top-ranked science professors can run over $1 million; funds to offset these, a specific piece of equipment, or other resources that let professors hit the ground running can often tip the balance. Your generosity through the campaign can help level the playing field.
Expanding Graduate Opportunities for Underrepresented Groups
UNCG has a stellar reputation for elevating the opportunities available to undergraduates from underrepresented populations. A UNCG degree makes a difference, as evidenced by our ratings as the #1 school for social mobility in the UNC System and #23 nationally. The College is proud to be a major part of transforming the lives of undergraduates from underrepresented populations; we now believe that it is critical to offer equivalent opportunities to graduate students from those same populations.
With your support, we will increase the number of students from underrepresented groups in our graduate programs, ultimately increasing faculty diversity further down the line.
Enhancing High-Impact Student Practices
When students look back on their college careers, they often remember a few unique, inspiring experiences that contributed to their growth and expanded their worldviews: study abroad, internships, and research opportunities with faculty. Collectively, we refer to these opportunities as “high-impact student practices.” Unfortunately, students who could most benefit from these experiences — primarily, first-generation and low-income students — often lack resources or connections to participate in them. With your support, we will make these life-changing experiences accessible to more students.
50%+
of all UNCG credit hours are taught by CAS faculty
25
departments and programs
44%+
of undergraduate degree recipients in 2019 were first-generation college students
Your generosity will help empower students to tackle complexity, diversity, and change.
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