2026 Recap

In August 2026, 279 incoming incoming first-years and over 90 upperclassmen volunteers got together in Chapel Hill, NC for the eighth 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-Chapel Hill before classes begin. The 2026 edition had the largest student enrollment to date, with over 5% of the incoming class attending!

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, square dancing, and a ministry fair. 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, older students shared encouraging stories of spiritual growth along with ridiculous dance moves.

When camp ended and students started to prepare for classes to start, students felt noticeably more comfortable, with a baseline community of over 200 friends to share life with:

“I thought I was going to be completely alone at Carolina, but Way Camp completely obliterated that….” – First-Year Student

These first-years are eager and expectant for all the Lord will accomplish over their time at Carolina!

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 2027

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Click here to see our camp photo album on Google Photos!