For immediate use
UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government receives $100,000 from Prudential Financial to support educational programs for local elected officials
(Chapel Hill, N.C.— Aug. 17, 2015) – The School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has received a gift of $100,000 from Prudential Financial, Inc. for continued funding of initiatives that support the school’s work assisting North Carolina local elected officials as they lead and govern their communities.
This contribution will support the continuation of the Advanced Leadership Corps (ALC) program, which was initiated in 2013 thanks to initial funding from Prudential. ALC is a weeklong leadership program for county and municipal officials that focuses on personal leadership, working effectively with others and having a positive impact beyond one’s own city and county. Participants are selected from among those who demonstrate dedication to local government by attending educational programs and volunteering for their statewide associations, the North Carolina League of Municipalities and North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.
“Prudential Financial is pleased to support the UNC School of Government’s Local Elected Leaders Academy,” said Mark Grier, vice chairman of Prudential. “These initiatives benefit North Carolina communities by promoting effective and strategic leadership among local elected officials.”
The donation will also make scholarships available to elected leaders from small and economically distressed North Carolina cities and counties to attend the School’s Local Elected Leaders Academy programs, including regional programs offered across the state to newly elected local officials.
This effort by Prudential will also enhance the use of the Budgetopolis and Bottom Line! budget simulations, which elected officials have found to be effective tools for learning how a government budget works, their role in the budgeting process and the impact of their decisions.
UNC School of Government Dean Mike Smith said, “I am grateful for Prudential’s support for programs and initiatives that will give local elected officials the tools they need for public service, which is critical to strengthening North Carolina communities.”
For information about the Local Elected Leaders Academy, contact Donna Warner, director, at (919) 962-1575, warner@sog.unc.edu.
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About the UNC School of Government: As the largest university-based local government training, advisory, and research organization in the United States, UNC School of Government offers up to 200 courses, webinars, and conferences for more than 12,000 public officials each year. In addition, faculty members annually publish approximately 50 books, reports, articles, and other print and online content related to state and local government. For more information, visit sog.unc.edu.
About Prudential Financial: Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader with more than $1 trillion of assets under management as of March 31, 2015, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit www.news.prudential.com.
About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, is a global higher education leader known for innovative teaching, research and public service. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Carolina regularly ranks as the best value for academic quality in U.S. public higher education. Now in its third century, the University offers 78 bachelor’s, 112 master’s, 68 doctorate and seven professional degree programs through 14 schools and the College of Arts and Sciences. Every day, faculty, staff and students shape their teaching, research and public service to meet North Carolina’s most pressing needs in every region and all 100 counties. Carolina’s more than 308,000 alumni live in all 50 states and 150 countries. More than 167,000 live in North Carolina.
UNC School of Government contact: Sonja Matanovic, director of Marketing and Communications, (919) 966-4178, matanovic@sog.unc.edu.
Communications and Public Affairs contact: MC VanGraafeiland, (919) 962-7090, mc.vangraafeiland@unc.edu