Fifty years of community-building are being celebrated this year, as UNCG’s first residential college turns 50. Ashby Residential College opened in 1970 as an effort to foster community amongst students in a difficult time. Since then, it has been joined by Strong and Grogan, bringing residential students together to empower them to succeed.
The residential colleges are a unique opportunity for students to find community and support at UNCG. Through joint classes and extracurricular events, students band together and connect with other students and with faculty, staff, and alumni past and present. The program graduates carry the experience with them through the rest of their lives, participating in reunions and social mixers that allow them to share their experience and guidance with new RC students.
It creates space for ways to connect with each other more, and talk about shared ideas — whether they agree or not.
— Dr. Sara Littlejohn, program chair
To celebrate the anniversary, Ashby plans to host a series of celebratory events throughout the coming academic year and into next summer. On this fall semester’s move-in day, the 50th class of Ashby students will be welcomed with a big celebration. Next February, a formal reception in the Alumni House is planned for UNCG faculty/staff who are Ashby alumni. And in June 2021, there will be a reunion that welcomes alumni who attended Ashby back to UNCG.
More events celebrating the residential colleges will be announced. See updates at sites.google.com/uncg.edu/ashbyresidentialcollege50years.
Story by Avery Campbell.
Photograph at top of post by Martin W. Kane. Ashby, Move-in Day, 2019.
Archival photos courtesy of University Archives,