TO THE EDITOR:
“Legacy admission” is a cold term that conveys none of the emotion and connection of parent and child. It says nothing about the opportunity to share life’s finest hours, the opportunity to walk the same path of learning, beauty and values; the opportunity to become and be a Tar Heel. This is an opportunity to love and cherish an institution of excellence that defines who we are — across generations.
When I think of my alumni children admissions, “privilege” is the absolute last word that comes to mind. My “birthright kids” struggled to achieve the grades, the AP scores, the SAT results, the leadership and athletic accomplishments that earned their out-of-state admissions. But where there is privilege, there is also the responsibility to give back. You who criticize “legacy admissions” likely enjoy the generous gifts of alumni who fund need-based scholarships, new housing, technology-laden labs and classrooms, state-of-the-art athletic facilities and more.
Lest you misunderstand, I am enormously proud of the opportunity Carolina provides to first generation college students. It is a powerful commitment and it is a vital part of who we are.
But we are also family and we are also tradition. We are UNC parents who yearn from deep within our souls to share the emotional bond of being a Tar Heel. God willing, on May 10, my parents and I will watch my first-born graduate from UNC. Tears of pride and emotion swell even now at the very thought. We will all be there — only my late mom and dad, who graduated in 1947, will have better seats.
Martha A. Moser McDonald
Class of ‘74
