Banking by Tar Heels, for Tar Heels.
Carolina Students is an initiative in the process of chartering the proposed Carolina Students' Credit Union. We are building the first student-run financial institution in the state—the only student-run financial institution at a public university in the nation—completely governed by the UNC community.
Our Mission
Carolina Students promotes thrift and creates a source of credit for provident and productive purposes for students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by offering affordable, transparent financial services, and cultivating financial knowledge and wellness.
Our Vision
We aspire to make UNC-Chapel Hill a beacon for economic democracy where students leverage their collective power to advance the public good and where no Tar Heel is left behind.
Our Story
Over the past several years, our team of dedicated students has worked closely with industry partners, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), and university leadership to turn the vision of a student-run credit union into reality. We have successfully secured initial startup capital, finalized vendor partnerships, and filed all necessary charter applications.
Currently, our application is under active review by regulators. We anticipate receiving our official charter and deposit insurance approval soon, and expect to open our doors to the UNC community next Spring!
Our Team
Economics and Public Policy student passionate about economic democracy. Work experience at the NC Department of State Treasurer; Director of Programming for Carolina Women in Economics; Summer Undergrad Research Fellowship on member agency in cooperative financial institutions. From Apex, NC.
Business Administration and Economics student. Seeing firsthand the importance of financial stability sparked her interest in building a financial institution that puts members over profit. Accounting and compliance experience at Irish Liquidations. From Trinity, NC.
Economics student involved in the Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship and Women in Consulting. Passionate about entrepreneurship and empowering women in business. Background in operations leadership and marketing. From Brookfield, Wisconsin.
Economics and Statistics student pursuing a Credential in Quantitative Financial Economics. Led the efforts that raised $400k to start the credit union. Internship experience at PwC; Head of Finance for UNC Build the Hill. From San Francisco, CA.
Economics and Public Policy student focused on International Development and reducing income inequality. Certified Credit Union Compliance Officer (CUCO) by America's Credit Unions. Researches distributional effects of power plant expansion in NC. From Davidson, NC.
Data Science and Business Administration student. Commercial banking experience at Capital One. Career Advancement Manager in Women in Consulting at Carolina; Lead ULA for UNC's Intro to Data Science course. From Charlotte, NC.
Business Administration student. Works for 100 Women at UNC Kenan-Flagler and is involved in Alpha Kappa Psi. Passionate about operations, organizational efficiency, and mission-driven work. From Huntersville, NC.
Economics and Data Science student in the Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship. As an international student, she experienced banking access gaps firsthand and joined to help close them. Also pursues high-altitude expeditions around the world. From Hyderabad, India.
Economics and Journalism student advocating for ethical and community-centered banking. Senior Writer and DEI Coordinator at the Daily Tar Heel; President of Asian American Journalists Association; freelancer at WUNC Public Radio. From Charlotte, NC.
Senior studying Economics with a minor in Data Science. Believes business can serve people when ownership, governance, and incentives are intentionally aligned with their needs. From Greensboro, NC.
Business Administration student with minors in Entrepreneurship and PPE. Part of UNC's Entrepreneurship Club, Finance Society, and Black Student Movement. Believes young adults deserve accessible financial education and services designed around their needs. From Apex, NC.
Serves in the Operations Department of Carolina Students'.
Psychology and Sociology student passionate about expanding diversity within research spaces. Holds assistantships in the Bioinformatics Building and the Arnold Lab for Cognitive Psychology. From Greensboro, NC.
Economics and Data Science student passionate about community financial empowerment. Healthcare Research Sector Lead for a student-led impact investing fund; Learning Assistant for UNC's Economics Department. Multi-department internship at HomeTrust Bank. From Apex, NC.
Business Administration and Data Science student passionate about driving impact in the UNC community. Former competitive Indian dancer; enjoys teaching music to special needs students. From Northern Virginia.
Business Administration and Economics student with years of experience expanding financial literacy. From Cary, NC.
Mathematics major with a minor in Business Administration; Morehead-Cain Scholar. Experience at a Myanmar fintech, the UNC Math Help Center, and founding the Photography Club at Carolina. Parr Center Scholar and national FDIC Academic Challenge finalist. From Ames, Iowa.
Economics student passionate about informing economic decisions with quantitative reasoning. Work experience at Nike PivotPoint Analytics and Speak Out Sisterhood. Co-President of Carolina Women in Economics. From Miami, FL.
Contributes to operations and internal project management, helping keep teams aligned during the charter process.
Board of Directors
Master of Public Policy student; Udall, Truman, and Morehead-Cain Scholar. Founded the CU Initiative at Carolina opposing big banks' fossil fuel financing. Design Thinking & Innovation Fellow at Innovate Carolina. From Boise, Idaho.
Economics and Public Policy student passionate about economic democracy. Work experience at the NC Department of State Treasurer; Director of Programming, Carolina Women in Economics. From Apex, NC.
Morehead-Cain Scholar studying Economics and Political Science. Research assistant in UNC Political Science; ULA in UNC Economics. Believes individual financial autonomy is essential to healthy democracies. From Warrington, PA.
Peace, War, and Defense and Economics student. Director of nonprofit MoMUNtum; President of the Carolina Economics Club; ULA for the Economics Department. Committed to financial and educational accessibility. From Naples, FL.
Economics student in the Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship and Women in Consulting. Passionate about entrepreneurship and empowering women in business. From Brookfield, Wisconsin.
Business Administration and Economics student. Passionate about building a financial institution that puts members over profit. Accounting and compliance experience at Irish Liquidations. From Trinity, NC.
Morehead-Cain Scholar studying Business Administration. Appointed by the Student Body President. Holds leadership positions across cultural, creative, and educational organizations. From Minneapolis, MN.
Supervisory Committee
Economics student and NC Fellow. Founded the Bukedea Learning Lab in Uganda. Aspires to advance UN SDG goals as a children's rights advocate. From Denver, CO.
Master's student at UNC's Institute for Risk Management and Insurance Innovation. Research focuses on quantifying and mitigating financial risk for electric utilities. From Bethesda, MD.
PhD student studying risk management and insurance. Research includes measuring credit delinquency and firm creditworthiness in response to natural hazards. From Nashville, NC.
Master of Public Policy student; Udall, Truman, and Morehead-Cain Scholar. Founded the CU Initiative at Carolina. Believes credit unions are key to creating an economy that works for working people. From Boise, Idaho.
Board of Advisors
Kishen Anand
Board of Advisors
Chief Executive Officer, Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union
Bernard Bell
Board of Advisors
Executive Director, UNC Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship
Stephen Breed
Board of Advisors
Chief Executive Officer, Community Good Episcopal Federal Credit Union
Jennifer Echtle
Board of Advisors
Chief Audit Executive, Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union
Pamela Higgins
Board of Advisors
President, University of Virginia Community Credit Union
Jim Kitchen
Board of Advisors
Professor of the Practice of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Kenan-Flagler Business School
EJ Kritz
Board of Advisors
Chief Experience Officer, DBSI
Oliver Li
Board of Advisors
President, University of Pennsylvania Student Federal Credit Union
Ashley Loftus
Board of Advisors
Chief Financial Officer, Wasatch Peaks Federal Credit Union
Erick Martinez
Board of Advisors
Senior Vice President of Consumer Lending, Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union
Spence McArthur
Board of Advisors
Executive Vice President, Wasatch Peaks Federal Credit Union
Dezbee McDaniel
Board of Advisors
Chief Executive Officer, CliniSpan Health
Dr. Shimul Melwani
Board of Advisors
Associate Dean of the Undergraduate Business Major, Kenan-Flagler Business School
Jeffrey Mittelstadt
Board of Advisors
Executive Director of the Ackerman Center, Kenan-Flagler Business School
Brian Munsterteiger
Board of Advisors
Senior Vice President of Central Operations, Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union
Dr. Christopher Roark
Board of Advisors
Director of Undergraduate Studies, UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Economics
Jeff Shaw
Board of Advisors
President and Chief Executive Officer, Wasatch Peaks Federal Credit Union
Doug Stan
Board of Advisors
High School Economics Teacher, Boise School District
Mark Seeley
Board of Advisors
Director of Mortgage, America's Credit Unions
Adam Versprille
Board of Advisors
Head of Product, M-KOPA
Rebecca Weaver
Board of Advisors
Chief Technology Officer, Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union
Denise Wymore
Board of Advisors
President, CU De Novo Collective