Chancellor Gaber’s 2026-27 Welcome Message to Students
Dear Niner Nation,
Happy first day of classes! Campus is alive again, and I am excited to welcome you back for the 2026-27 academic year.
This fall, Niner Nation is growing with approximately 5,100 first-year students from 97 North Carolina counties, 40 states and 24 countries. We are also welcoming nearly 3,000 new transfer students.
Whether this is your first semester or your final year at UNC Charlotte, I am glad you are here.
You are part of a University that is rising quickly and creating more opportunities for its students every year. Charlotte is now ranked among the nation’s top 75 public universities and No. 1 in North Carolina for innovation. But rankings only tell part of the story.
What matters most is what Charlotte makes possible for you.
As a student at North Carolina’s urban research university in the state’s largest city, opportunity is all around you. Your internship might be uptown. Your mentor could be an entrepreneur, engineer, health care professional, artist, researcher or business leader. Through Internships for All, every undergraduate student who wants an internship experience will have access to one before graduation.
You can also learn alongside professors who are working on real-world challenges in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, energy, health care, education and more. You may discover a career you had never considered, contribute to research, or find an interest that changes your plans. That’s part of what college is for.
But opportunity does not happen automatically. You have to show up. Go to class. Talk with your professors. Visit during office hours. Join an organization. Attend a game, performance or campus event. Introduce yourself to someone new. Try something outside your comfort zone.
And remember: You don’t have to have everything figured out. College is a time to ask questions, explore different paths and learn from the times when things do not go as planned.
When you need help or simply need to know where to start, visit Niner Nation Cares at ninernationcares.charlotte.edu. This new student resource hub connects you with hundreds of resources available across campus. Bookmark it. There are countless people across this university ready to help you succeed.
Next month, UNC Charlotte will celebrate its 80th birthday. For eight decades, this University has created opportunities for students willing to work hard, think boldly and make the most of their experience. You are now part of that story.
Make this year count. Welcome back, Niners!
Sincerely,
Sharon L. Gaber
Chancellor