Eve Marie Carson Lecture Series
Former Student Body President Eve Carson started the Distinguished Speakers Series of Student Government in 2007 to be a student run and student selected lecture series. Eve strongly believed in Carolina students, saying, “it’s us — the student body — who make UNC what it is.” She felt that speakers strengthen the values of the student body and equip the students of our university to better serve their communities and the world.
The Distinguished Speakers Series was renamed the Eve Marie Carson Lecture Series in honor of Carson’s legacy. The values set forth for speakers in the series are those to which we, members of the Carolina community, aspire: a strong ability to lead ourselves and others, a commitment to public service, and a proven ability to enact real, positive change in a community.
The Eve Marie Carson Lecture Series was established by UNC Student Government, and the Carolina Women’s Leadership Council became its presenting sponsor in 2010.
Eve Carson 2007, Student Body President UNC-Chapel Hill
2026 Speaker: Caroline Chambers ’11
Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 6:30 PM
George Watts Hill Alumni Center
Photo by Breana Janay Smith
UNC-Chapel Hill alumna Caroline Chambers ’11 is a New York Times best-selling cookbook author, recipe developer and culinary expert based in Carmel Valley, California. Her journey began in her mom’s kitchen in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Following her time at Carolina, Caroline built a career as a chef, caterer and freelancer for top brands and publications. Caroline’s first cookbook, Just Married, was published by Chronicle Books in 2018. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she connected with home cooks on Instagram (@carochambers) and launched her hit Substack newsletter, What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking. Her latest cookbook, bearing the same title, was released in August 2024. She lives with her husband, George Hodgin ’09, and their four sons, Mattis, Calum, Cashel and Tavish.
Past Speakers
| Year | Speaker |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Liza Roberts, arts and culture journalist and author of Art of the State: Celebrating the Visual Art of North Carolina |
| 2024 | Shilpi Somaya Gowda, New York Times best-selling author of Secret Daughter |
| 2022 | Michelle Dorrance, founder and artistic director of award-winning NYC tap dance company, Dorrance Dance |
| 2021 | Karen Parker '65, Award winning journalist and first African American female graduate of Carolina |
| 2020 | Tim Sullivan '85, Former CEO of Ancestry.com and Match.com |
| 2019 | John Grisham, award winning author of The Reckoning |
| 2018 | Kathy Izard, author of The Hundred Story Home and advocate for the homeless |
| 2017 | Sallie Krawcheck '87, CEO and Co-founder of Ellevest |
| 2016 | Rye Barcott ’01, founder of Carolina for Kibera |
| 2015 | Frank Bruni ’86, The New York Times columnist and best-selling author |
| 2014 | Barbara Fredrickson, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology, author of Love 2.0 |
| 2013 | Ping Fu, Chief Strategic Officer of 3D Systems, Inc. and founder of Geomagic |
| 2012 | Jonathan T.M. Reckford ’84, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International |
| 2011 | Robert Gibbs, former White House spokesman |
| 2010 | Mika Brzezinski, journalist and co-host of Morning Joe on MSNBC |