Charles “Chuck” F. Lynch
Honorary Alumnus Award
Anyone who has lived on a college campus, played intramural sports, or joined student organizations knows that those times outside of the classroom are often the college memories that last for years. For 34 years at UNC Charlotte, Chuck Lynch was the driving force in making sure as many students as possible walked away with that experience.
Chuck arrived at UNC Charlotte in 1973 as Director of Housing. Only 6,000 students attended UNC Charlotte at the time, most of them undergrads from the Charlotte region who went home for the weekends. Chuck wanted to change that.
His vision for growth led to the creation of Hunt Village, the first low-rise apartment complex at UNC Charlotte and one of the first of its kind nationwide. Early on, he showed how hands-on he would be. With his budget running short on one student apartment project, Chuck and some of his colleagues came in on weekends and hand-built bookshelves for many of the units.
Chuck served as Dean of Students from 1978 to 1987. During this time, he established the Leadership Fellows Programs in Leadership and Organizational Training and laid the groundwork for the Center for Leadership Development. But the best part of his job: “Serving as advisor to the Student Body President,” said Chuck. “Typically, I would get out of their way as they developed ways to make the campus better for the students who would follow.”
“I have known Chuck Lynch since the first day I stepped on campus,” says former SGA President and current Board of Trustees Chair Karen Popp, ’80. “He played an instrumental role in my development on campus and beyond. He was my mentor, role model, and general confidant. I am not alone. He has touched and shaped the lives of countless students.”
As the university grew, so did Chuck’s role. In 1987, he was appointed Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, overseeing professional staff in residence life, the Counseling Center, Health Center, Dean of Students Office, Bonnie Cone University Center, recreational facilities, intramurals, and financial aid. He had his hand in almost every new program that grew from those departments in the last two decades, including the additions of the Student Activities Center and Greek Village. He advocated for the Student Union. His legacy has been so great that the university renamed Cypress Hall the Charles F. Lynch Hall.
“Chuck has committed himself to improving the lives of students for his entire career at UNC Charlotte,” states Chancellor Philip L. Dubois. “It is no exaggeration to say that Chuck Lynch is an institution at UNC Charlotte. He has left an imprint of historic proportions on the campus.”