Chapel Hill, N.C. – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham announced today the university has extended its sponsorship agreement with Wells Fargo. With the renewal, Wells Fargo will continue as a proud sponsor and the exclusive financial services partner of Carolina Athletics.
“At Carolina our mission is to educate and inspire through athletics, and we are thrilled to have the continued support of Wells Fargo in helping us achieve that mission,” said Bubba Cunningham. “Wells Fargo has been a wonderful partner for many years, and this new extended agreement further enhances our collaborative efforts to recognize the outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments of our students, while also helping us enhance the athletics experience for all students at Carolina.”
Through the sponsorship, Wells Fargo will annually provide two post-graduate scholarships to support UNC student athletes who are pursuing an advanced degree, starting this year and continuing for the next five years. The scholarship recognizes a student athlete who has shown leadership and excelled on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Pete Mangum, a member of the Tar Heel football team, received the first scholarship. He is pursuing a PhD in biomedical engineering.
“At Wells Fargo, we share a commitment to supporting student athlete achievement and development, both on and off the field,” noted Jack Clayton, regional president of Triangle East Community Banking for Wells Fargo. “Many of our team members and customers in this region are alumni of UNC, or are huge fans of the Tar Heels. This agreement will continue to link us as we work together to make North Carolina a better place for everyone. Our goal is to help build strong and vibrant communities, improve the quality of life, and make a positive difference.”
Wells Fargo will also collaborate with the athletic department to deliver financial education to student athletes through the Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy. The program will help better prepare student athletes to be financially successful now and for life after leaving the University of North Carolina. Additionally, through support of the Carolina Fever student rewards program, Wells Fargo will help generate enthusiasm and higher student attendance at athletic events beyond football and basketball games.
“The success of students and young adults is a critical step in keeping our communities strong and prosperous,” said Jamie Moldafsky, Wells Fargo Chief Marketing Officer. “Wells Fargo is proud to support the students of UNC as they pursue their secondary education.”
Wells Fargo customers are also now able to carry their Tar Heel pride with them on their Wells Fargo debit cards through one of four new UNC images available through the Card Design Studio. Customers are encouraged to visit wellsfargo.com for additional details.
The university and Wells Fargo will jointly market their brands throughout the region. The agreement was handled directly by Wells Fargo and Learfield Sports’ Tar Heel Sports Properties, UNC Athletics’ multimedia rights holder.
Wells Fargo operates 316 stores in North Carolina, as well as 668 ATMs. In 2012, Wells Fargo invested more than $15.6 million in communities across the state, while Wells Fargo team members logged more than 167,600 volunteer hours with schools and nonprofit organizations.
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About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.4 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, and the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank’s customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than 270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2013 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at blog.wellsfargo.com.