Community members join ‘DJ Provost Magnus’ for University Day celebration at the Bell Tower

Community members join ‘DJ Provost Magnus’ for University Day celebration at the Bell Tower Categories: University Community members join ‘DJ Provost Magnus’ for University Day celebration at the Bell Tower Festivities included food trucks, free swag, a Magnus and the Focus Capacities debut and performances by various student groups. Sam Stavchansky, Staff Writer • October 14, 2026 Taylor Stancil The UNC faculty band performs “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton during the University Day celebration at the Morehead Bell Tower on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. As the sun set over the Bell Tower Monday evening, the UNC community gathered under blue and white lights during this year’s University Day celebration. University Day is the designated occasion to remember the University’s past and look towards its future, according to University Communications and Marketing. The date, Oct. 12, marks the laying of the cornerstone of Old East in 1793, UNC’s first building and the oldest state university building in the nation. The UNC community first celebrated University Day in 1877, under the direction of North Carolina Governor Zebulon B. Vance. Later celebrations of the occasion have featured speeches from distinguished alumni and guests. President John F. Kennedy spoke in 1961, as did President Bill Clinton in 1993. The celebration’s initial festivities featured free swag for students and food trucks located on a closed-off portion of Stadium Drive. A student poses for a photo with Rameses and Rameses Junior during the University Day celebration at the Morehead Bell Tower on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (Taylor Stancil) The first performance at the Bell Tower was introduced by Student Body President Devin Duncan. He introduced the Marching Tar Heels, who performed renditions of “Sweet Caroline” and “Hark the Sound,” among other songs. “Look, it’s an exciting time that the University has been serving North Carolina and our country for 233 years,” Duncan said in an interview with The Daily Tar Heel. “And I’m excited about this University Day to celebrate all of the amazing things that this University is doing.” As students, staff and community members made their way to the Bell Tower, Chancellor Lee Roberts spoke about the night’s celebration and thanked everyone for coming. He then introduced Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Magnus Egerstedt as the master of ceremonies — or DJ Provost Magnus as he called himself — for the night. “It’s a birthday party,” Egerstedt said to the crowd. “Our beautiful University is turning 233 years young, and when you have a birthday, you gotta have a party.” Following Egerstedt’s opening remarks were performances by different groups. The Carolina Girls dance team, the UNC Drumline and three different student acapella groups — the Tar Heel Voices, the Loreleis and the Clef Hangers — all performed at the base of the Bell Tower. The UNC National Pan-Hellenic Council also performed, with three members of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity showcasing their stepping and strolling traditions.  The National Pan-Hellenic Council at UNC performs a Unity Step during the University Day celebration at the Morehead Bell Tower on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (Taylor Stancil) Egerstedt then came back out and debuted the newly formed Magnus and the Focus Capacities band. Composed of Egerstedt on the drums, along with 14 other members of UNC faculty, alumni and students, the band performed Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’s “The Waiting,” Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and Phoebe Bridgers’ “Lost Boys.” The event ended as Egerstedt invited the crowd to sing happy birthday together. After the song, a huge explosion of white streamers erupted from the Bell Tower. Egerstedt told the DTH that University Day had looked much different in the past. “So first of all, University Day used to be pretty ceremonial, pretty scripted, and we decided to turn this around and turn it more into a birthday celebration,” Egerstedt said. The reason the University changed course with the event is because of attendance problems at the traditional ceremony at Memorial Hall, Roberts said. He said he believes they succeeded in attracting more student interest. A crowd gathers before the Bell Tower during the University Day celebration at the Morehead Bell Tower on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (Taylor Stancil) As Roberts said, students found this year’s event engaging. First-year Cary Bloom said he thinks the event was a wonderful display of UNC’s ability to bring a community together. He said he saw lines of students stretching out across the surrounding areas. University Day’s activities were not completely contained to the celebration at the Bell Tower. In Wilson Library, University Archives displayed Old East’s original cornerstone plaque, as well as a diploma from the University’s very first commencement ceremony in 1793. University trivia was also held outside the library earlier in the day. “So taking the time to celebrate our birthday, which is what University Day is, it’s a birthday celebration. I think it’s absolutely worthwhile.” Egerstedt said. @dailytarheel | [email protected] 0 Like This Story Share on Facebook Share on X Email this Story Print this Story More to Discover More in University UNC unveils new notification system upon identifying ‘gap’ after Greenlaw Hall attack Specialists who collected and examined crime scene evidence questioned in Hedgepeth murder trial Lead investigator, digital forensics specialist called to the stand to begin third week of Faith Hedgepeth murder trial October Faculty Council Meeting covers faculty satisfaction, enrollment growth and School of Data and Information Science Week 2 of Faith Hedgepeth murder trial heard multiple witnesses, examined crime scene evidence Trump administration proposes $70,000 fee for international students applying for work experience