Embodying UNC-Chapel Hill’s unwavering commitment to excellence through teaching, research, and public service, Chase Pierce exemplifies how Carolina develops leaders who make important and lasting contributions on campus and beyond.
Chase, who graduates this May with a BA in Public Policy and a Minor in Real Estate from Kenan-Flagler Business School, serves as an Office Lead in the Carolina Union’s Business & Finance Office (BFO), where he oversees operations crucial to student organization funding.
“I manage and track allocations of about 1 million for Undergraduate Student Government organizations,” Chase explains. “Ensuring these funds are distributed efficiently while maintaining compliance with University policies is a significant responsibility.”
Leading a team of three student staff in the BFO, Chase developed financial oversight skills that extend beyond campus. Skill that proved event more valuable when he co-authored the “North Carolina Farmland Preservation Comprehensive Report,” a critical study addressing one of the state’s most pressing land-use challenges, which was published in November 2024.
The report, which Chase developed alongside five fellow Public Policy seniors under Dr. William Goldsmith’s supervision, reveals that North Carolina is projected to lose approximately 1.2 million acres of farmland by 2040 – making it second only to Texas in projected agricultural land loss nationwide. Working in partnership with Dr. Andrew Waters, Farmland Preservation Coordinator of the Chatham County Soil and Water Conservation District, the team surveyed 29 North Carolina counties to evaluate preservation programs and identify implementation challenges.
“Our motivation came from recognizing the importance of farmland preservation for both environmental sustainability and economic stability,” Chase says. The comprehensive study provides policy recommendations and best practices for counties establishing preservation programs, addressing a critical need in maintaining North Carolina’s agricultural heritage. Furthermore, the report revealed surprising inconsistencies in staffing and resources dedicated to preservation efforts across different counties, highlighting equity gaps that Chase hopes state-level policies will address.
His experience managing large budgets in the Business & Finance Office directly informed his approach to the research. “The attention to detail and stakeholder engagement that my BFO role requires translated well into analyzing funding mechanisms and recommending resource allocation strategies,” he notes.