Carolina Alumni Review - July/August 2007

Paula Newsome CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Paula Newsome is a woman of action. The first African-American woman optometrist to open a practice in North Carolina, she now owns Advantage Vision Care, which serves nearly 20,000 patients from its downtown Charlotte location.

Each year, she travels to Jamaica or South America to provide free eye exams, taking almost 1,000 pairs of glasses to give away. She also tutors at her daughter’s elementary school and provides free eye screenings for Charlotte-area schools.

At Carolina, she serves on the Carolina Women’s Leadership Council and the Arts and Sciences Foundation Board. She contributed to the Stone Center building and made a bequest to the College of Arts and Sciences to establish a scholarship fund geared toward outstanding African-American students with financial need.

“The education I received while attending Carolina gave me my foundation and has truly been the wind beneath my wings,” Newsome said. “Supporting African-American students who aspire to attend UNC but who may have some financial hurdles to cross is the least that I can do. ‘To whom much is given, much is required.’”

Women give to Carolina in many ways — not just financially but also by volunteering their energy, time and ideas. They serve on every University board, including the Board of Trustees, the Board of Visitors and the Carolina First Campaign Steering Committee, and they champion Carolina in their regions. They mentor students and provide summer internships.

Another way women serve Carolina is through the Carolina Women’s Leadership Council. Formed at the beginning of the Carolina First Campaign, the council is a network of women from all over the country committed to supporting the University and students’ educational experiences. In addition to members’ individual gifts, the council is collectively funding a faculty mentoring award program, which

recognizes outstanding faculty who go the extra mile to mentor students and other faculty.

Women are leaving their footprints all over the University — touching the lives of students, faculty and staff members. As Carolina works to become the nation’s leading public university, women’s support is especially critical.