Parents Clubs are another resource supported by the Office of New Student & Carolina Parent Programs that makes the University feel a little closer to home. They are regional organizations of parents that gather under a common bond: their Carolina students. These parents join together for fun, use each other as resources for University information, and support each other through networking.

Clubs are located in:

- Capital Region, NY
- Charlotte, NC
- High Point, NC
- Atlanta, GA
- Houston, TX
- Hampton Roads/Virginia Beach, VA
- Mt. Pleasant, SC
- Tallahassee, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Washington, DC Metropolitan area
- Westchester County, NY

Parents Clubs can take on varying shapes and forms based on the activities regional parents would like to organize. Carolina Parent Programs does, however, provide documentation on the basic structure and purpose of the clubs. Most of this information was developed from the success of the first Parents Club, which began in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in September 2004 under the guidance of Alan and Kathy Swendiman of Kensington, Md. (Parents Council Class of 2008).

The clubs communicate regularly through e-mail lists set up by Carolina Parent Programs. They share announcements about University events and offer rides for students to and from Chapel Hill. Parents Clubs may hold potluck dinners, arrange gatherings to watch UNC sports, or form lunch time groups for Carolina moms. The D.C. Metro club was fortunate to have University administrators visit a club function in fall 2005.

Parents Clubs give rise to valuable networking opportunities and highlight the enthusiasm of Carolina parents in a particular area of the country. Their presence improves the quality of student educational experiences through the interaction and involvement of their parents.

If you would like to know more about Parents Clubs, or if you would like to help start one in your area, contact Sheila Hrdlicka, Assistant Director for Parent Programs, at parents@unc.edu.