From the Nominator

For every University of North Carolina student, the Pit is the center of the universe. This sunken rectangular “patio” of bricks is bounded by two libraries, a dining hall, the student store, and the student union. It’s where students congregate between classes, eat lunch, and set up tables to inform passersby about political movements, clubs, and events. It’s where demonstrations opposing university or government policies have been held for decades and where small performances are staged. It’s also where a racially motivated killing occurred. It’s not much to look at. After all, it was literally a hole in the ground dug during the construction of the surrounding buildings and later filled in—by students—with bricks and two steps that border the edges. Two trees were later planted in the center. When the university administration announced it was rethinking the space to make it more accommodating, the Carolina Alumni Review decided to take a look at the history of what every student knows lovingly as simply the Pit. What we found was a story that did nothing less than illustrate what it has meant to be a Carolina student for the past 60 years. Like most articles that touch on a common experience or idea among alumni, the article drew many responses from graduates, who shared their memories of the Pit and their thoughts on the redesign of the space. It is a good example of engaging alumni about the ever-changing space of their alma mater.

From the Judges

A great story celebrating the negative capability of a hole in the ground! "Pit-y Party" tells the story of a university through a focus on one unique space and the entertaining (and sometimes troubled) history it witnessed through the ages. Congrats to the author and editors on a well-researched, well told, and well-designed effort.