Spotlight Donor Profiles

Graduate Establishes Scholarship

Dennis Bunker, III knows the value of giving back to his alma mater. Impressed by its national reputation and the range of work being done in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, the 1981 graduate of UNC Charlotte recently established the Bunker Land Group, LLC Scholarship in Geography.

“I’ve always been glad that I could make annual donations and purchase basketball tickets to support the university. I reached the point where I could begin to give something more substantial back,” Bunker explains. “Many alumni are not aware of all the gifting options that are available to help our alma mater. Until recently, I wasn’t aware either.”

Bunker gives of his time as well. He is a current member of UNC Charlotte’s Alumni Board of Governors.

A link to our past

Bunker’s ties to the university go back to the mid-1970s. When he was a senior in high school he met Bonnie Cone, UNC Charlotte’s founder. At the time, he was not fully convinced he wanted to attend the university, but Cone prevailed and persuaded him to enroll. During his undergraduate years and after, he escorted her to several university functions. “She was the everlasting sweetheart of our fraternity, she was a sweetheart to many,” Bunker says. “What an incredible lady. Chancellor Woodward captured her spirit and has continued to do an incredible job of tying our university to this city.”

Although his undergraduate degree is in economics, Bunker says his acquaintance with Owen Furuseth, associate provost for metropolitan studies and extended academic programs – and until recently chair of the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences – convinced him that geography is where his gift should go. Bunker also holds a master’s degree in real estate development from Columbia University.

The Bunker scholarship

Furuseth says the Bunker scholarship will be used to reward outstanding students and also provide resources to help recruit top-notch geography students to UNC Charlotte.

“Over the past 30 years, the faculty in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences has earned a national reputation for teaching students the skills that allow them to work in some of the country’s top business location consulting firms and real estate businesses,” Furuseth says.

“The Bunker Land Group Scholarship is an invaluable aid to help us sustain these efforts and serve a larger number of students in the future.”

The Bunker Land Group Scholarship is open to all undergraduate or graduate students majoring in geography with professional interests and concentrated study in location analysis. Preference is given to applicants from the Charlotte region and North Carolina. Applicants should demonstrate academic excellence and leadership.

The department hopes to attract and support exceptional students with a passion for – and interest in – economic geography. It also will reward honor students for exemplary work and provide financial assistance for deserving students. The scholarship is endowed, meaning the funds are perpetual. Students may apply for the scholarship starting with the 2004-2005 academic year.

A real estate background

A native of Salisbury, N.C., Bunker says he grew up helping his parents manage and maintain their real estate investments. Early on, he knew that he also wanted to work in that field. Bunker owns and maintains Bunker Land Group, LLC. His company specializes in site selection services for builder and developer clients. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, they assist builders and developers in locating tracts of land for building retail, apartments, town homes and subdivisions.

Chancellor Emeritus Jim Woodward commends Bunker’s decision to establish a scholarship and says it is especially meaningful because it was given by an alumnus of the university.

“Dennis Bunker is a perfect example of what we like to see happen with our alumni. With the excellent education they receive while at UNC Charlotte, our graduates go on to successful careers that in turn allow them to support the education of future generations of students,” Woodward says.

Bunker says that “what is so wonderful about the stage of growth our university is in, is that you can stand in a short line to make a small contribution that will have a significant impact on someone’s life. That is not the case at many older academic institutions.”