He went from FDOC to first job in a year
Reece Hawk, 19, made the most of his one year at Carolina, where he landed an accounting job.
As he walked down Cameron Avenue on the first day of classes last year, Reece Hawk saw the long line of students waiting to drink from the Old Well and decided to skip the tradition.
He isn’t one for waiting in lines.
The Wilmington native is a Carolina graduate at 19 and the newest employee at Empire Properties in downtown Raleigh. His job as an accountant and real estate broker began nearly a year to the day after Carolina’s fall 2024 FDOC.
Hawk grew up in a “big Carolina family” and decided at 15 he wanted to attend UNC-Chapel Hill. In high school, inspired by a sister who saved time and money with dual-enrollment courses, he began his sprint to college.
By the time he enrolled as an economics major, he had almost 80 credits from dual-enrollment courses at Cape Fear Community College, Advanced Placement classes at New Hanover High School and online courses from other institutions.
“I spent probably a quarter of what most students would spend on college,” said Hawk.
At the same time, he knew he wanted a real estate career, so he started studying for his real estate license (a 75-plus-hour process) at 17. He earned the license at 18 and then completed the post-licensing process (another 90-plus hours).
Stewart said Hawk’s unique path bodes well for his real estate career. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)
First (and only) to class
At Carolina, Hawk added nine credit hours during the summer of 2024 and another 17 in the fall. In the spring, he was knocking at graduation’s door but was yet to take his most valuable course, a class on historic preservation taught by Andrew Stewart.
The course description caught Hawk’s eye because he previously worked an internship involving historic properties. He was thrilled to learn the professor was president of Empire Properties, a real estate development, brokerage and property management firm that preserves and revitalizes historic commercial buildings.
“He came into class and introduced himself as a ‘first-year senior.’ It’s a hilarious turn of phrase,” said Stewart, ’05 (MBA, MRP), professor of the practice in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences’ city and regional planning department. “Over and over again, you can’t believe he’s 18 or 19 or whatever he is, because he’s just mature beyond his years and very interactive.”
When a handful of graduate students who had signed up for the class were no-shows, Hawk turned out to be Stewart’s only student in the endowed course. (Note: Stewart will teach PLAN 757: Planning for Historical Preservation again in spring 2026.)
For Hawk, the class was valuable because he had access to an expert as he was trying to figure out job plans. When Empire had an entry-level accountant role open, Stewart encouraged Hawk to apply.
“The people who thrive at Empire are people who find gaps and grow into the role” and don’t need “a rote job description,” Stewart said. He thinks Hawk’s ambitious, personalized approach to college is good preparation for the field he’s entering. “This is real estate development. You’re always trying to do something that shouldn’t be possible.”
After taking 18 credit hours this summer at Carolina, Hawk is officially done with school.
Even though his college experience was unconventional, Hawk did take part in some traditions, like graduation photos around campus, a request from his mom. And he’ll wear his Carolina Blue regalia for Winter Commencement in December, when summer graduates are also recognized.
It will be a typical ending to a college career that was anything but.
“I squeezed a ton of juice out of it,” Hawk said.
