North Carolina State University (also referred to as NCSU, NC State, or just State) is a public research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution. The university forms one of the corners of the Research Triangle together with Duke University in Durham and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The North Carolina General Assembly founded the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now NC State, on March 7, 1887, as a land-grant college. Today, NC State has an enrollment of more than 34,000 students, making it the largest university in the Carolinas. NC State has historical strengths in engineering, statistics, agriculture, life sciences, textiles and design and now offers 106 bachelor's degrees. The graduate school offers 104 master's degrees, 61 doctoral degrees, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
History
The North Carolina General Assembly founded NC State on March 7, 1887 as a land-grant college under the name "North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts." In the segregated system, it was open only to white students. As a land-grant college, NC State would provide a liberal and practical education while focusing on military tactics, agriculture and the mechanical arts without excluding classical studies. Since its founding, the university has maintained these objectives while building on them. After opening in 1889, NC State saw its enrollment fluctuate and its mandate expand. In 1918, it changed its name to "North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering"â€"or "North Carolina State" for short. During the Great Depression, the North Carolina state government, under Governor O. Max Gardner, administratively combined the University of North Carolina, the Woman's College (at Greensboro), and NC State. This conglomeration became the University of North Carolina in 1931. Following World War II, the university grew and developed. The G.I. Bill enabled thousands of veterans to attend college, and enrollment shot past the 5,000 mark in 1947.
State College created new academic programs, including the School of Architecture and Landscape Design in 1947 (renamed as the School of Design in 1948), the School of Education in 1948, and the School of Forestry in 1950. In the summer of 1956, following the US Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) that segregated public education was unconstitutional, North Carolina State College enrolled its first African-American undergraduates, Ed Carson, Manuel Crockett, Irwin Holmes, and Walter Holmes.
In 1962, State College officials desired to change the institution's name to North Carolina State University. Consolidated university administrators approved a change to the University of North Carolina at Raleigh, frustrating many student and alumni who protested the change with letter writing campaigns. In 1963, State College officially became North Carolina State of the University of North Carolina. Students, faculty, and alumni continued to express dissatisfaction with this name, however, and after two additional years of protest, the name was changed to the current North Carolina State University at Raleigh. The "at Raleigh" part is usually omitted even on official documents such as diplomas, but is part of the school's official name.
In 1966, single-year enrollment reached 10,000. In the 1970s enrollment surpassed 19,000 and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences was added.
Celebrating its centennial in 1987, NC State reorganized its internal structure, renaming all its schools to colleges (e.g. School of Engineering to the College of Engineering). Also in this year, it gained 700 acres (2.8Â km2) of land that was developed as Centennial Campus. Since then, NC State has focused on developing its new Centennial Campus. It has invested more than $620 million in facilities and infrastructure at the new campus, with 62 acres (0.3Â km2) of space being constructed. sixty-one private and government agency partners are located on Centennial Campus.
NC State has almost 8,000 employees, nearly 35,000 students, a $1.01Â billion annual budget, and a $984Â million endowment. It is the largest university in the state and one of the anchors of North Carolina's Research Triangle, together with Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
NCSU Libraries Special Collections Research Center, located in D.H. Hill Library, maintains a website devoted to NC State history entitled Historical State.
Campuses
Main campus
NC State's Main Campus has three sub-campuses: North Campus, Central Campus, and South Campus. North Campus is the oldest part of NC State and is home to most academic departments and a few residence halls. Central Campus is mainly residence halls, cafeterias, gymnasiums and student support facilities. Finally, Greek Court, the McKimmon Conference and Training Center, and student park-and-ride areas are found on South Campus. North and Central Campus are separated by the North Carolina Railroad. Pedestrian tunnels allow students to commute between campuses. Central and South Campuses are separated by Western Boulevard, a major downtown artery. University Housing divides Main Campus into West, Central, and East Campus for residence hall purposes. West and Central campuses are divided by Dan Allen Drive, while Central and East are divided by Morill Drive and Reynolds Coliseum.
Architecturally, Main Campus is known for its distinctive red brick buildings. Brick statues dot the landscape and the University Plaza, colloquially named "The Brickyard", in North Campus is nicknamed for its paving material, most sidewalks are also made from brick. The Brickyard and sidewalks also contain white brick mosaics of the athletics logo and other patterns.
The Memorial Tower, located in the Northeast corner of North Campus, serves as the signature of NC State and appears in the NC State Chancellor's Seal. It was constructed as a monument to alumni killed in World War I. The granite tower, completed in 1937, is 115Â feet (35 m) tall. As a tradition, the Belltower is lit in red at night immediately following athletic victories and certain academic achievements.
The Court of North Carolina, just West of the Memorial Tower, is surrounded by the 1911 Building; the College of Humanities and Social Sciences in Tompkins, Caldwell, Winston Halls and The College of Education in Poe Hall; Page Hall, home to College of Engineering offices; and Leazar Hall, former location of the Computer Science Teaching Labs. It was once home to 100 trees (one for every county in North Carolina), but damage caused by Hurricane Fran in 1996 reduced the number significantly, including the destruction of a particularly old and large tree which was some 12 feet (3.7Â m) in diameter. Some replanting has occurred, but the Court's former appearance is far from being restored.
Southwest of the Court of North Carolina is another landmark, the Free Expression Tunnel. The Tunnel functions as one of three pedestrian tunnels underneath the railroad tracks separating North Campus and Central Campus. This particular tunnel is the site of sanctioned graffiti; anyone may paint there, and it is often the place for political statements, personal messages, and art. This tunnel also serves as a way to advertise events going on around campus. In 2008 racist and threatening graffiti directed at (then) President-elect Barack Obama prompted an investigation from the United States Secret Service. Students held a "Unity Rally" in response to denounce the acts of racism.
Centennial
NC State's main campus is augmented by the 1,334-acre (5.4Â km2) mixed-use Centennial Campus. Located 1Â mi (1.6Â km) south of the Memorial Tower, this campus houses university, corporate, and government research, in addition to classrooms and non-student residences. The College of Textiles has been based on this campus since 1991. Beginning in 2002, the College of Engineering began to relocate to Centennial Campus. Six of the nine College of Engineering departments are housed in three Engineering Buildings in an area known as the Engineering Oval. The Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), part of the College of Engineering, is located adjacent to the Engineering Oval. The offices of ABB, LexisNexis and the National Weather Service are also on the Centennial Campus, as well as Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School.
Centennial Biomedical Campus
The North Carolina State University Centennial Biomedical Campus is located 2.5Â mi (4.0Â km) west of the NCSU Memorial Tower. North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, NC State's professional college and North Carolina's only veterinary medicine program, serves as the anchor of the Biomedical Campus. The 180-acre (0.73Â km2) campus consists of 20 buildings including the 100,000-square-foot (9,300Â m2) CVM Research Building where biomedical investigations in genomic sciences; vaccine development; cancer immuno-therapy; emerging and infectious zoonotic diseases; and diseases of the lung, respiratory tract, skin, and digestive system are undertaken. The Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, the Veterinary Teaching Hospital with its clinical research and clinical trials, and the Teaching Animal Unit (TAU), which is a working farm, are also campus elements. The 110,000-square-foot Randall B. Terry, Jr. Companion Animal Veterinary Medical Center, completed in 2011, doubled the size of the veterinary hospital.
J. C. Raulston Arboretum is an 8-acre (0.03Â km2) arboretum and botanical garden operated by NC State, and located just south of West Campus. It is open daily without charge.
N.C. Research Campus
NC State is one of eight universities with a presence at the North Carolina Research Campus, a 340-acre biotechnology hub in Kannapolis, N.C. The university operates the Plants for Human Health Institute (PHHI), a research and education organization devoted to research involving food crops, like fruits and vegetables, and the potential health-promoting properties they convey when consumed. NC State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences staffs the institute with faculty from the departments of horticultural science; food, bioprocessing and nutrition sciences; plant and microbial biology; genetics; and agricultural and resource economics.
PHHI has both research and Cooperative Extension components. Dr. Mary Ann Lila is director of the Plants for Human Health Institute. As of May 2014, PHHI is home to around 50 faculty and staff at the N.C. Research Campus.
N.C. State began operations in Kannapolis in 2007 as the Fruit and Vegetable Science Institute. The university was one of the first organizations to join the fledgling biotech hub that would become the N.C. Research Campus. The university's program was renamed the Plants for Human Health Institute when the N.C. Research Campus was officially dedicated on October 20, 2008, in order "to more accurately reflect the groundbreaking research approach the institute will take. Institute research will focus on identifying and making available to consumers bioactive compounds in plants that prevent and treat disease."
Sustainability
In March 2008, NC State launched the University Sustainability Office in order to address environmental concerns on campus. The university has established a commitment to reduce its annual energy consumption per square foot by at least 4% over a 10-year period. In addition, the university has surpassed the Executive Order 156 goal of diverting 40 percent of their solid waste stream from the landfill through a variety of campus reuse and recycling programs. NC State incorporates locally grown, organic, and free range foods into dining service meals at several events such as Earth Week's EarthFest and the annual All Carolinas Meal with foods local to the Carolinas. Examinations of the campus' sustainability practices by the Sustainable Endowments Institute resulted in a "B+" grade for NC State on the College Sustainability Report Card 2011. In 2013 the University Housing department agreed to incorporate a new living and learning community known as "EcoVillage." Members of EcoVillage are housed in Bragaw Dormitory located on West Campus. Members of EcoVillage complete numerous volunteer based sustainability trips every semester and attend various discussions about how to improve and further the university's reach into sustainability.
Academics
Structure
NC State is one of 16 campuses that constitute the University of North Carolina system. Each campus has a high degree of independence, but each submits to the policies of the UNC system Board of Governors. The 32 voting members of the Board of Governors are elected by the North Carolina General Assembly for four-year terms. President Thomas W. Ross heads the system.
The Board of Trustees of NC State has thirteen members and sets all policies for the university. The UNC system Board of Governors elects eight of the trustees and the Governor of North Carolina appoints four. The student body president serves on the Board of Trustees as a voting member. The UNC system also elects the Chancellor of NC State, currently Randy Woodson.
The Board of Trustees administers NC State's eleven academic colleges. Each college grants its own degrees with the exception of the First Year College which provides incoming freshmen the opportunity to experience several disciplines before selecting a major. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is the only college to offer associate's degrees and the College of Veterinary Medicine does not grant undergraduate degrees. Each college is composed of numerous departments that focus on a particular discipline or degree program, for example English, Computer Science, Genetics or Accounting. There are a total of 66 departments administered by all eleven NC State colleges.
In total, NC State offers nine associate's degrees in agriculture, bachelor's degrees in 102 areas of study, master's degrees in 108 areas and doctorate degrees in 60 areas. NC State is known for its programs in agriculture, engineering, veterinary medicine, and science. The textile and paper engineering programs are notable, given the uniqueness of the subject area.
Academic divisions
As of 2016, NC State had the following colleges and academic departments:
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- College of Design
- College of Education
- College of Engineering
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- College of Natural Resources
- Poole College of Management
- College of Sciences
- College of Textiles
- College of Veterinary Medicine
- The Graduate School
Admission
Considered a more selective university, NC State accepts about half of those who apply for undergraduate admission. For the class of 2019, 21,104 applied and 10,584, or 50%, were accepted, of whom 4,210 enrolled.
Members of the class of 2019 had average SAT verbal, math and writing scores of 610, 640 and 587, respectively, for a two-part total (verbal and math) of 1250 (1600-point scale) or a three-part total of 1836 (2400-point scale). The 4,210 students who enrolled had an average high school GPA of 4.44; 40%, or 1,677, ranked in the top 10% of their graduating classes. There were 130 valedictorians and 102 salutatorians in the class.
Transfer admission is also very competitive. The mean transfer GPA was a 3.30 fall of 2008. In the fall of 2015, 4,165 students applied to the transfer class; 1,470, or 35%, were admitted.
NC State requires undergraduate admission candidates to choose a preferred college of study. After determining that an applicant meets the overall university requirements, the individual college must also agree to accept the student. Because of this process, some colleges have significantly higher admission requirements than others.
The Graduate School reviews all postgraduate education applications. For fall 2015, 14,394 prospective students applied to the Graduate School; 3,460 (24%) were admitted. Of these, 2,982 (80.3%) enrolled.
Libraries
NCSU Libraries, ranked 38th out of 115 North American research libraries, includes 4.4 million volumes, over 50,000 print and electronic serial subscriptions, more than 20,000 videos and film holdings, and more than 40,000 digital images (as of 2011). The library system has an annual budget of over $29 million and consists of five libraries, two main libraries and three branch libraries. The D. H. Hill Library, located on Main Campus, is over nine stories tall and covers over 119 thousand square feet (11 thousand square meters). The James B. Hunt Jr. Library, located on the university's Centennial Campus, opened in January 2013 and covers over 221,000 square feet. NC State, as a member of the Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN), has interlibrary loan services with Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina Central University.
One of the top notch specialty libraries housed on NCSU's campus is the Media Education Technology Resource Center or METRC for short. METRC "provides resources and services to facilitate the preparation of professional educators, counselors and administrators at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and to model an exemplary school library media center." It is housed on the fourth floor of Poe Hall on East Campus.
Reputation and rankings
For 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranks NC State tied for 92nd out of all national universities and tied for 38th out of public universities in the U.S., and 62nd for "best value" schools. The Academic Ranking of World Universities positions NC State in the 201-300 range among 500 world universities in 2016 and 32nd best university worldwide for Engineering in 2015.
Kiplinger's Personal Finance placed NC State 11th in its 2016 ranking of best value public colleges in the United States.
For 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranks NC State's Nuclear Engineering program 6th in the nation and its Biological & Agricultural Engineering program tied for 10th. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report ranked NC State's Veterinary program tied for 3rd nationally. For 2010 the Wall Street Journal surveyed recruiters and ranked NC State number 19 among the top 25 recruiter picks.
Scholarships
There are several notable scholarships of North Carolina State University which include:
- The Park Scholarships Program â€" Made possible by generous financial support from the Park Foundation of Ithaca, New York, The Park Scholarships Program was established in 1996. Among the most prestigious undergraduate merit scholarships in the United States, the Park program pays expenses for 4 years of study at NC State, a one time computer stipend, and costs associated with enrichment activities. Approximately 30 in-state and 15 out-of-state scholarships are awarded each year to incoming freshmen at North Carolina State University. Selection is based upon scholarship, service, leadership, and character.
- The Caldwell Fellows Program â€" Created by the NC State Alumni Association to honor the legacy of former Chancellor John T. Caldwell, the Caldwell Fellows Program is a leadership development scholarship program with a strong focus on servant leadership. To be eligible, an applicant must be a full-time, first-year student at NC State University with a GPA of 3.25 or greater and meet the program's selection criteria. Caldwell Fellows are selected on the basis of strong academic performance, leadership potential, orientation toward community and service, commitment to personal growth and a demonstrated interest in and commitment to maximizing program opportunities. In 2013, North Carolina State University awarded the Baisden-Schmidt scholarship to 100 undergraduate students for their academic achievements in English studies. Students that go through the program are challenged by Dr. Caldwell's charge to "THINK BIG" in all their pursuits.
- The Goodnight Scholars Program â€" Established in 2008 by the generosity of Dr. James Goodnight and Mrs. Ann Goodnight of the SAS Institute, the Goodnight Scholars Program offers students a renewable award worth $19,500 per year (renewable for up to four years). Undergraduate students eligible to be accepted into the program must be North Carolina residents; major in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) or education discipline; and fall in between the North Carolina-defined middle-income household bracket. Scholars involved in the program actively participate in various professional, social, and service programs that stimulate student knowledge and growth in areas including, but not limited to: leadership, interpersonal relationships, industry knowledge, and civic engagement. Scholars are also able to apply for enrichment grant opportunities internally through the program to help fund various on and off-campus initiatives. The Goodnight Scholars Program is promoted to potential high school candidates as "not a reward for high school achievement, but rather an investment into [the] student's untapped potential." On January 18, 2017, NC State announced that the Goodnight Scholars Program would begin accepting transfer students with associate degrees from North Carolina community colleges who intended to study in a STEM or STEM education discipline at NC State.
- The Centennial Scholarship â€" A scholarship to the College of Textiles. Introduced by the North Carolina Textile Foundation in 1999 as a part of the College of Textiles' Centennial Celebration, Centennial Scholarships carry the greatest value among all scholarships at the College of Textiles. Furthermore, the Centennial Scholarship is among the highest valued scholarships offered at North Carolina State University. This scholarship covers approximately 80% of expenses to attend NC State, and on-campus housing (or a stipend for an equal amount) and a meal plan (or predetermined allowance), with any remaining funds to be used as a stipend for books and travel expenses (for up to eight semesters). In addition, each Centennial Scholar will have access to a $7,500 enrichment fund that will allow him/her to participate in a variety of leadership, language immersion and international studies programs, attend international textile shows and benefit from other approved textile enrichment opportunities. Selection is based upon demonstrated high academic achievement throughout high school with proven and potential leadership qualities, extracurricular activities and unique life experiences.
Special programs
The Entrepreneurship Initiative The Entrepreneurship Initiative (EI) at NC State was formed In July 2008 in response to the Chancellor's call to "develop an educated an entrepreneurial work force." By organizing and energizing its entrepreneurial efforts through the Initiative, NC State hopes to provide a comprehensive springboard for ideas, projects, and partnerships.
Master of Global Innovation Management The Poole College of Management at North Carolina State University has partnered with Université Paul Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, in the south of France, to create a Master of Global Innovation Management program. The curriculum is designed to give engineering, science and other technology-oriented students a base in core business management skills while providing in-depth exposure to global innovation management issues. Students learn in France in the first semester, in the U.S. in the second semester, and complete an international internship. Courses are taught in English, with preparation in conversational French to help students during their semester in France. At the completion of the program, students earn a master's degree from both North Carolina State and Université Paul Cézanne.
Young and Teen Writers' Workshops The Young and Teen Writers' Workshops are summer creative writing workshops for area high school and middle school students. Sponsored by the English Department and MFA in writing program within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and held on N.C. State University's campus, the Young and Teen Writers' Workshops nurture the creative spirit and teach creative writing skills and techniques. The Young workshops are grades 5â€"8 and the teen workshops are grades 9â€"12 and incoming college freshman. The Young workshops are in their 33rd year and the Teen workshops have been going for ten years now. Courses offered are fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and dramatic writing. The current director is Bill Lawrence.
Athletics
North Carolina State (NC State) teams are known as the Wolfpack. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sub-level for football), primarily competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for all sports since the 1953â€"54 season. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
NC State has won eight national championships: two NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles under other sanctioning bodies. Most NC State fans and athletes recognize the rivalry with the North Carolina Tar Heels as their biggest. NC State was a founding member of the Southern Conference and of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and it is one of the four teams on "Tobacco Road".
The primary logo for NC State athletics is a red block 'S' with an inscribed 'N' and 'C'. The block S has been in use since 1890 but has seen many alterations through the years. It became the sole logo for all NC State athletic teams in 2000 and was modernized to its current design in 2006.
NC State athletic teams are nicknamed the 'Wolfpack' (most women's teams are also called the "Wolfpack," except for the women's basketball team who go by the "Wolfpack Women"). The name was adopted in 1922 when a disgruntled fan described the behavior of the student body at athletic events as being "like a wolf pack." Prior to the adoption of the current nickname, NC State athletic teams went by such names as the Aggies, the Techs, and the Red Terrors. Since the 1960s the Wolfpack has been represented at athletic events by its mascots, Mr. and Mrs. Wuf. In print, the 'Strutting Wolf' is used and is known by the name 'Tuffy.'
The NC State wrestling team was established in 1925, and is coached by Pat Popolizio, named head wrestling coach for the Wolfpack on April 10, 2012. The team has won 14 ACC Championships & 5 individual NCAA Champions.
Athletic facilities
The stadium property is 3.4 mi (5.5 km) northwest of the Memorial Bell Tower. Both Carterâ€"Finley Stadium and the PNC Arena are located there. Aside from the two stadiums, the property is mainly open space used for event parking. The property borders the North Carolina State Fair to the North and hosts tailgating parties before NC State football games. Located on campus, Reynolds Coliseum is now home to all services of ROTC and several Wolfpack teams, including women's basketball, women's volleyball, women's gymnastics, and men's wrestling.
Student life
Many residence halls host events, though alcohol policies are strictly enforced.
Witherspoon Student Center (A.K.A. Student Center Annex) houses an African American Cultural Center which has an art gallery and a library. The cultural center moved to its current location in Witherspoon in 1991, having formerly been located in the Print Shop. Witherspoon also houses Student Media and a multicultural student affairs office.
Student life at North Carolina State University includes opportunities in a diverse range of activities and organizations. These include multicultural groups, arts groups, political and social action groups, service and professional groups, religious groups, Greek organizations, sports and recreation groups, academic and professional groups, and special interest groups such as the Clogging Team, the Film Society, the Judo Club, the Equestrian Club, and the Black Finesse Modeling Troupe.
Residence life
Thirty-five percent of full-time undergraduate students live on campus in one of nineteen residence halls. Most residence halls provide events that acclimate incoming students to the college experience. Many residence halls house villages, such as Honors Village in the Quad, Global Village in Alexander Hall, Scholars Village in Sullivan Hall, Impact Leadership Village in Bowen Hall, WISE in Lee Hall, Arts Village in Turlington Hall First Year Commons in Owen and Tucker Hall, and Black Male Initiative in Avent Ferry. The residence hall or residence hall area has an elected council to provide for local event programming and an outlet for student concerns. Collectively, representatives from each hall make up the Inter-Residence Council which represents the on-campus residence-life community as a whole.
University housing facilities are divided into four areas: East Campus, Central Campus, West Campus, and University Apartments.
East Campus
East Campus consists of ten residence halls. They are among the oldest residence halls at the university. Clark Dining Hall serves most of East Campus.
- Watauga (1903)
- Syme â€" Students Advocating for Youth (SAY) Village (1916)
- Welch (1920)
- Gold (1920)
- Bagwell â€" Honors Village (1924)
- Berry â€" Honors Village (1939)
- Becton â€" Honors Village (1939)
- North (1974, purchased by the university in 1982)
- Wood â€" Wood Wellness Village (1983)
- Avent Ferry - Black Male Initiative (1973, purchased by the university in 1994)
Both North and Avent Ferry halls were originally hotels before they were purchased and converted by the university.
Central Campus
Central Campus consists of seven residence halls.
- Turlington â€" Arts Village (1940)
- Alexander â€" Global Village (1940)
- Tucker â€" Exploratory Studies Village (1949)
- Owen â€" Exploratory Studies Village (1949)
- Bowen â€" Impact Leadership Village (1968)
- Metcalf â€" Engineering Village (1968)
- Carroll â€" Global Village (1968)
West Campus
West Campus consists of three residence halls. They are the three largest halls on campus. Fountain Dining Hall serves most of West Campus.
- Bragaw â€" EcoVillage (1959)
- Lee â€" Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) Village (1964)
- Sullivan â€" Scholars Village (1966)
University apartments
- E.S. King Village (1959; Main Campus)
- Western Manor (2007; between Main and Centennial campuses)
- Wolf Village (2004; Main Campus)
- Wolf Ridge (2013; Centennial Campus)
Student government
Founded in 1921, NC State Student Government is a student-run organization that serves as the official voice of the student body and attempts to better the student experience at the university. Both a governing body and an advocacy group, Student Government is involved in policy-making, adjudication, programming, advocating, community service, and countless other activities. The organization is a clearinghouse for concerns from students and answers from administrators. The organization also is responsible for distributing a portion of the fees it receives to student organizations in a process known as appropriations.
The Student Government at NC State is composed of three branches, and headed by four Student Body Officers (SBOs). The Student Body President heads the executive branch. The President executes policy passed by the senate and is a member of the NC State Board of Trustees. The President runs for office and serves with a Student Body Vice President, who assumes the presidency if that office becomes vacant. The Student Senate is a 64-member body that considers legislative policy on behalf of the students of the university. It is headed by the Student Senate President who serves as the Executive Student Body Vice President. The Senate is also responsible for approving the annual Student Government budget. The budget is drafted each year by the Student Body Treasurer who oversees the monetary status of the entirety of Student Government and as such is a member of both the Legislative and Executive branches. The Student Chief Justice heads the judicial branch and is the only member of that branch elected by the student body.
Student traditions
Service NC State
Service NC State (SNCS) is sponsored by the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics & Public Service as the definitive service event to welcome new students to NC State's campus, and as a way to impact the community. This event is open to all students, faculty, staff and the Raleigh community. The event role models the university's mission to impact and support its local and global community.
Homecoming Week
Homecoming week, an event run by the AASAP (Alumni Association Student Ambassador Program), is one of the only homecoming weeks entirely run by students. Usually at the end of October, starts with a Kickoff event and ends with the Pack Howl pep rally and concert. Featured performers have included Lonestar, Ludacris, Chris Daughtry, and most recently Cartel, Guster and The Avett Brothers.
During the week, events such as Wear Red-Get Fed, a parade down Hillsborough Street, and a campus-wide Spirit Competition take place. The week also includes a Leader of the Pack competition honoring NC State's brightest and most passionate female and male student leaders.
Shack-A-Thon
Shack-A-Thon, a tradition since 1991, is NC State's Habitat for Humanity's annual fall fundraiser. Habitat for Humanity at NC State's Campus Chapter partners with many other student organizations to take over the Brickyard by building shacks that the students live, sleep, and study in for an entire week. Each group raises money by collecting from people walking through the brickyard and online donations. This money goes toward funding a house through Habitat for Humanity of Wake County. In 2014 students raised over $46,000.
Krispy Kreme Challenge
A more recent tradition of NC State is the Krispy Kreme Challenge. In this race, students meet at the University's Memorial Bell Tower, then run to a Krispy Kreme shop 2.5Â mi (4.0Â km) away (changed from 2Â mi (3.2Â km) in 2012). Each student must eat twelve glazed doughnuts, then run back to the Bell Tower within one hour. The Challenge was listed as one of the "102 Things You Gotta Do Before You Graduate" by Sports Illustrated. Proceeds from the race go to the NC Children's Hospital. In 2014, 8,000 runners participated and the committee raised $200,000 bringing the cumulative total donated to the NC Children's Hospital to $758,000 since the race's inception.
Student media
Technician has been NC State's student-run newspaper since 1920. It employs students throughout the year and reports on campus news, sports, entertainment, and state and national news. Technician is published Monday through Friday when school is in session with a circulation of about 20,000. The paper is funded by advertisement and a student media fee; it is distributed for free at numerous locations on campus and at area merchants.
The Nubian Message is NC State's African American student newspaper. The Nubian Message was first published in 1992 following protests from many African American students denouncing the Technician's alleged racial bias. The Nubian Message is published weekly.
NC State's oldest student publication, the Agromeck yearbook, celebrated its 100th birthday with the 2002 edition. It acts as a compendium of student life on campus including sporting events, social activities, and day-to-day living. The yearbook serves as a historian of campus. Each year, nearly 1,000 copies are printed and sold.
The university has its own student-run radio station, WKNC. The radio station broadcasts at 25,000 watts and reaches all corners of "the Triangle" (Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill). In 2010, WKNC was voted "Best College Radio Station of the Triangle" by readers of the Independent Weekly. The station hosts several formats run by student disc jockeys. Prior to its designation as WKNC in 1958, the station's call letters were WVWP.
Notable alumni
NC State has 156,297 living alumni, with 61% of alumni living in North Carolina. There are 100 alumni clubs in North Carolina and another 42 states also have active clubs. In addition to alumni, the university employs 2,040 faculty and 5,843 staff. A number of NC State alumni and faculty have made significant contributions in the fields of government, military, science, academia, business, arts, and athletics, among others.
Among the most notable alumni with involvement in politics are John Edwards, former U.S. Senator and two time presidential candidate; James B. Hunt Jr., 4-term Governor of North Carolina; and Robert Gibbs, former White House Press Secretary.
Combining science and politics, Rajendra Kumar Pachauri was the elected chief of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an organization that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore; Pachauri represented the IPCC in receiving the award. Abdurrahim El-Keib is the interim prime minister of Libya. Alumnus Munir Ahmad Khan gained international recognition for his work in reactor quantum physics and later guided the scientific research in nuclear weapons for Pakistan's atomic bomb programs.
Several alumni hold or have held top positions at large companies. These include: Apple Inc. (Jeff Williams, Chief Operating Officer), Caterpillar Inc. (James W. Owens), Thomasville Furniture Industries (Nancy Webster), DuPont (Ed Woolard), SAS Institute (James Goodnight), National Agents Alliance (Andy Albright, President and CEO), Citrix Systems (Mark Templeton), and MurFam Enterprises (Wendell Murphy).
Over 50 NC State alumni have achieved the rank of Brigadier General or higher in the United States military. General William C. Lee is often referred to as the "Father of the U.S. Airborne." General Maxwell R. Thurman, a former Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, was the first four-star officer from NCSU. Hugh Shelton, now retired, was a former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a four-star general. General Dan McNeill commands the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
Some alumni have become national academic leaders. Albert Carnesale was the chancellor of UCLA from 1997 to 2006 after a 23-year tenure at Harvard University. Bill Friday served as president of the University of North Carolina system for 30 years. William Brantley Aycock served as chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1957 until 1964.
Notable contributors to the entertainment industry are associated with NC State. Actor and comedian Zach Galifianakis attended NC State. Country singer and American Idol winner Scotty McCreery attends NC State University. Donald Bitzer, the father of plasma television and Emmy Award winner, sits on the faculty of NC State. Musician and entertainment personality John Tesh also studied at NC State, but was expelled his junior year. Internetainers Rhett and Link also attended NC State.
Athletes
Several NC State students later became professional athletes. Bill Cowher coached 15 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers football team, including the Super Bowl XL championship team; he is a studio analyst for The NFL Today. Over 130 NC State alumni play or have played in the NFL. Notable former players include Don Buckey, Torry Holt, Roman Gabriel, Ted Brown, Dick Christy, Haywood Jeffires, Dr. Jerry Punch, Jim Ritcher, Koren Robinson, and Dewayne Washington. Notable current players include Adrian Wilson of the Arizona Cardinals; Jerricho Cotchery and Tank Tyler of the Carolina Panthers; no. 1 pick Mario Williams and Manny Lawson of the Buffalo Bills; Mike Glennon of Chicago Bears;T. J. Graham of the New Orleans Saints; Anthony Hill who is a free agent; Stephen Tulloch of the Detroit Lions; Philip Rivers, who plays for the San Diego Chargers; and Russell Wilson, Steven Hauschka, and J. R. Sweezy of the Seattle Seahawks. Another 41 alumni have played for the NBA including hall of famer David Thompson and players Tom Gugliotta, Kenny Carr, Spud Webb, Cedric Simmons, Julius Hodge, J.J. Hickson, Josh Powell, T.J. Warren, Dennis Smith Jr., and Thurl Bailey. Former players Nate McMillan and Vinny Del Negro are current NBA head coaches.
Gallery
See also
- University Statisticians of the Southern Experiment Stations
References
External links
- Official website
- North Carolina State Athletics website