Chancellor's Corner - June 2008
NC State has a tradition of fueling economic development for the State of North Carolina by providing students with unique opportunities to apply their classroom knowledge in order to better understand how education translates into a future career.
Chancellor James L. Oblinger
A Special Conclusion
No matter how many commencement ceremonies I attend, I am always moved by the joy and personal satisfaction that is obvious on the faces of our students. It is always a proud moment to witness another class of graduates complete their academic studies.
This year's spring commencement was certainly no different. In addition to the 3,800 students who received degrees, former UNC System presidents C.D. Spangler and Bill Friday were in attendance and current President Erskine Bowles gave the commencement address. It was a special conclusion to the academic year.
During the 2007-2008 year, NC State awarded a total of 6,955 degrees – setting a university record and exceeding last year's total by more than 450 degrees. Each degree represents a graduate who enriches the communities in which they will live and work, thereby contributing to the economic development of the state and nation.
In fact, one of the ways we and other colleges measure our economic development impact is in the number of graduates – the fresh, strong minds we release into the workforce. However, NC State's economic development impact goes well beyond the numbers of graduates.
Our faculty and staff are also at work. Their research, the partnerships they build and the results they deliver bring jobs to North Carolina and support the nation's economic health. Just last month, we worked together with several state agencies to help bring Spirit AeroSystems of Wichita, Kansas, to Kinston. The company plans to invest about $500 million and eventually hire 1,000 employees. This effort is typical of NC State's commitment not only to provide a good education to our students, but also to help create opportunities for the workforce of our state.
As our graduates explore and secure career opportunities, they will find that NC State has prepared them to be vital parts of North Carolina's workforce. NC State has a tradition of fueling economic development for the State of North Carolina by providing students with unique opportunities to apply their classroom knowledge in order to better understand how education translates into a future career. Once they leave NC State, they do not just participate in economic development – they drive it, enhance it and transform it to maximize their impact in the workforce.
Interdisciplinary education, research and collaboration help our students expand their world view, as does creating opportunities for students to be entrepreneurial and work with practicing professionals. At NC State, our faculty and staff understand that developing globally attuned, innovative graduates involves widening the scope of educational experiences for our students beyond our borders, giving them opportunities to confront and solve real-world problems and bring together other disciplines, insights and approaches in novel ways. To do this, we have engaged in corporate, government and university partnerships that can catalyze innovation and provide students with a unique perspective.
We began the academic year celebrating Centennial Campus' recognition as the Top Research Science Park in the world by the Association of University Research Parks. This campus is a great example of the invaluable learning to which our students have access. In a two-way exchange, our corporate and government partners provide exposure to problem solving with real-world, complex problems, while benefiting from the energy, enthusiasm and innovation our students bring. Having this unique, tangible connection provides additional relevance to our students' education and thus their contributions after graduation.
A critical part of education is helping students understand and experience collaboration, innovation and impact -- three key words that describe NC State and the NC State experience.
I wish all of our graduates the very best and look forward to hearing great things from them in the future.
Thank you for all you do for NC State.
James L. Oblinger