Many golfers already know that NC State's Lonnie Poole Golf Course was designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer, and they can't wait for their chance to hone their skills on the 250-acre, Centennial Campus masterpiece. But the course will grow into a into another role as a 250-acre outdoor classroom and "living laboratory" for students and faculty, some of whom don't even play golf.
At a time when families are more worried than ever about the cost of college, NC State’s Pack Promise is helping approximately 1,000 new and continuing students get the education of their dreams. For families with limited financial resources, Pack Promise covers up to nine semesters of college, using a combination of scholarships, grants, federal work-study jobs and need-based loans of no more than $2,500 per year.
Going to a university with three times as many students as her hometown’s entire population meant a big change for Crystal Stroman. But after a 36-hour orientation to campus life – registering for classes, staying overnight in a residence hall, meeting faculty and staff, and making friends – she felt eager to join NC State’s largest-ever freshman class. "I’m more excited now than nervous," she said.