NC State makes a greater contribution to the Triangle's economy than any other local college or university, say respondents to online polling conducted by the Triangle Business Journal. Garnering 50% of the 1,424 votes, NC State easily distanced itself from second- and third-place finishers UNC-Chapel Hill (28%) and Duke University (15%).
Who better to design a learning space than students? That was the thinking of Underwriters Laboratories executives, who worked with a quartet of NC State design students to imagine the interiors of the company's new education and training facility in Research Triangle Park.
For Alumni Association executive director Benny Suggs ('69), it's all about doing the right thing - and having fun along the way. Suggs, who served 30 years in the U.S. Navy and was deputy commander in chief, U.S. Special Operations Command, upon his retirement in 2000, was most recently general manager of the Harley Owners Group and Rider Services at Harley-Davidson Motor Co.
As the summer sun bears down on the lush grasses blanketing some of our nation's top athletic facilities, it's NC State graduates like John Turnour ('01) who are getting the call in hopes of keeping what's green from turning brown - saving their bosses considerable green of their own in the process.
When disaster struck the Gulf Coast, experts and alumni from NC State quickly headed to the region to assist in cleanup efforts and to help restore wildlife and local beaches. And although oil continues to wash ashore, Dr. Greg Lewbart said he's encouraged by what he and other volunteers have been able to accomplish.
Wedged into a series of small rooms on the third floor of Witherspoon Student Center, the entirely student-run WKNC 88.1 FM serves up an around-the-clock, steady mix of music - everything from punk and metal to rap and a cappella. It's a seriously successful formula that has earned 88.1 FM bragging rights as the Triangle's top station of its kind.
In continuing NC State's mission to assist and serve those beyond the borders of our campus, Student Government, the Union Activities Board and WKNC 88.1 came together last week with a singular goal in mind - cranking up the volume to help a local food bank fight hunger across 34 North Carolina counties.
N.C. native Debbie Yow has been named director of athletics at NC State. Yow - sister of the late Kay Yow, who coached the university's women's basketball program for 34 years, and former Wolfpack All-American Susan Yow - joins NC State after 16 years as director of athletics at the University of Maryland, where the athletic program garnered 20 national championships under her leadership.
When Museum of Life and Science administrators noticed their black bear, Yona, walking with a limp, they wasted no time in getting her to the College of Veterinary Medicine for a state-of-the-art checkup. Now, the personable cub is back to swimming, climbing and soaking in her newfound fame - all to the delight of her two-legged friends at the Durham-based museum.
Kelly Hook's election as student body president has been the driving force behind a positive shift in Student Government's ability to connect with the larger student body, as well as an improved relationship with campus administrators. For Hook, the sixth female president in SG history, the opportunity to give voice to her fellow students was one she couldn't pass up.