Dec. 8, 2004

An estimated 2,656 students will receive degrees during Commencement ceremonies at North Carolina State University on Wednesday, Dec. 15. Following are short profiles of some of those students. The students’ stories could add to your coverage of graduation activities or provide material for an interesting feature story.

Self-Described ‘Kid at Heart’ Hopes New Toy Design Sparks Creativity in Children

As a child, Judy Lee wanted a toy that would allow her to stand up and spin around. “I tried to stand up on my Sit n’ Spin when I was little, but I was never able to. It’s physically impossible to do,” Lee says. The lingering memory of her failed childhood experiment and a desire to stimulate young minds inspired Lee to design the toy she always wanted – and one that will soon find a spot on a major retailer’s shelf.

Lee’s design of an interactive children’s play mat that incorporates a spinning element much like a big “lazy Susan” has been accepted for production by home furnishings retailer Children’s IKEA. The play mat – which was created to stimulate sensory impressions in young children and encourage movement while at home – is scheduled to be launched in March 2006.

“Many of today’s toys are technology-related and don’t engage children physically or allow them to use their creativity,” says Lee, who is earning her master’s degree in industrial design. “IKEA wanted to develop products that bring play back in the home, encourage physical activity and spark imagination.”

Lee collaborated with professionals at Children’s IKEA from concept to creation of her play-mat design. She worked with product developers to discuss the details of implementing her design, and also worked closely with engineers on materials and design issues, which is right up Lee’s alley … She earned her undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from NC State in 1998.

Lee can be reached at 919/274-5062..

Founding Father Would Be Proud of Student Speaker Nathaniel Horner

Intelligent. Practical. Well-rounded.

While these qualities can be attributed to founding father Benjamin Franklin, they can also be found in a graduating NC State Benjamin Franklin Scholar, student speaker Nathaniel Horner.

Benjamin Franklin Scholars major in both an engineering discipline and a humanities and social sciences discipline. Horner receives his degree in English this fall and his degree in computer science in May 2005. He is also earning minors in cognitive science and art and design. He has a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

While he hasn’t yet had a lightning-strikes-kite experience, Horner’s interests at NC State have been about as diverse as Benjamin Franklin’s. He’s the editor of Americana, NC State’s biweekly online student publication. He’s studied art and architecture in Vienna, Austria, and Shakespeare and British history at Oxford. He’s also completed three internships, including one at the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, Calif.

“I think the thing I’ve enjoyed most was the freedom I had to get involved in so many things, and, especially, the ability to choose a course of study that allowed me to pursue some very different academic interests,” Horner says.

He plans to relate to his fellow graduates that the “end” that commencement signifies is really just the beginning of a “lifetime of learning.”

Horner can be reached at 919/961-6033.

Trio of Students “Cut Classes” En Route to Master’s Degree
John Hauser came to NC State for orientation in the summer of 2002, and he hasn’t been back since. Yet he’ll return to campus for the first time in 2½ years on Wednesday, Dec. 15, to pick up his master’s degree.

Hauser, Annette Busby and Hunter McGhee will be the first group of students to earn their master’s degrees in training and development through an online program offered through NC State’s College of Education. The T&D Online program is geared toward working adults and requires 36 hours of master’s level course work. It is designed to be completed totally online.

For those who have the notion that taking online courses is easier than earning a degree via the traditional classroom method, think again, the students said. The trio said they had to motivate themselves to stick to the program timelines and meet the assignment deadlines. However, all three praised the program’s flexibility – particularly Hauser, who lives in Ararat, N.C. – 2½ hours away from Raleigh. “I certainly would not have been able to drive to Raleigh two or three nights per week,” he said.

Hauser is director of industry services/cluster developer for Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. He can be reached at 336/838-6149. Busby is from Raleigh and is a training specialist for the North Carolina Community College System. She can be reached at 919/807-7049. McGhee is from Wake Forest and is a training specialist with SAS Institute in Cary. He can be reached at 919/569-0331.

Running – For Student Office or With Bulls in Pamplona – Propels Grad

Cliff Ray, a business management major from Jacksonville, N.C., loves to run – both literally and figuratively.

He ran for student body president, making it as far as a run-off with the eventual winner. The rigors of that four-way race may have even helped prepare him for dodging bulls in northern Spain. Soon after the election, he signed up for the study-abroad program and went to Australia for four months. He then headed through Asia to Europe – and had the opportunity to participate in Pamplona’s famous “running of the bulls” in Spain. “It was just incredible, it was the best,” he said.

“Studying abroad definitely broadened my horizons and gave me a new perspective on the world. It makes me appreciate my home a lot more.” He credits his travel experiences while a student at NC State with improving his communication skills. “I want to go into a career based primarily on dealing with people. I found that meeting people from around the world helped me learn about relating to people.”

He cites running for student body president as his most memorable on-campus experience. “You meet so many people, you learn what needs to be done and how politics works. I learned a lot,” Ray said.

Ray says he now plans on getting involved in real estate – perhaps commercial or residential development – in eastern North Carolina.

Ray can be reached at 919/412-3985.

Architecture Grad Helping Give Lumbee Homes an ‘Extreme Makeover’

Ché Clark has blended a love of architecture, heritage, culture and family to help meet a critical need for members of the Lumbee Tribe in North Carolina.

Clark, a Lumbee Indian who will earn a master’s degree in architecture, is part of an ongoing project with four other graduate students in NC State’s College of Design who are working to help provide quality, affordable housing to members of the Lumbee Tribe. Based on feedback from potential homeowners, Clark and the team are incorporating Native American themes and cultural elements – such as open spaces for meals and family gatherings – into their home designs.

Assisting Clark in the project is his father, Mike, who owns his own architectural firm called Native American Design Services. The elder Clark is also a graduate of NC State, earning a degree in architecture in 1971. And upon graduation, the younger Clark will work alongside his father to help their people achieve the dream of home ownership.

“This is a very fulfilling project,” Ché Clark says. “I see the extensive need for housing for my people, and I am proud to use my skills to help relieve some of that need. It means a great deal to be able to team up with my dad and provide much-needed architectural services to the Lumbee people.”

Clark can be reached at 919/850-2292.

Travel, Textiles Work Keeps Park and Centennial Scholar Busy

Philip Corriher would probably be hard pressed to fit any more activities into his busy schedule.

A textiles management major from China Grove, N.C., Corriher received both a Park Scholarship and a Centennial Scholarship and was president of NC State’s Phi Psi Textiles Fraternity chapter. “Once I got here it felt like I was unstoppable and could do anything I put my mind to,” he said.

Corriher participated in the study-abroad program three times, traveling to Oxford, England, Mexico and Ecuador. He even lived and worked on the NC State dairy farm for a year.

Although he says he didn’t know a lot about textiles before he arrived at NC State, he was impressed with the College of Textiles and decided to give it a chance. “I’ve learned a lot and really enjoyed it. I’m really excited about the job opportunities I have now.”

In March, Corriher will begin working at Abercrombie & Fitch’s headquarters as a sourcing assistant.

Corriher can be reached at 919/740-6044.

New Country? Check. New Language? Check. Great Future? No Doubt!

Larisa Yasinovskaya of Charlotte had to hit the ground running when she arrived in the United States. Her family emigrated from the former Soviet Union in 1991, when Yasinovskaya
was just 9 years old. Surviving in school while speaking not a word of English was her first challenge, but she overcame that hurdle, excelled academically and hasn’t stopped since.

At NC State, she received a prestigious Caldwell Scholarship, wrote an opinion column for the student newspaper, Technician, and made a run for student body president. “There are so many opportunities here at NC State, there really is something for everyone. There are at least 400 student organizations.”

An anthropology major, she started the anthropology club and participated in a study-abroad session in India. “It was an amazing experience. We were immersed in the culture. I loved it!”

While her own background and her studies at NC State have highlighted many of the differences among people, she takes a global view. “At the end of the day, we’re all really just the same. On the outside we may be a little different, but on the inside we are all the same.”

In the spring, Yasinovskaya will begin working as a financial advisor with American Express.

Yasinovskaya can be reached at 919/539-6269.

Sculptor Hopes ‘Resolution Tree’ Helps Others Focus on Bright Future

An NC State design student is helping Raleigh residents stick to their New Year’s Resolutions.

Jennifer Van Orden, who is earning her bachelor’s degree in art and design, designed and created a Resolution Oak Tree that will be a key attraction during the First Night Raleigh Celebration on Friday, Dec. 31. Van Orden’s “tree” is actually a 12-foot tall metal sculpture that now stands in Lichtin Plaza outside of the BTI Center for Performing Arts.

As the clock moves closer to midnight on New Year’s Eve, Van Orden’s tree will grow foliage. First Night attendees can write their resolutions on a metallic paper “leaf” and tie it to a branch.

“The leaves are made of tarp that are silver on one side and brown on the other,” Van Orden says. “I encourage everyone to write their resolutions on the silver side because it’s the brighter side. It represents the bright side of the future and keeping our resolutions.”

Van Orden is from Sanford, N.C.

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