Media Contact:
Dr. Kathryn Moore, 919/515-5900
Chad Austin, News Services, 919/515-3470

Nov. 2, 2005

NC State College of Education to Dedicate Friday Institute

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The William and Ida Friday Institute

North Carolina State University's College of Education will celebrate the opening of the William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation with a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at the facility, which is located on Centennial Campus and connected to Centennial Campus Middle School. The event is free and open to the public.

Festivities will begin at 4 p.m. with a ribbon cutting and the placement of the cornerstone by the institute’s namesakes, William and Ida Friday. Following dedication remarks by campus and institute administrators, officials will conduct tours of the facility beginning at 5 p.m.

The mission of the high-tech research and outreach facility is to advance education through innovation in teaching, learning and leadership. Institute officials will collaborate with educators, researchers, and government and business leaders to provide solutions for critical educational needs across North Carolina, particularly in rural and underserved areas of the state.

“We have created one of the most exciting facilities in the state to support education and
educators,” says Dr. Kathryn Moore, dean of the College of Education. “I have not seen a more
imaginative role for education than this one. We are excited about the new ideas and approaches that will flow from the Friday Institute to serve the educational needs of North Carolina and beyond.”

NC State Chancellor James L. Oblinger says the new facility reflects the university’s
mission and theme of “innovation in action.”

“The Friday Institute will improve education in our state for generations to come, using new technology and new ideas to connect with students,” Oblinger says. “With each child, each
teacher and each school the Friday Institute touches, the legacy of Bill and Ida Friday’s
commitment to our state and our children will continue. We are proud that this institute carries
the Friday name and that it exemplifies the values of NC State – innovative research, meaningful
partnerships and a commitment to making a difference. We value our partnership with public
education in North Carolina, and are looking to the Friday Institute to deliver an additional
breadth and depth to our support for the state’s schools and teachers.”

The $10 million, privately funded facility honors the Friday family’s unwavering commitment to educational excellence and equity. Considered one of North Carolina’s “first families of education,” both Bill and Ida Friday have devoted themselves to public service and support for North Carolina’s children and its educational system.

“Mrs. Friday and I are pleased to be associated with this enormous effort to improve the
education of our children all across North Carolina and the nation,” says Bill Friday, a 1941 NC
State graduate who served as president of the University of North Carolina System from 1956
until his retirement in 1986. “The institute will be filled with creative people who have vigorous
imaginations, and we can expect some profound work to come forth. That’s why this institute is
so important.”

Work at the 33,000-square-foot facility will be organized into five “collaboratories,” which will allow faculty members, students, teachers, education professionals and research scientists to work together in interdisciplinary teams. These research-driven entities will focus on mathematics and science education; leadership for educational effectiveness; middle grades
education; cultural connections in education; and instructional technologies to enhance teaching
and learning.

“The Friday Institute is devoted to making a difference in the lives of students and educators,” says Dr. Hiller Spires, director of the Friday Institute. “In all of our research and outreach, our driving focus is to foster innovation in teaching and learning so that students are prepared to succeed in a global society. Educating our children – all our children – in ways that inspire passion for academic achievement and lifelong learning is the best investment that North
Carolina and our nation can make.”

- austin -