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Park Scholars attending the First-Year Retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Park Scholarship
The mission of the Park Scholarships program is to bring exceptional students to NC State, based on outstanding accomplishments and potential in scholarship, leadership, service, and character. The program develops and supports Park Scholars in these areas, preparing them for lifelong contributions to the campus, state, nation, and world.
The Park Scholarships are named for the late Roy H. Park ’31, an NC State alumnus who created the charitable Park Foundation, dedicated to education, media, and the environment. Approximately 45 scholarships are awarded each year to outstanding high school seniors for undergraduate study in any discipline at NC State. For more details about the program and recent accomplishments of Park Scholars and Alumni, please review the 2012-2013 Annual Report.
The Park Scholarship provides:
Exceptional Benefits
- Four-year scholarship valued at $92,000 in-state and $149,000 out-of-state, including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, travel, and personal expenses
- Computer stipend
- Grants to fund professional and personal enrichment experiences, such as research projects, service activities, and conferences in the United States and abroad.
- Early course registration
- Guaranteed invitation to join the University Scholars Program for all Park Scholarships finalists.
Personal and Professional Development in Scholarship, Leadership, and Service
- Mentoring: Park Faculty Mentors work individually with Park Scholars on preparation for undergraduate research, internships, graduate/professional schools, and national scholarships
- First-Year Seminar: Weekly seminar during the first year featuring distinguished guests, including former North Carolina Governor James Hunt and outstanding NC State faculty
- Retreats: Leadership retreats held at sites such as Grand Canyon and Rocky Mountain National Parks
- Learning Labs: Experiential learning opportunities to study leadership in the context of state and national issues
- Leadership Academy: A half-day institute featuring speakers and activities to enhance leadership abilities, self-awareness, and character
- Service Raleigh:
An annual day of service involving over 2,000
volunteers, co-led by Park Scholars and Student Government - Civic Engagement Initiatives: Projects with community agencies to develop strategies and implement solutions for issues such as homelessness and domestic violence
A Record of Success
Park Scholars have demonstrated exceptional success in various areas of scholarship, leadership, and public service. Their accomplishments include:
- Admission to top graduate and professional schools, such as Cambridge University, Harvard University, Oxford University, Stanford University, and Yale Law School.
- Employment with leading corporations, including Apple, Bank of America, GlaxoSmithKline, Google, JPMorgan Chase, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman.
- Recipients of national scholarships, including the Boren, Fulbright, Goldwater, Marshall, Mitchell, Truman, and Udall awards, and National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowships.
- Careers in the nonprofit and government sector with organizations such as National Geographic, National Institutes of Health, Peace Corps, Teach for America, and the U.S. Department of State.
- Internships with Microsoft Research Asia, Exxon Mobil, Children’s Hospital Boston, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and WaterAid Ghana.
- Research, study, and service abroad to countries including China,
Ecuador, Nepal, South Africa, and Turkey. - Hundreds of thousands of dollars raised for charities, including the North Carolina Children's Hospital.
- Articles in scholarly publications, such as Perspectives on Politics and Water Resources Research.