The 17th Annual NC State Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium
Undergraduates in all departments at NC State University engaged in scholarly research and creative projects are encouraged to participate in the Annual NC State Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium. To present at the Symposium, students must submit an application and abstract, and winners are selected in each academic category. The USP would like to congratulate the following University Scholars who were selected as winners at this year's Symposium, held on April 21, 2008:

Class of 2009 Golden Chain Society Inductees
The Golden Chain Society is a senior honor society that recognizes the extraordinary contributions of up to 12 outstanding rising seniors each year. Founded in 1926, it is the oldest organization of its kind at North Carolina State University. To date, there are 1043 links in the Chain, including former Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., legendary basketball coach Everett Case, President Emeritus of the UNC System, William C. Friday, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Henry Hugh Shelton and NC State’s Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Kay Yow. Induction into The Golden Chain Society is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a rising senior at North Carolina State. This year, eight University Scholars were among those inducted:

Order of 30&3
The Order of Thirty and Three was founded in 1931 and attained its first full class in 1933, composed of thirty-three men, eleven from each of the sophomore, junior and senior classes. Unique to North Carolina State University, this organization was formed in order to promote the best interests of the University and to "accomplish the greatest good" through service and leadership in our community. Each year, the current members of the Order induct eleven second-year students who have made significant contributions to the N.C. State community. This year, nine of the new inductees are University Scholars - Congratulations!

Best Student Choreographers
Close Your Eyes - a dance work by NC State students and University Scholars Melissa Clapp and Lauren Grove - recently received the distinction of being selected for performance on the Mid-Atlantic American College Dance Festival Conference Gala Concert in Baltimore. Clapp and Grove were awarded the title of Best Student Choreographers of the Mid-Atlantic Region.

This June, these NC State students will perform Close Your Eyes as part of the ACDFA's National Gala at Miller Theatre in New York City and, as Best Student Choreographers of the Mid-Atlantic Region, will have the opportunity to receive the ACDFA/Dance Magazine Award for Best Student Choreographers in the nation. Clapp and Grove's piece was chosen to represent the Mid-Atlantic Region out of 48 pieces from 29 colleges and universities participating in the conference adjudication.

2008 Caldwell Fellows
The Caldwell Fellows program selects freshmen who exhibit leadership potential and commitment, and encourages students to engage in both individualized and communal personal growth. They will receive a renewable award valued at $4,000 for their sophomore, junior and senior years, and will have access to additional funding to support participation in enrichment opportunities, such as study abroad, internships and community service.

Fall 2007 Leader of the Pack Recipients
Two University Scholars have recently been named Leaders of the Pack, and will each receive a $1,000 scholarship in honor of their personal and academic achievements. Anna Louise Patton, a junior majoring in psychology and Spanish from Clayton, N.C., and Nicholas Schultz, a senior in civil engineering from Jacksonville, N.C., were chosen from a field of six finalists to receive the scholarships. The Leader of the Pack Program replaces NC State's traditional homecoming queen and king contest and recognizes two students who make outstanding contributions to NC State in the areas of leadership, scholarship and community service. Finalists for the honor are selected based on grade-point average, a personal interview, extracurricular activities, written essays on their leadership and service experience and student-body vote.