Technician has the story. Video from yesterday’s sundae event courtesy of NC State Web Communications (look for one of our student bloggers, Chandler Thompson, in the video). You can view photos from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences here and check out our pictures here.
And a side note. . . there have been two other Chancellor’s Choice flavors: vanilla ice cream with red raspberry swirl and chocolate chips (Marye Anne Fox) and vanilla ice cream with red raspberry swirl (James Oblinger).
Caroline Linker is a junior communication major from Concord and is one of four students blogging for us this semester.
When someone asks me what my major is, I tell them communication. They’ll often ask, “Why?” I tell them because it’s so interesting, versatile and fun.
Since I was young, I have loved public speaking. It’s weird, I know. But my desire to interact and communicate with people led me to think about a career in communication when I was a junior in high school. As I began to look at colleges, I was torn between a media concentration and a public relations concentration. I decided to take the media route. But like many college students, I changed my mind during my first semester. I liked the fact that the public relations is so versatile: Every industry needs communicators to operate.
I could go on for days and days about why communication intrigues me, but I like this quote from self-help author Anthony Robbins: “The way we communicate with others and ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.” That quote makes me want to say, “Amen!” In each communication course I take, I learn more and more about why effective communication is vital in our lives at home, at work and in our communities. I am intrigued by the relationships that humans build with each other and how those relationships determine things like how a business handles a crisis and how employee relations can affect a company’s success. People often say that communication is just “talking.” That’s only one aspect it, but it’s the one in which most people need the most improvement. It amazes me how one slip of the tongue can cost an individual a job, a reputation and respect.
When I was considering careers in high school, one thing that I looked for in each possibility was fun. I have found it in public relations. I love that every day is different. One day might be filled with press conferences, while I might write press releases the next day. I’m into all kinds of music, and I hope to be a public relations account executive at a record label when I graduate. I love the fact that with public relations, you have so many opportunities to meet new people in a variety of industries. I get so excited when I think about the opportunities I’ll have after graduation.
In high school, I thought I would never find the “perfect” career or the “perfect” school. I’ve been lucky to find both. It feels so good to feel so passionate about my future and to be at a university that enables its students to get the best education in the world, so that they can be nothing short of successful.
This morning at Reynolds Coliseum, Randy Woodson was installed as NC State’s 14th chancellor. You can watch the video of the ceremony here (you’ll need to install Microsoft Silverlight to view it). We’re using this post to collect links about Chancellor Woodson, and we will post additional photos and video when they become available.
Woodson spoke with The News & Observer recently for a Q&A that appeared online yesterday. Here are some excerpts:
On his early impressions of the job
There haven’t been a lot of surprises. The institution is so similar academically to where I came from, I feel the academic part hasn’t been a surprise. The only surprises have been positive - the strength of our faculty and students. If there is a surprise, it’s a positive one about how committed our alumni and fans are about the institution.
On legislative priorities
A big one for us is to make sure that the tuition students pay stays on campus. The students are investing in their education. Where their tuition goes . . . needs to be transparent and clear. And always a big issue is making sure there’s adequate funding for financial aid for students with the most significant financial need. It’s going to be a difficult session all the way around. We understand that.
On alumni and fan interest and hiring a new athletics director
I get a glimpse of it every day. There’s not a day that goes on where I don’t spend a day with alumni and other stake-holders. It’s not just athletics. People are committed to N.C. State. but certainly coming in and one of the first things I had to deal with was athletics, it gave me a strong sense of how people feel about the Wolfpack.
On doing a better job telling NC State’s story
I think it’s happening. We’ve got a much more uniform way to tell our story now. Our web presence is more uniform. We’re more mindful of the brand, and we’re more prepared to talk about the success of N.C. State. It’s still a work in progress, but I think all of us at N.C. State can’t hide our light under our basket. We need people across the country and, frankly, around the world, to see the impact of N.C. State.
It’s helpful for The Wall Street Journal to identify us as a top 25 institution for recruiters. It’s something we just have to keep working hard at. We’re such a practical university, we’re real focused on solving the problems we’re addressing in research, we sometimes don’t step back and talk about it in a global context.
10/27 update: Chancellor’s Woodson’s father, in the N&O: “He loves it. . . . He wants to finish his career [at NCSU].” . . . N&O story on and photos from yesterday’s installation.
Chancellor Randy Woodson and his wife, Susan. (Photo by Vincent Walter)
Randy Woodson will be officially installed as NC State’s 14th chancellor at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday in Reynolds Coliseum. The installation ceremony — free and open to the public — will be the signature event for a week full of activities celebrating NC State and honoring Chancellor Woodson. The activities include an ongoing exhibit in D.H. Hill Library that explores his early career and professional accomplishments; the Chancellor’s Ice Cream Dream, when the Chancellor’s Choice Howling Cow ice cream will be unveiled and the largest sundae in NC State’s history will be served; and a town hall meeting in which the campus community can provide input on the university’s strategic plan.
The full list of the scheduled events and detailed information can be found at ncsu.edu/installation. And if you can’t make it to Raleigh for the installation ceremony, you can watch it online. It’ll be streamed live here.
One of Raleigh’s hidden gems is the farmers market off Lake Wheeler Road. There’s nothing like spending a Sunday afternoon walking by the countless stands, sampling the season’s best offerings. Unfortunately, many students are limited to the confines of campus because they don’t have a car. In 2009, Eric Ballard ’09 had the idea to bring a farmers market to NC State students. Through Ballard’s efforts, along with Student Government’s Sustainability Commission, NC State hosted its first on-campus farmers market in April 2009. You can check out video from it below.
Today, the Campus Farmers Market has become a weekly event in the Brickyard. Each Wednesday, vendors set up beside D.H. Hill Library. You’ll find everything from jellies, jewelry, fruits and vegetables to cookies and salsa. Ballard’s idea was an excellent one, and the market is providing students with the opportunity to shop for locally grown produce and handmade products in their back yard. Students seem to have responded positively to this new campus addition. If you haven’t had the opportunity to check it out, stop by the Brickyard any Wednesday of the semester (weather permitting) and experience NC State’s own farmers market.
(Photos from the Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010, Campus Farmers Market by Matt Long)
Debbie Yow in Reynolds Coliseum (Photo by Roger Winstead)
Several months ago basketball analyst Debbie Antontelli ’86 returned to NC State’s campus to interview Athletics Director Debbie Yow, football coach Tom O’Brien, men’s basketball coach Sidney Lowe ’83 and women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper. The culmination of those interviews make up a 30-minute original program, Spotlight: NC State Athletics, that debuts Friday at 10:30 p.m. on Fox SportSouth and on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. on Fox Sports Carolina. Fox describes the program this way:
Spotlight: NC State Athletics showcases the beginning of a new era for North Carolina State University invoked by the recent appointment of Debbie Yow as the Wolfpack’s Athletic Director. The longest tenured athletic director in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Yow comes to NC State from Maryland with the goal of providing the university’s athletic department with the resources necessary to compete at the highest level. . . .
Spotlight: NC State Athletics highlights the impact of Yow’s presence on campus and features interviews regarding her arrival with three of the school’s head coaches — football coach Tom O’Brien, men’s basketball coach Sidney Lowe and women’s basketball coach Kellie Harper. Together, the group is building an athletic program for the future.
In addition to the premieres, additional airings are Oct. 23 at 10 p.m. on Fox Sports Carolina and on Oct. 26 at 4:30 p.m., Oct. 29 at 2:30 p.m., Oct. 30 at 6 p.m., and Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. on Fox SportSouth.
NC State magazine interviewed Debbie Yow for its Autumn 2010 issue. Below are transcripts from the interview. Read the full interview with her here.
NC State: Why did you accept the AD position at NC State? Debbie Yow: When the search firm called me about this position, I was lukewarm to it initially, only because the leadership [at NC State] had changed so much. I know that who is leading the university has to be a solid component to the athletics director’s ability to focus on what needs to be done to make progress. But when I met with [NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson], I basically flipped in my opinion of the possibilities here. I told my husband [William Bowden] that this was different and that Chancellor Woodson had a compelling vision for NC State and was a dynamic leader—and would stay at State. I was inspired by Chancellor Woodson’s vision for NC State and his understanding of the importance that athletics could play in elevating the overall image of the university and, most importantly, the pride that our alumni feel in NC State. It was clear after meeting with him that he respected the role of intercollegiate athletics as part of an outstanding university.
When I’m taking about five classes a semester there’s bound to be some that are more memorable than others. I came to NC State as a freshman in 2008 undecided about my career direction and major — so I was pretty much undecided about everything. This put me in First Year College (FYC), and that meant I had to take the Introduction to University Education class (USC 101A).
I was skeptical of this class at first. It was one credit hour, and we met once a week. Luckily, I had an awesome adviser and teacher — Ms. Melissa Simpson — who works for the FYC. She made an effort to get to know every student very well. With about 20 students, it was the smallest class I have had at State. It was very hands on. I will never forget the class because it required us to explore different majors, our personality, and take career aptitude tests.
Melissa Simpson’s class also required me to get involved on campus and attend different events from time to time. I complained about it at the time, but it had a huge impact on the student I am today. This class is part of the reason I now know I want to go into student affairs. I love what I am doing and working with students is something I want to do for a long time. I have had a few conversations about it these past few months and hope to go to graduate school at NC State or somewhere else.
I’ve had other classes that stand out through my career as well. One of them was Calculus II freshman year, I was so freaked out and intimidated by the content I wanted to drop it after one week. Next thing I knew I was acing the first test. I’m currently in Bees and Beekeeping; it is definitely the most intriguing class I have taken so far! By the end of the semester I’ll be trained to be a beekeeper if I want.
What was your most memorable class at NC State? I asked fellow students and heard many responses. An overwhelming number of current students said Social Psychology with Dr. Nacoste. Most agreed that it is often the teachers that made their memorable classes memorable.
This is also a great opportunity to talk about NC State’s new “Thank a Teacher” program. Students can now go online and give faculty special recognition. It provides you the ability to thank your teachers for making a classes memorable. It went live yesterday, so check it out, and I plan to use this sometime in the near future!
Towering over the Brickyard, D.H. Hill Library is more than a place to find books. The library combines classic book stacks with touchscreens, video games and the best ice cream known to man. It has become a must-see stop for anyone coming to campus, and that’s why I consider it the crown jewel of the Brickyard.
My primary reason for venturing to the library is to get work done, whether it’s cramming for a test, doing some online homework or meeting with a group. When I need to do some intense studying, I head for the sixth floor. Each student has his or her “spot,” and mine is the sixth floor because it’s actually the seventh one off the ground. That’s my lucky number! Not much has changed in the book stacks. It is the quiet study area with the cubicles. Countless students have spent hours studying in the stacks, and many more will. It’s the constant of the library.
As we reported in the Autumn 2010 issue of NC State magazine and previously on this blog, senior Saul Flores went to Ecuador in May for a weeklong service-learning trip as part of the Caldwell Fellows, a scholarship program founded by the Alumni Association. He spent the summer hitchhiking back to Charlotte, his hometown — traveling more than 4,500 miles through 10 countries. His purpose: to raise money to support a school in Atencingo, Mexico, his mother’s hometown. He documented his journey at refiningthelines.com, where he’s selling photos he took during the trip.
And now that he’s wrapped up his trip, he’s making the rounds and sharing with others his experiences on the journey, including speaking with the Bulletin, NC State’s faculty/staff newspaper, in the video below:
He’s also speaking to a number of campus organizations. The Bulletinreports:
Our Alumni Networks bring NC State alumni living across the state and nation together periodically for events to help them stay connected to the university. Now, we’re expanding our international networks. Twelve alumni living in India recently attended a lunch at the Food and Beverage restaurant in Bangalore, marking the first NC State alumni event in the country. Photos from the gathering are below:
Among those in attendance were Rahul Nawab ’98 MWPS, ’99MSM and his wife, Shruthi Dwarakanath Nawab ’00 MIE. Rahul was the Red & White for Life profile in NC State magazine’s Autumn 2010 issue, and he’s working with the Alumni Association to launch an Alumni Network in India, which will be our third international Alumni Network, along with Korea and Thailand. Read the profile on Rahul after the jump, and click here to find a network in your area.
Subscribe