October 2011
10.11.2011 | by Bill Krueger | Filed under Campus Landmarks, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, NC State History | Comments: 5 responses |
Chris Gould made musical history at the Memorial Belltower this week.
Gould, the associate dean for administration in the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, sat at a keyboard in small room in the basement of Holladay Hall on Monday afternoon and played NC State’s “Alma Mater.”
And the music poured out of the Belltower, for the first time since 1989.
“It was amazing,” says Thomas H. Stafford Jr., vice chancellor for student affairs, who was on hand for what he described as a historic occasion.
“It’s been over 20 years. Just to hear it again almost gave me goose bumps. It really did sound good.”
What had Stafford and Gould so excited (”Dr. Gould was beside himself,” Stafford says.) is that the Belltower’s 246-bell grand symphony carillon worked for the first time in more than two decades.
No, that doesn’t mean there are now actual bells in the Belltower. But the university’s carillon, which has been broken since 1989, can now transmit songs played on a keyboard to create the sounds of bells that are then amplified through speakers inside the Belltower.
“It’s amazing that it works this well,” says Gould. “If you look inside, it’s a mechanical marvel. That was my happy moment, to play the ‘Alma Mater’ on the carillon.”
The magical moment was set in motion recently when Gould, an accomplished pianist, was talking with Stafford about tours that Stafford periodically gives of the Belltower. Stafford mentioned that the carillon in the basement of Holladay Hall was a popular stop on the tour, but that the carillon had not worked for years.
Stafford says students and others used to play the carillon every day at 5 p.m. They would typically play four to six songs, often ending with the “Alma Mater.” Handwritten logbooks from 1970-1989 show that religous songs such as “Amazing Grace” were played regularly, but that students also played songs that were popular at the time.
Stafford says it’s a bit of mystery about what happened to cause the practice to stop in 1989. But he says the carillon had not worked for years until Gould started poking around.
Gould and others in the physics department took a look at the carillon, but could not figure out how to make it work. “It’s a very beautiful piece of equipment,” Gould says. “It’s really a work of art.”
Workers at the university’s Physical Plant got involved, and consulted with representatives of the carillon’s manufacturer and a company consultant. When Stafford, Gould and others checked in on Monday afternoon, the carillon was working again. Stafford says university officials once thought it might cost $10,000 or more to fix the carillon, but that it was apparently done at no cost.
When Gould first played the keyboard, he couldn’t tell if the sound was coming out of the Belltower. It was, although the momentous occasion may have been lost on some people who have been accustomed to hearing the chimes that ring from the Belltower.
“It seems people weren’t aware that this was an unusual event,” Gould says.
The sound system for the Belltower is actually three separate systems, Gould says. The automated chimes, which have worked for years, constitute one system. The carillon, played from a keyboard, is the second system. The third system allows the carillon to be played from a cassette tape and is either broken or obsolete, he says.
But Gould is excited to think that the carillon could be played for this December’s graduation. Stafford says his next challenge is to figure out a system for when and how to play the carillon.
“Are we going to find someone to come in every day and play it and are we going to have special occasions where we play music?” Stafford says. “The next step is to figure out how we move forward.”
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The College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences has posted a Flickr page of photos showing the carillon and the Belltower.
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10.11.2011 | by Chris Saunders | Filed under Alumni Association News, Extension and Outreach, Outreach | Comments: No responses |
For our last installment in our Alumni Network National Wolfpack Service Day profiles, we talked with Ken Clifton, the Guilford County Network leader, about his network’s plans for Saturday.
In the past, the Guilford County Network has donated canned foods for Wolfpack Service Day, but this year, Clifton wanted to do something different that would raise more awareness.
So the network will be volunteering its time at the Light the Night Walk, setting up, breaking down, taking pictures and cheering on the participants walking and who have raised money for blood cancer research, support groups and educational materials.
How large is your network, and how many members will participate in National Wolfpack Service Day Saturday? The network we have is about 75 people. We’re hoping 25 people will show up. We’re hoping to grow our network, and we’re working on that.
What is the best thing about your network? The group that we have go above and beyond what is needed. They have a great passion for NC State. They represent State very well.
What event do you have planned for National Wolfpack Service Day? We’re volunteering for the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. They have a walk Saturday. It’s called the Light the Night Walk.
Why have you chosen to partner with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for this event? I’ve heard other professional people in the area talk about the work they’ve done with the society. Cancer hits everybody, and it’s a great way to give back. They’ve had great success over the years in working to find cures and develop treatment.
What is it that alumni will gain from participating in the event? The awareness of cancer and cancer research. It also highlights people who have had leukemia and lymphoma. It’s another way to wake people up to see this is another cancer we need to be fighting.
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10.10.2011 | by Chris Saunders | Filed under Alumni Association News, Extension and Outreach, Outreach | Comments: No responses |
Ryan DeJong ‘05, Tampa Alumni Network leader, wanted to find an opportunity that would bring out the alumni in Florida for National Wolfpack Service Day on Oct. 15. So he looked for an event involving the one temptation anyone who has spent time in North Carolina couldn’t resist: barbecue.
We talked with Ryan about his network and how volunteering at the Bluz & BBQ Festival offers a great opportunity for service this Saturday.
How large is your network, and how many members will participate in National Wolfpack Service Day on Oct. 15? The network here is kind of spread out. I’m responsible for the West Coast of Florida. We have probably about 70 Alumni Association members. Of those, about 40 actively participate in events. I would expect about 20 to be involved Saturday.
What is the best thing about your network? There’s a couple things. It’s diversity. It’s openness. In the Tampa market, we have a lot of people coming and going. Not a lot of people grew up in Tampa, went to NC State and came back home. We’ve done a nice job establishing a core of recent graduates and connecting them to a lot of dedicated families. And we’ve got a lot of the old-timers who can tell you a lot about the timeline, either academic or athletic. It’s like creating a home away from home. That’s what one of our goals is.
What event do you have planned for National Wolfpack Service Day? This year’s event is a little unique compared to other events. [The Bluz & BBQ Festival] is one of the few festivals downtown on the water that includes barbecue from local and regional venders. I found a common thread among our alumni here is a love of barbecue, especially Eastern North Carolina style. I figured I could partner an event with that, service and fellowship. Volunteers can work event security to event setup.
Why have you chosen to partner with the festival? The money raised from this event is going back to a local community pool, the Roy Jenkins Pool. It was a historical landmark that recently shut down. With this event, they hope to raise $30,000 for the reopening. They’re estimating $1.6 for total restoration. A couple of other things is that the mayor is going to be there to meet with the alumni. They’ve planned a flash mob with the Tampa Bay Lightning cheerleaders.
What is it that alumni will gain from participating in the event? My hope is that this event will draw some people from the network who don’t participate in other events. We have a diverse lineup of events. Having something more focused on the community, barbecue and music will hopefully bring some people out and get out some other folks to show NC State has a group of engaged alumni here. It’s just getting the word out there….Ultimately, it’s about giving back to the community.
If you have any questions, contact Ryan at 813-486-5094 or jrdejong@ncsu-alumni.com.
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10.10.2011 | by Bill Krueger | Filed under Alumni Association News, Wolf Treks | Comments: No responses |
NC State alumni traveling with the WolfTreks cruise to New England and Canada docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia, last week. Several travelers toured the city’s Public Gardens, Canada’s only remaining Victorian garden.
Winding streams and unusual trees offered a respite from the city. Others ventured to the Citadel, a centuries-old fort in Halifax overlooking the harbor.
On Friday, the travelers went to Cape Breton Island, where some toured old coal mines that were once the region’s economic backbone.
On Saturday, it was on to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Charlottetown, in Canada’s smallest province, is akin to Philadelphia in terms of its historical significance; it was the site of the meetings that resulted in the birthplace of the confederation of provinces that is Canada.
Locals sometimes speak with a slight Scottish accent, and the influence of early Scottish settlers can be seen in a treat served with tea: Oatcakes.
On Sunday, the Wolfpack travelers who went ashore saw the rugged coastline of Newfoundland, which claims the largest number of moose of any province in Canada.
No moose sightings were reported, but there was a beautiful sunset off the Regatta when it pulled out of the harbor in Corner Brook Sunday evening. The vista included snow-capped mountains along with rocky peaks carved by glaciers. No word on whether anyone tried the local delicacy, fried cod tongues.
On Monday, the ship will be heading down the St. Lawrence River to French-speaking Quebec City.
– Sylvia Adcock
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10.07.2011 | by Chris Saunders | Filed under Alumni Association News, Outreach, Uncategorized | Comments: One response |
Volunteers at last year's Wolfpack Service Day in Wake County.
With National Wolfpack Service Day on the horizon, we’re talking to Alumni Association network leaders about what their respective networks are doing. We’re finding an array of activities across the country for Saturday, Oct. 15.
But Wake County Alumni Network Leader Adam Compton ‘09 has lined up a wide range of opportunities in and around Raleigh, as well. We asked him about what his network has in store for its alumni.
How large is your network, and how many members will participate on National Wolfpack Service Day? It’s our largest network with, I want to say 50,000 alums living in the Wake County Area. Last year, we had about 100 sign up for National Wolfpack Service Day. We wanted to grow it, so this year we want to get it to 500 volunteers.
What’s the best thing about your network? We’re right here where it all is. We’re not that far away from home. We’re constantly able to be energized by campus and by the amazing things coming out of NC State.
Why is it important for your network to participate in NWSD? It’s a unique opportunity for networks across the country and maybe across the world one day to show the power of the Wolfpack family. That’s one of the things we’ve always done well is come together. It’s a hallmark of NC State, the amount of service we’re able to do.
What events do you have planned? Because we have so many alums living in Wake County in addition to faculty and staff living here, we really wanted to make a big push to open it up to faculty and staff and anybody out there. …We wanted opportunities that everyone could participate in. We’ve got the opportunity for people to work with NC State’s Open House. People can pick vegetables for the Interfaith Food Shuttle. We want to offer a wide set of opportunities for our Wolfpack family to participate in. We have exactly 20 sites.
What will alumni gain from participating in those opportunities? Every time I talk to an alum or a student or someone associated with the NC State community, they’re excited about service. It’s something I think is anchored to our land-grant mission. Our community is always willing to pitch in. We’ve done so many different things at NC State.
If you have any questions, please contact Allison Dodson at 919-515-0522 or at allison_dodson@ncsu.edu.
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10.06.2011 | by Bill Krueger | Filed under Alumni Association News, Wolf Treks | Comments: No responses |
NC State alumni on a WolfTreks cruise enoyed a private wine-and- cheese reception as the ship sailed off the coast of Maine.
See the NC State flag? We are planning to have the it flown from one of the ship’s masts before the cruise ends in Montreal. We’ll try to post a picture of the flag flying.
Rainy weather kept some indoors when the ship docked in Bar Harbor, Maine, but some intrepid travelers took a tour of Acadia National Park and were able to visit a spot called Thunder Hole, where the waves crash so hard against the granite cliffs that it creates a thunderous roar.
Next stop, Canada.
Visit our website to learn more about upcoming WolfTreks tours.
– Sylvia Adcock
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10.06.2011 | by Chris Saunders | Filed under Alumni Association News, Outreach | Comments: No responses |
National Wolfpack Service Day is on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011. Members in Alumni Association networks across the country will participate in service projects. We wanted to give our alumni a glimpse at what is going on in specific networks, so we talked with Tony Betts ‘99, leader of the Phoenix Alumni Network, about what is happening with NC State alumni in Arizona.
How large is your network, and how many members will participate in National Wolfpack Service Day on October 15? We have about 10-15 people that attend regularly. This year we’re going to have about 10 people.
What is the best thing about your network? I think that the strongest asset is having the networking aspect for alumni. An example is one of our alumna was looking for a place to live and found a connection. It’s having those connections.
What event do you have planned for National Wolfpack Service Day? We’re going to volunteer at St. Mary’s
Participants at last year's National Wolfpack Service Day in Phoenix, Ariz., where they partnered with St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance.
Food Bank. They are the largest food bank in Arizona. They provide 300,000 meals each day in the community through their partner agencies. What we’ll be doing is working at one of their warehouses. We’ll prepare shopping carts. In the warehouse, there’ll be loaves of bread, fruits and vegetables, etc. And we prepare shopping bags. It’s a week’s worth of food for them.
Why have you chosen to partner with that organization? We did it last year. We were looking for something for something that we could really impact the community with. In these economic times, we knew it was something that could make that impact with what’s happening.
What is it that alumni will gain from participating in the event? The feeling that you’ve been out there and helped better the community. You’ve given back to the community. …I did service projects at NC State so it kind of just carried on after I graduated.
If you have any questions about the event, please contact Tony at phxpack@msn.com
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10.05.2011 | by Bill Krueger | Filed under Sports | Comments: No responses |
What is a Chippewa, the mascot for the Central Michigan University football team that is visiting Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday to take on the Wolfpack?
Not surprisingly, the Chippewas were a tribe of Native Americans that once lived in the area where the university is located. The Chippewa River flows through Mount Pleasant, the home of Central Michigan University.
The university’s athletics teams were not always known as the Chippewas, though, according to an article on the university’s website. They were known as the Dragons until 1927, when the mascot was changed to the Bearcats.
In 1942, concerned that bearcats were nearly extinct and had little geographic relevance the university, Central Michigan changed its name to the Chippewas.
At one point, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission recommended dropping the Chippewas nickname. But the university decided to retain the name and develop educational programs with the local Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council to help the university’s students gain a deeper understanding of traditional Native American culture.
“The university’s goals are to use the name with honor and respect, increase supportive connections between CMU and Native Americans, and improve efforts to sensitize students, faculty, and staff to Native American traditions and cultures,” reads a statement on the university’s website.
Click here if you want to read more about the Central Michigan University Chippewas.
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10.04.2011 | by Bill Krueger | Filed under Alumni Association News, Wolf Treks | Comments: No responses |
About two dozen WolfTreks travelers sailed out of New York Harbor at sunset on Friday with a spectacular view of the Statue of Liberty on one side and the new Freedom Tower – the replacement for the twin towers destroyed on 9/11 — in Lower Manhattan on the other.
The Regatta’s first stop on the WolfTrek’s New England/Canada Fall Folliage Cruise was Newport, R.I., where the travelers toured the mansions of the Gilded Age that made Newport famous as a haven for the wealthy.
Later it was on to Rockland, Maine, where the travelers enjoyed strolling through the coastal village. Lobster rolls – buttered, toasted hot dog buns filled with lobster meat mixed with mayonnaise – are a local delicacy, and a number of NC State almuni tried one for the first time.
Next stop: Bar Harbor, Maine, and Acadia National Park.
Visit our website to learn more about upcoming WolfTreks tours.
– Sylvia Adcock
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10.04.2011 | by Bill Krueger | Filed under Arts NC State, Campus Buildings, Campus Events, Campus Landmarks, NCSU Libraries, Student Contributions | Comments: No responses |
The Third Annual Pinhole Challenge is over, and the results are in.
Well, most of the results are in.
Your vote is needed to award the People’s Choice prize. To vote, you have to drop by the Crafts Center, check out the various images of NC State and then vote (only once, please) on “your favorite image that best represents the spirit of NC State.” Judging will run through 5 p.m. on Oct. 21. The winner receives $100 and a free Crafts Center class.
The Judges' Award winner
Meanwhile, the Judges’ Award went to Pamela Ocampo, who is working on a masters in computer science. Here’s what the judges had to say about Ocampo’s photo of the atrium at D.H. Hill Library: “Her stunning photograph of the Atrium is wonderfully composed in a great display of visual clarity and depth of field.”
Ocampo received $100 and a free Crafts Center class.
The judges also gave out an award for the photo that best captures the ongoing renovation of the Talley Student Center. Nicole Vayo, a biology major, won for what the judges called a “perfect snapshot that captures this special time on campus.”
The renovation of Talley Student Center
Over 50 NC State students entered the contest by capturing images of NC State through the eye of homemade cameras. One student captured an image of the Memorial Belltower with an Altoids candy tin.
You can check out all the photos in the Pinhole Challenge on the Crafts Center’s Flickr site.
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