Provost’s Corner: March 2017

Dear faculty and staff,

On March 7, NC State celebrated Founders Day, which commemorates Charles Dabney’s 1887 legislation creating the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The university just turned 130 years old and we’re stronger now than ever before.

Much of the credit for this success goes to you and your commitment to continual improvement of NC State’s academics, campus culture, local and international outreach, and more. The strides you make toward achieving the university’s strategic goals make our entire community proud.

Jere Confrey, the Joseph D. Moore Distinguished University Professor of Mathematics Education, became NC State’s first faculty member to be named an American Educational Research Association Fellow. Monica Osburn, director of NC State’s Counseling Center, was named 2016 Director of the Year by the American College Counseling Association. John Balaban, English professor, received the national Association of Writers and Writing Programs’ George Garrett Award for Outstanding Community Service in Literature.

These are just a few of the many examples of the fruits of faculty and staff efforts to enhance student success, engage in groundbreaking research, and search for solutions to society’s grand challenges. I hope that each one of you knows the value you bring to the classroom, the lab and the workplace.

In just a couple of months, more than 5,300 students will turn their tassels at commencement, and they’ll have you to thank for getting them there. NC State has greatly contributed to the economic, social and intellectual prosperity since its founding, and even in just this academic year, you’ve made strides that will impact North Carolinians for generations to come.

Our founders would be proud.

To keep up with all academic and faculty- or staff-related developments, follow @NCStateProvost on Twitter.

Until next time,

Warwick Arden
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost