March 2026 Announcements

• All NC State instructors are invited to submit feedback about student performance in NC State’s course progress reporting system, available through the Faculty Center in MyPack Portal. Available for all instructors for all students, course progress reports are intended to be a timely intervention to identify and contact students who are having academic challenges, and provide successful subsequent interventions before these students get too far behind in their coursework. Learn more about the system.

Your feedback is especially valuable when submitted before March 23 so that advisors can best support students to address any concerns. Questions about progress reporting should be directed to: course-progress-reports@ncsu.edu.

From University Data and Analytics:

• University Data and Analytics (UDA) has established the Survey Activities Advisory Group (SAAG) to enhance survey practices at NC State. SAAG will advise UDA on survey planning and administration, review survey proposals from our campus community, and help coordinate survey administration. SAAG’s efforts will promote high-quality research design, minimize duplication and reduce survey fatigue. SAAG is chaired by the assistant vice provost for institutional survey research and analysis in UDA, with members representing divisions across campus as well as individuals with survey expertise. For more information, email UDA at ncsusurveys@ncsu.edu.
• Results from the December 2025 Undergraduate Future Plans Surveys (UFPS) and the Graduate Future Plans Survey (GFPS) are now available on the UDA website. The UFPS and GFPS are administered to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree earners shortly before and after commencement in December and in May. These surveys collect detailed information on graduates’ plans following graduation, including their employment characteristics and salary, job search, graduate/professional school attendance, and participation in career-related activities while at NC State. Reporting includes:
  • Infographics highlighting key findings
  • Methods reports with an overview of the research design and response rates.

In addition, de-identified unit record files with complete results for each college have been emailed directly to the respective deans. For the first time, UDA has also shared with the colleges a separate file with updated email addresses provided by graduates participating in the survey.

• Results for the Incoming First Year and Incoming Transfer Student Surveys are now available on the UDA website. These surveys, administered annually shortly after New Student Orientation, collect information on factors influencing incoming students’ decisions to apply to and attend NC State; their application and admission experiences; their goals, interests and expectations for their undergraduate years; and demographic and family background characteristics. Reporting includes:
  • An infographic highlighting key findings
  • A methods report with an overview of the research design and response rates
  • A narrative report summarizing overall results
  • Verbatim student comments – organized by topic – detailing what students are most excited about in starting at NC State and what they are most concerned about
  • An interactive dashboard, including trends, charts and tables filterable by college, department and academic plan

From DELTA:

• AccessFest for instructors is back for its second year! Join accessibility practitioners from across campus for AccessFest 2026, taking place March 25, is a day-long, drop-in event designed to help NC State faculty and instructors improve digital course accessibility. This is not a workshop with formal instruction — it’s a practical, come-and-go opportunity to work on your own materials in a supportive environment with help from DELTA, the Office of Information Technology, the Office of Equal Opportunity, the NC State University Libraries and members of the NC State Accessibility Collaborative.
• On April 8, NC State faculty and staff can step into an interactive learning environment where physical and virtual spaces converge. The Extended Reality (XR) Showcase, hosted by DELTA and the NC State University Libraries, will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the D.H. Hill Library Gaming and VR Studio. The open house event invites instructors to explore how virtual and augmented reality technologies are shaping teaching and learning across the university, and participants can attend without prior XR experience.
• DELTA will host a Learning Technologies Town Hall focused on the university’s transition from Moodle to Canvas on Friday, April 24, from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom. The session is the first in a series designed to inform and engage with faculty and staff on DELTA’s suite of learning technologies. This inaugural town hall will focus primarily on the Canvas transition.
• From Study Tips to Study Science: The Story Behind NC State’s Study Smart Series is now available. Developed through a collaboration between faculty and NC State’s Digital Education and Learning Technology Applications (DELTA), the series features undergraduate students sharing practical strategies that help viewers reflect on how they learn and apply new approaches to studying.
• Save the date for DELTA Grants! Submissions for this year’s DELTA Grants opens April 13 through May 8. The DELTA Grants program provides support, key services and financial resources to increase student success through faculty partnerships. Learn more about the DELTA Grants application process.

From the Office of Equal Opportunity:

• OEO Viz Gallery 2.0: Centennial Edition is here! If you missed the Viz Gallery in D.H. Hill Jr. Library, we’re bringing it to James B. Hunt Jr. Library March 24-26! Join us for Know Your Rights: Your Equal Opportunity Protections. Explore the history of civil rights at NC State, Title IX milestones and accessibility advancements through an immersive timeline. An accessible web version is also available.

From the Office for Faculty Excellence:

• Apply now for the 2026-27 SoTL Institute. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Institute (SoTL) is a program designed for busy faculty members who would like to explore teaching as a form of scholarly work. The SoTL Institute provides faculty with skills, funding, mentorship and support to conduct research in teaching and learning.
• The Office for Faculty Excellence is now accepting applications for Fulbright Pathfinder Grants. This program empowers faculty as they navigate the Fulbright application. These one-time grants will enhance the applications of faculty applying for a Fulbright Scholar award by supporting an initial visit to the proposed host institution in advance of submitting the application. Applications are due March 20. Questions? Email Kyle Miskell at kpmiskel@ncsu.edu. 
• Save the date for Fulbright Week! From March 30 – April 3, NC State’s Office of Global Engagement, Office for Faculty Excellence and the University Fellowships Office will team up to host an informative and engaging Fulbright Week, highlighting the various programs supported through the prestigious Fulbright program. Faculty interested in learning more about Fulbright should attend the faculty panel on Tuesday, March 31 and the networking reception on Thursday, April 2.
• The Spring Wolfpack Writes: Seven-Day Writing Challenge will take place March 30 through April 5! This is a seven-day writing challenge designed for the realities of the spring semester. Write 20-30 minutes daily on your scholarly project (not grading, not admin). Build peer accountability. Prove that consistent writing is possible even during April chaos.

From the Office of Global Engagement:

• Support Global Learning on Day of Giving! Global learning is not just travel.
  • It is exploring different cultures and getting outside your bubble.
  • It is meeting people from different walks of life and finding connection.
  • It is learning to ask thoughtful questions and listen with care.
  • It is working with people you may know very little about and still building something meaningful together.

That is what our Wolfpack shared when we asked them to define global learning. This Day of Giving, support global learning by #GivingPack.

• Distinguished Global Alumni Award nominations are now open! The Distinguished Global Alumni Award honors an international graduate of NC State who represents the Think and Do spirit to the wider world. Deadline for nominations is March 31. 
• Apply for the University Global Partnership Network Research Collaboration Fund, offering up to $10,000 per institution to support collaborative research among NC State, the University of Surrey and the Universidade de São Paulo on clean and reliable energy solutions. Proposals are due May 15.
• The NCAIE Conference is coming to NC State March 23-24! This is a great opportunity for networking opportunities, professional development sessions and more.
• NC State will celebrate Fulbright Week from March 30 to April 3 in honor of the Fulbright Program’s 80th anniversary, recognizing eight decades of global research, teaching and public service. Hosted by the Office of Global Engagement, Office for Faculty Excellence and University Fellowships Office, the week will highlight the many Fulbright opportunities available to students, faculty and scholars.
• On Tuesday, March 24, the Global Film Series will screen Okko’s Inn, a Japanese film (with English subtitles) about a young girl who moves to the countryside after losing her parents and begins training to run her grandmother’s traditional inn. Presented by NC State Libraries and the Office of Global Engagement, this screening is held in partnership with the Women’s Center in celebration of Women’s History Month.
• NC State’s International Festival will feature student organizations, affinity groups and interactive activities to educate our campus community about the range of cultures and multinational perspectives represented across the university. Join us on March 27th from noon-3 p.m. to learn, share and build community.

From the Global One Health Academy:

• The Global One Health Academy is excited to open applications for the 2026-27 cohort of undergraduate Global One Health Scholars, training the next generation of One Health leaders. Application deadline: Sunday, April 12, 11:59 p.m.
• The Global One Health Academy is proud to offer funding for graduate students to travel domestically or internationally for the fall 2026 semester through their Graduate Travel Award. Deadline: Sunday, April 12, 11:59 p.m.
• Global One Health Academy’s Meredith Spence Beaulieu is facilitating a panel discussion during the Hopeful Futures: Future of Pets event. Carlos Goller, Margaret Gruen and Alper Bozkurt will discuss if AI will allow us to communicate with our pets in the future and if genetic tools will allow us to prevent and cure diseases or bring beloved companions back to life through cloning. This event will take place on Wednesday, March 11 from 4:30-5:45 p.m. in the Fishbowl Forum, D.H. Library.
• Join the Global One Health Academy for its third annual One Health Research Symposium on Tuesday, April 14 from 1-5 p.m. in the Talley Student Union Coastal Ballroom. This half-day event will spark excitement and spur conversation and new collaborations around One Health, a framework that recognizes the interconnected nature of plant, animal, human and environmental health. Faculty, staff, students and members of the public can attend this celebration of One Health research and leadership at NC State. The symposium will feature a keynote presentation from Tony Goldberg (University of Wisconsin-Madison), research talks from the 2025-26 Global One Health Fellows, an engaging panel discussion on topics at the food-water interface, and research sharing opportunities, including a poster session and paper-of-the-year award! Please note that the deadline to submit posters and papers is Tuesday, March 24. Be sure to stay afterwards for a one-hour reception with refreshments and plenty of networking!

From Institutional Effectiveness:

• How can the university help leaders discern what to stop doing to make room for new initiatives? Read how implementation plan contacts tackled this question at the Breakfast and Brainwork events featured in this month’s Implementation Insights. Also featured are two practical tools to help anyone prioritize, focus and make progress. Implementation Insights is a regular article series with initiative updates and cross-cutting observations from NC State’s implementation plan.
• Looking for funding to enhance your high-impact experience? The next call for proposals for Packways student enrichment funding will be issued in April. Faculty or staff who lead a Packways Recognized HIE can apply on behalf of their students. There’s still time to become Packways Recognized before the proposal deadline by completing the Packways Express online, asynchronous workshop.
• Congratulations to the latest Packways Recognized HIEs!
  • Nicole Mihnovets – FW 313-  Mountain Wildlife Ecology and Management (“Mountain Week”)
  • Carlos Goller – HON 312 Outbreak
  • Rachel Haynes – NC State Sustainability Career Development Program
  • Rachel Haynes –  Future Business Sustainability Leaders Program
  • Sam Sanger – SECU Public Fellow Internship Program
  • Phil Tietjen – Graduate School Professional Development: Teaching Certificate Program
  • Kristen Sullivan – Global One Health Applications (GOH 302) in Prague
  • Jennifer DeSpain – Teaching English Abroad: Costa Rica
  • Jennifer DeSpain – Teaching English Abroad: Nagoya, Japan

From the Office of Information Technology:

• Starting March 31, Duo Mobile apps must be running version 4.85.0 or higher to continue receiving push prompts. Be sure your app is updated to avoid disruptions when logging in to NC State services.
• Gemini’s generative AI capabilities are now incorporated directly into Google Docs, Slides and Forms. The features are available to students, faculty and full-time staff.
• With tax season comes tax scams. As you get ready to file, keep these tips in mind to protect against fraud like identity theft.

From the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative:

• Over 100 North Carolina high school students visited NC State on Feb. 28 for our 2026 Plant Sciences Outreach Day. In the morning, they gained hands-on lab and Makerspace experiences and learned more about the science and technology careers that await them in plant sciences, then they fanned out to other locations: the JC Raulston Arboretum, the Howling Cow Dairy and the Gregg Museum of Art & Design. 

The annual event was a partnership with NC State’s TRIO, Juntos, 4-H, Advise at NC State (formerly the College Advising Corp) and the Mathematics and Science Education Network (MSEN). Check out our recap video.

• Register now for the national AI in Ag Conference at NC State, an opportunity to connect, collaborate and shape the future of AI-enabled agriculture. Taking place March 31 to April 2, the event will emphasize how integrative, AI-enabled solutions can enhance productivity, profitability and environmental stewardship across crop and livestock production and supply chains. 
• On April 16 and 17, the N.C. PSI will help host the N.C. Youth Institute, designed to ignite a passion for solving global hunger through an engaging exploration of agriculture and food systems. The event helps spark emerging leaders in developing innovative solutions for our world’s most pressing grand challenges. Youth participating in this program will develop research papers and posters on global food security, agriculture and sustainability. 

The event, offered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, NC State Extension’s 4-H Youth Development Program and the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences and the N.C. PSI, is part of the World Food Prize Foundation’s Global Youth Institute. 

From the Shelton Leadership Center:

• In today’s rapidly evolving job market, the most complex problems aren’t solved in a vacuum. They are solved when organizations bridge skill sets and functional backgrounds. The Interdisciplinary Connections to Careers series, launched by the Shelton Leadership Center in partnership with the NC State Graduate School, aims to tackle these complex problems by creating a space for students, faculty and practitioners to ideate together.
• The Shelton Leadership Center staff is partnering with the NC Cooperative Extension to produce and facilitate curriculum for the Academy to Advance Leadership within Extension (AALE) program. This year-long leadership development opportunity launched in January, with cohort members meeting in Durham for the first of five sessions. The cohort brings together 30 mid-career Extension professionals from across North Carolina. Each of the five sessions spans multiple days and will take place at different Extension office locations, concluding in December.

From University Sustainability:

• April is Earth Month at NC State. This month-long emphasis on the planet features more than 60 sustainability-related events. From fairs and service opportunities to outdoor events and workshops, there’s something for everyone. Learn more at go.ncsu.edu/earthmonth. 
• The Sustainability Showcase invites NC State students, student organizations, departments and researchers to share their sustainability-focused research and projects in a science-fair style format on Tuesday, April 21 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Kicking off NC State’s Celebration of Sustainability, the showcase offers attendees the chance to engage directly with presenters, explore innovative work happening across campus and connect with the people advancing sustainability.