noteworthy
NEWS
Marc Hall
2015 class of William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professors honored at special celebration
T
he newest William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professors were welcomed at a special reception Sept. 8 at the NC State University Club. The event celebrating the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ most distinguished professorship was hosted by CALS Dean Richard Linton. Seven CALS faculty members joined the ranks of colleagues who have earned the named professorship, established 65 years ago by William Neal Reynolds, the longtime president and board chair of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Since that time, 92 outstanding CALS faculty members have been named WNR professors, and more than 30 of them were in attendance at the reception to honor the new group, as well as celebrate the program. The new class of WNR professors includes Dr. Dennis T. Brown, Molecular and Structural Biochemistry; Dr. W. Gregory Cope, Applied Ecology; Dr. William L. Flowers, Animal Science; Dr. William F. Hunt III, Biological and Agricultural Engineering; Dr. David L. Jordan, Crop Science; Dr. Ken H. Pollock, Applied Ecology; and Dr. G. Craig Yencho, Horticultural Science. “The William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professorship program was created to enhance recognition of the college’s leadership in the advances of agricultural sciences and technology,” Linton said. “For 65 years, this has been a wonderful legacy, as William Neal Reynolds Professors have distinguished themselves as scholars, leaders, teachers and mentors.” Those eligible for the professorship include CALS professors in the fields of agricultural biochemistry, agricultural economics, animal industry, entomology, horticulture, plant pathology, poultry or rural sociology. (Reynolds
From left are William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professors Ken H. Pollock, William L. Flowers, G. Craig Yencho, William F. Hunt III, David L. Jordan and W. Gregory Cope, along with CALS Dean Richard Linton. (Not pictured is WNR Professor Dennis T. Brown.)
himself suggested that the original 10 professors be distributed across various disciplines of agriculture.) Linton noted that the WNR endowment which supports the program enables the college to retain and attract prominent scientists. It is “designed to strengthen teaching, research and extension programs in various fields of agriculture to improve the quality of life in rural North Carolina,” he said. After presenting award certificates to each of the WNR professors in the 2015 cohort, Linton announced something new being added to the program. “The college wants to do all that we can to accelerate the potential for this cohort to be interdisciplinary team leaders for our college,” Linton said. “Therefore, I am pleased to announce a new leadership initiative that we are designing to support the two most recent cohorts of William Neal Reynolds Professors. These individuals will be invited to participate in a yearlong program of short workshops in
partnership with the General H. Hugh Shelton Leadership Center.” Linton said that the program will enhance the group’s skills for addressing key leadership challenges for interdisciplinary work, strengthen the cohort and enhance the program’s legacy as the group “builds a pipeline for the future.” When William Neal Reynolds established the endowment creating the distinguished professorships in 1950, it was one of the greatest gifts that had been made to a single CALS program. The gift, one of many made to NC State University by the Reynolds family in Winston-Salem, has benefitted not only the recipients but the many others who have gained from the research, teaching and extension efforts of those who bear the title of William Neal Reynolds Professor. Said Linton, “We have confidence that all of our new WNR professors will continue this outstanding tradition of scholarship and service.” – Terri Leith
winter 2016
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