Scholars Forum USP Courses Scholars Achieve!
“Being in the Scholars Program has enriched my learning outside of the classroom. When I reflect upon my time at State, I will remember the cultural diversity, forums, and performances I attended as the “college experience” I had always dreamed of.” Jodie Joseph ‘12, Animal Science and Nonprofit Studies
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Scholars Village Alumni Talk
pg 03 Alumni Spotlight Alumni Survey Giving
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University Scholars Program Culturally-connected, informed and engaged citizens Fall 2012 Alumni Newsletter—Celebrating 33 years! We hope that as you read this newsletter and review our website, you will be impressed with the development and growth that has occurred. The success of this program is made possible by the enthusiasm, hard work, vision and commitment of our students and alumni. We are immensely grateful to have the opportunity to work with outstanding individuals like you. After thirty-three years, our students and alumni are still fixtures, ceilings, floors, doors...you name putting knowledge into action, and we it, it was updated! Also updated, the USP couldn’t be happier! office suite in 102 Sullivan, as well as the first floor lounge and computer lab. We’re Best wishes for continued success, very excited with the results, and hope Alex Miller, Vice Provost that you’ll have the opportunity to stop by Division of Academic & Student Affairs and see the improvements in person! Director, University Scholars Program
Dear University Scholars Program Alumni: program and leading our efforts to expand USP service opportunities. We have a Whether you graduated from NC State in new website (scholars.dasa.ncsu.edu) 1982 or 2012, we are happy that you were and an active Facebook community. And a part of the University Scholars Program since last year we’ve offered new, 1-credit (USP)...or the Residential Scholars hour classes for upperclassmen Scholars. Program, as it used to be called, for you real old-timers! As NC State continues to One big change that I’m sure our alumni grow and change, you will always be an will be excited to learn is that this past important part of the fabric of the life and summer, Sullivan Residence Hall received history of this campus and of the USP. a complete renovation. New furniture, In fact, this year has been one of significant changes for the USP. We are now part of the new Division of Academic & Student Affairs. We have a new Assistant Director, Chester Brewer, who is shaping our Outdoor Explorations
University Scholars Program 102 Sullivan Hall Campus Box 7316 Raleigh, NC 27695
919.515.2353 university_scholars@ncsu.edu www.ncsu.edu/univ_scholars www.facebook.com/NCSUScholars
Scholars Forum, USP 110
The Scholars Forum is still the heart of the University Scholars Program! A zero credit hour course that University Scholars enroll in for three semesters at NC State, the Forum features musical and theatrical performances, addresses by major public figures and world-class scientists, and debates and discussions of significant public policy issues. Forum guests this Fall included: • The world’s leading underwater photographer, David Doubilet, took us on a global journey from the heart of the
coral triangle in Indonesia to Africa’s Okavango Delta.
• Grenoldo Frazier, a phenomenal musician and composer, performed A Celebration of African-American Music. • Dr. Elliot Engel, an amazing lecturer and perennial favorite of University Scholars, introduced us to the fascinating
stories of literary legends William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.
• Director of the N. C. Museum of Natural Sciences and 2012 Tar Heel of the Year recipient, Dr. Betsy Bennett joined
us to discuss science, education and advocacy.
Scholars
Achieve! Rusty Mau, sophomore University Scholar and Park Scholar, was selected as the 2012 Leader of the Pack. In fact, five of the six finalists this year were University Scholars! University Scholars Sasha Abed, Melodi Charles and Caleb Haselton all received 2013 Gilman International Scholarships. University Scholar Ian Hill, ‘13, is the NC State nominee for the Churchill Scholarship, a one-year award that leads to the Masters of Philosophy (M.Phil.) from the University of Cambridge. 117 first year University Scholars had 4.0 GPAs at the end of the Fall 2012 semester. 306 had GPAs of at least 3.5 at the end of the Fall 2012 semester.
USP 200-level Courses Last year, the USP introduced a new series of courses that students can use in partial fulfillment of their coursework requirement. USP 200-level courses are open to students who have completed three semesters of Scholars Forum, and are designed to enhance their connection to the USP community and complement the USP’s mission. Two courses were offered last year: “Great Decisions” introduced students to important foreign policy issues, while “USP Book Club: Contemporary Fiction” invited students to read, discuss and analyze some of the best books written in recent years. Student evaluations of these courses were outstanding. “Great course. A wonderful way to stay informed about foreign policy issues and build a knowledge of the current state of affairs! This course is an excellent complement to the University Scholars program.” “This class helped improve my critical reading skills. Especially by the end of the semester, I was catching onto literary devices and deeper meanings that I wouldn't have noticed at the beginning of the semester. Choosing books from different cultures felt very aligned with the University Scholars Program's objectives.” These courses were offered again for the 2012-13 year, with an additional course being added for Spring 2013. Taught by USP alum (and Harvard graduate) John Coggin ‘08, “Defining the American Dream in the 21st Century” will explore various political, economic and religious conceptions of American identity.
Outdoor Explorations This fall, Outdoor Explorations (OE) kicked off the adventure with a white water rafting and camping excursion along the Chattooga River in South Carolina. Next, students embarked on a Fall Break trip to Acadia National Park, Maine. While in the park students did a cycle tour, hiked several trails, helped construct a trail, and saw some of the most pristine lands in the northeast. Wrapping up the semester, students kayaked from the mainland at Hammocks Beach State Park, NC out to Bear Island. Over a wonderful weekend the group had the island nearly to themselves to enjoy sun, surf, paddling and camaraderie. Looking forward to Spring 2013, OE has more exciting trips in store. Over spring break, a group of enthusiastic explorers will head to Costa Rica where they will zipline, white water raft, hike in the rainforest, participate in a homestay, converse with craftspeople involved in fair trade, and even learn to milk a cow. Later in the semester, we will make a return visit to Pickards Mountain Eco-Institute for a Spring Sustainability Retreat. During this retreat students will have the chance to learn about permaculture, work in the garden, care for the animals, and prepare homemade meals with the food items grown on site.
Scholars Village & VIA Housed on floors 2-4 of Sullivan Hall, the Scholars Village offers students a wide range of educational and social opportunities that ease the transition to college life and help students make connections with each other, NC State, and the world around them. The USP Office is located in Sullivan, and specially trained Scholars Village Assistants (SVAs) live and work in the Village. All Scholars Village residents participate in a Village in Action (VIA) group. Through the VIA program, village residents take part in a series of speciallyplanned events that will allow them to interact closely with their fellow residents, a SVA, and a professional staff member. These events will also count towards their Scholars Forum events requirement.
New for Fall 2012! Sullivan Residence Hall underwent some major changes this past summer. Each room has new furniture, lighting, fixtures, flooring...you name it— and the USP offices got an extreme makeover too. If you’re back on campus, we encourage you to drop by the office and see the renovated space.
Alumni Talk with Barton Strawn of Lumina Clothing Co. There is something to be said about starting your own company - it is a labor of love, a trial, and a powder keg of excitement. There is even more to be said about starting a company in a field you know very little about from the outset. Take for example Lumina Clothing Company in downtown Raleigh. This newly minted small business was founded by NC State graduates from disparate backgrounds - architecture, nuclear engineering and environmental studies. The company focuses on high quality men's clothing with a nod to southern charm and US manufacturing. This fall, thirteen University Scholars had the chance to visit the brand new retail location for an intimate conversation with USP Alum Barton Strawn ‘10, one of the founders and creative director of the company. Barton told the students about the challenges and rewards of starting a small business, the obstacles faced in launching a distinctive brand, and the tangible excitement of growing a project you care about deeply. Students were eager to ask questions concerning the political climate for small businesses right now, techniques for visual merchandising, and how to best use crowd-funding sites like Kickstarter to launch a dream. Calling Triangle-area alumni! Helping make connections between our current students and USP alumni is an on-going goal of the University Scholars Program. Our students are interested in a wide range of graduate and professional opportunities—if you’ve already blazed the trail they would love to join you for a small group discussion like the one with Barton. Email Allison Medlin at ajmedlin@ncsu.edu to learn more about this opportunity.
Catching up with Chelsea Davis ‘05 Tell us about what you are doing currently? Right now I am working as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Physics and Mechanics of Heterogeneous Materials Laboratory at the Ecole Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles (ESPCI ParisTech) in the center of Paris. It is a two year postdoc position sponsored by Michelin. I graduated from UMass Amherst earlier this year with a PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering and then moved here to Paris so that I could continue doing academic research on the physics of adhesion in soft materials. How did being a University Scholar benefit you during college and after? During college, being a Scholar benefited me by providing me with an instant community from the first day that I moved into Sullivan Hall. I watched films, listened to speakers, and attended concerts that I would not have been exposed to without the USP. Being able to register a day early helped me get into courses, particularly smaller advanced Spanish courses, that I wouldn't have been able to attend as an underclassman if I hadn't been a Scholar.
better prepared to interact with people from all over the globe as a direct result of being exposed to so many unique opinions, ideas, and experiences while a Scholar. What are some of your favorite memories of being a University Scholar? During my junior year, the USP sponsored a trip to NYC. I remember running all over Manhattan with a bunch of other Scholars; eating cheesecake at Cafe Lalo, meeting the Blue Man Group after their show, and trying to order Dim Sum in China Town. That was a really good trip! At another point, someone organized a scavenger hunt of the wolf statues that were scattered throughout Raleigh. We had to do silly things like paint your face red and pose with the wolf in front of the RBC center or eat a donut while sitting on the wolf outside a pastry shop. This event was one of the first ones that I participated in at NCSU and I met one of my best friends while we drove all over Raleigh. He is still one of my closest friends. There is also still red paint (don't know who chose vinyl paint instead of face paint) on the floor of my car.
Since college, several times I have met with fellow alumni that I had a direct connection with through the USP. I have also been working in I still smile whenever I think of the role that the USP played in my an ever more culturally and ethnically diverse field and have been college experience and am still friends with a lot of Scholars.
Giving
Alumni Survey & Events
Was the USP an important part of your university experience? We hope so, and we hope you will consider making a gift in support of this longstanding program—now in its 33rd year. You can support the University Scholars Program through the Annual Giving website:
Stay connected with the University Scholars Program! We would like to ensure that all of our information for you is current. Please visit this link to reach our Alumni Survey:
https://ccfn.ncsu.edu/advancement-services/giving/. Please select the University Scholars Program from the drop-down menu. Thank you for your support - it truly makes a difference in the lives of our students!
http://scholars.dasa.ncsu.edu/alumni/survey Whether you live in Raleigh or Los Angeles, NCSU hosts events for alumni across the country. Visit www.alumni.ncsu.edu to learn more about upcoming alumni events, or contact Liz McFarlane at eamcfarl@ncsu.edu to find out when NCSU will be hosting an event in your city.