An Extraordinary Milestone

NC State faculty members are guided by an extraordinary purpose. They inspire students to think creatively and critically. They serve as mentors. They support graduate students — the future of academia. And they undertake vital research that strengthens our ability to provide solutions to society’s grandest challenges.

At the launch of the Campaign, fewer than 10 percent of NC State professors held named and endowed positions, which put us behind our peer institutions. Investment to increase this percentage is critical — a distinguished professorship represents a continued commitment on behalf of the university to a professor’s research, professional development and mentorship activities.

Our donors have responded to this need, endowing 100 faculty positions over the course of the Think and Do the Extraordinary Campaign. This means that when we are hiring new faculty members, we are in a better position to recruit top talent. It also means that we can retain the outstanding faculty members who are already at NC State and honor the amazing work they are doing and have done throughout their careers.

Increasing the number of distinguished professors also means strengthening our ability to attract the most promising graduate and doctoral students. Many professors use their discretionary funding to support their graduate students through research positions or by sending them to conferences, where they represent NC State on the national or international stage.

Our goal is to grow as a comprehensive research powerhouse, and when graduate students know they have the opportunity to work with innovators in the field, they want to join our university.

We are grateful for our donors’ extraordinary investment in our faculty and our future. It is an incredible vote of confidence in our work, our mission and our institution.

Your Generosity — and Our Faculty — at Work

Extraordinary Gift Supports Aging Pets

An extraordinary gift to the College of Veterinary Medicine from alumna Kady Gjessing lays the foundation for veterinary gerontology, establishing the Dr. Kady M. Gjessing and Rahna M. Davidson Distinguished Chair in Gerontology, held by Natasha Olby.

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A Perfect Fit

The Jackson Family Distinguished Professorship in Biomedical Engineering reflects donor Jerry Jackson’s decades of NC State support and bolsters faculty member Helen Huang’s work to improve lives.

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Shaking Up Earthquake Research

The Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering’s Mervyn Kowalsky channels distinguished professorship funding to support students and their work to address structural engineering challenges.

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We Are the Wolfpack: Meet Akram Khater

Akram Khater holds the Khayrallah Chair in Diaspora Studies and serves as director of the Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies, which he helped create. His life’s work is changing the lives of Lebanese Americans in North Carolina and beyond.

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Breeding a Berry Successful Career

WIth support from the John D. and Nell R. Leazar Distinguished Professorship, Gina Fernandez continues an extraordinary career dedicated developing a better berry — and the next generation of plant breeders.

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For Ade, Professorship Fuels Growth

Harald Ade, Goodnight Innovation Distinguished Professor, is grateful for the resources his professorship provides and says that these positions not only boost faculty research — they retain and attract the brightest minds.

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Extraordinary Purpose

Thanks to your support, NC State’s faculty continues to be a powerful force for good — on campus, across North Carolina and around the globe.

Read more about how philanthropy powers our Extraordinary Purpose.

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