Amidst government cuts to education, N.C. State has found a way to stay competitive and find funding. 

As universities across the nation, such as Clemson University, Michigan State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, seek private grants and partnerships to help offset drastic reductions in income, N.C. State is no exception. 

Currently, 65 partners either rent office spaces or are headquartered on Centennial Campus, according to Leah Burton, director of partnership development on Centennial Campus. 

“The whole idea of Centennial is to create a place where faculty and students can collaborate with the government and corporations together,” Burton said.

Students and Partnerships

The question is often asked: Are students only seeking a job through the partners on Centennial, or is academia also important to industry? Student Body President, Andy Walsh, said he hopes there’s a little bit of both.

“It’s important that the values of our degrees are taken seriously,” Walsh said. 

CEO of Research Triangle Park, Bob Geolas, said he believes students are getting an education while also making an investment in a talent or skill that helps them in their future endeavors.

The goal of land-grant universities such as N.C. State is to help students find a job while gaining the experience necessary for their future career goals, according to Geolas.

“Students are very smart and very capable and they can protect themselves very well,” Geolas said. 

Almost all partner companies on Centennial hire student interns, provide co-ops or sponsor projects in hopes to turn these opportunities into full time employment, Burton said.

Rebecca Borttoff, chief people officer for Bandwith, one of the partners located on Centennial, said students who participate in co-ops, internships, special projects and other Bandwidth student programs are most likely to be hired.

Borttoff also said students are more likely to be hired if they have demonstrated imagination, ingenuity and the ability to learn quickly and contribute.

“The reason why centennial started was because of the need for ongoing research with faculty and students,” Geolas said. 

Partnership campuses help the University remain prominent in research and job creation, despite governmental cuts to education, Chancellor Randy Woodson said. 

Current Partners 

Eastman Chemical, based in Kingsport, Tenn., held their grand opening on Friday to celebrate their partnering  with Centennial. 

Eastman Chemical develops various types of polymer and sustainable products, according to Gary Luce, Eastman Chemical’s technology liaison.

Jim Rogers, CEO of Eastman Chemical, said he and his team went through a rigorous process to select N.C. State as their partner from the top research schools across the country. 

Virginia Tech, the University of Minnesota and the University of Illinois were among the other top contenders competing with N.C. State, Luce said. 

Luce said Eastman Chemical ultimately decided to partner with N.C. State for three reasons—the people, the science and the use of innovative problem-solving skills.

“Our decision had so very much to do with what the people at N.C. State were like to work with,” Rogers said. 

Rogers said Eastman Chemical’s $10 million decision to partner with N.C. State should benefit both parties. Eastman Chemical will soon be offering internships and co-ops in exchange for student and faculty research and input for their company. 

The Future of Centennial

What’s next for Centennial— is the university slowly privatizing and exploiting students? With a lot less funding coming from the state government, N.C. State is trying to keep costs low by looking for support from the private sector.

“We’re not privatizing, but maximizing in way of public dollars,” Burton said.

Chancellor Woodson said he has absolutely no plans to privatize the University. Woodson said he views partnership campuses as an opportunity to move companies and the economy forward through the University during the grand opening of the University’s new partnership with Eastman Chemical on April 18.

“The industry has discovered over time that there’s a lot of brainpower on campuses,” Gene Pinder, director of marketing for Centennial Campus, said.

Pinder said N.C. State has only “scratched the surface” of working closely with RTP and summed up the idea of a partnership campus: “It’s all about how we can all help each other.”