Agromeck, the University’s award-winning yearbook publication, is providing any senior who takes a senior portrait a free yearbook.

Bryant Robbins, Agromeck editor-in-chief, said offering seniors a free yearbook is part of a pilot project that was brought up last year.

“We want to provide seniors with a way to be able to remember their college career, and specifically their senior year,” he said. 

According to Robbins, the project is currently funded through money that was received from summer school student fees, but in future years the project will depend on the fee increase that was voted on by students earlier this fall.

“We asked for an increase on $1, and only got $0.50,” he said. “So that will affect the number of yearbooks we are able to give away in the future.”

John Elias, Agromeck editor emeritus and the initiator of the project, said not getting the entire $1 will make an impact on the future of the yearbook initiative.

“It will make a difference in the long run,” he said. “It is frustrating because it could have gone so much further. Its unfortunate because who knows how long it will be able to work, but for now, we have a chance to see if the project will be successful.”

Robbins said there is a growing interest from students.

“As of last week we only had 20 people signed up for portraits, and today we have all the appointments full,” he said. “We are even going to bring in a second photographer, which is a good problem to have.”

Although the number of books that are printed depends on how many advertisements are sold, they are unsure if they will have enough books to hand out to all students, he said.

“We are planning to print 1,000 books, and we do not plan on having 1,000 seniors take their portraits,” Robbins said. “If for some reason we don’t have enough, as advertised, they will be given out on a first come, first serve basis.”

According to Elias, getting a portrait taken makes you part of N.C. State history.

“[Portraits] are and important part of the yearbook being a historical document of the University,” he said.

Elias said in past years, Agromeck has been asked to provide the senior portraits of political figures including John Edwards, who had a portrait taken, and the current White House Press Secretary John Gibbs, who did not have one.

“More portraits makes [Agromeck] a more complete historic document,” he said. “You never know when people will look back at your photo.”

Richard Bache, a senior in turf grass science, said the yearbook give-away is a good opportunity.

“As a senior, I am glad to see the University is giving something back to the students,” he said. “This is a great way to look back and remember the college years.”

Robbins encourages all seniors to get their portrait taken.

“The fact that you are getting a free yearbook is a pretty sweet deal,” he said. “And it’s a historical record of what you did that year and you can look back at what you were a part of.”