Chancellor Randy Woodson delivered his annual fall address on the State of NC State Friday, focusing on diversity in higher education, the increasing competitiveness of NC State and the success of NC State’s most recent fundraising campaign, Think and Do The Extraordinary.
Woodson was proud that NC State was selected as a recipient of the 2017 Inside Diversity in Higher Education Excellence Award. NC State is making efforts to encourage diversity, like Diversity Education Week and the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity.
“The [Inside Diversity in Higher Education Excellence Award] is the only national recognition honoring colleges and universities that show an outstanding commitment to diversity across campus,” Woodson said. “It is critical that our campus community vigorously reject violence, bigotry, intolerance, hatred and ensure that all members of our community feel treated with dignity and respect.”
Student Body President Jackie Gonzalez, a fourth-year studying political science, introduced Woodson. Gonzalez noted that the address marks the end of Red and White Week, which she praised for “providing us the opportunity to come together, students, faculty and staff as one Wolfpack to celebrate this great university.”
Woodson thanked all trustees, cabinet members, deans, department heads and faculty members for all they do to “keep NC State strong.”
Woodson expressed pride in the campus spirit at NC State, of special importance in the rundown of Red and White Week.
“Unlike many universities this is a very personable place, if you come here as a student you are going to be treated with lots of love and a lot of respect,” Woodson said.
Woodson noted the success of recent fundraising campaigns, and thanked alumni for their help in raising the sum of $1.65 billion for the public university.
“Our primary goal is to ensure the success of our students, and to do that our number one goal is to attract highly qualified students who are prepared to succeed at a highly competitive university such as NC State, and we are succeeding at that,” Woodson said. “First year applications increased 32 percent, our average incoming freshman student had a weighted GPA of 4.54… I would have had to go somewhere else.”
Woodson highlighted the successes of numerous students including Marshall Scholars, Churchill Scholars and more, including Tillman Scholar and veterinary school degree candidate Amy Phflaum, a U.S. Army veteran.
Woodson noted the importance of service to the NC State community, praising the alternative service break program and students who spend “their vacations giving back. Woodson also praised the latest Krispy Kreme Challenge for raising $190,000 for the UNC Children’s Hospital and said the event has raised $1.3 million in total for the hospital, while calling “a dozen doughnuts in five miles, a little disgusting.”
Woodson closed on a high note.
“I want to thank each and every one of you for your commitment to making NC State extraordinary and I’m proud that we’ve just completed one of the most successful years in our history of a great university and each year I say it because I mean it, I’m very proud to be your chancellor,” Woodson said.
Various faculty members, students and other patrons of NC State observe Chancellor Woodson's Fall Address in Stewart Theatre at Talley Student Union on Friday. Chancellor Woodson informed them of what has happened at NC State in the past year.
