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Chancellor’s Fall Address

Extraordinary Past, Present and Future

On Nov. 2, 2018, Chancellor Randy Woodson returned to Talley Student Union to deliver his annual fall address to the NC State community.

But this year he did so from the floor of the building’s public atrium, at the heart of student life on campus. Surrounded by hundreds of students, staff, faculty, alumni, donors and friends, he offered a look back at NC State’s past — to its proud legacy and purpose as a land-grant institution — and a glimpse toward its future.

Noting that his yearly address has grown longer and longer as NC State’s awards and honors grow more and more numerous, Woodson directed the crowd to visit ncsu.edu/recognize to discover even more of what the university community has achieved in the past 12 months or so.

The chancellor took the opportunity to retell the story of Irwin Holmes, NC State’s first African American graduate and a pioneering Atlantic Coast Conference athlete. The day before the fall address was marked by the dedication of Holmes Hall, the former University College Commons building.

“Holmes Hall will stand as a constant reminder of our responsibility — and our opportunity — to ensure everyone is welcome, respected and supported on this campus,” said Woodson.

The chancellor also spoke to NC State’s remarkable progress since 2010, guided by the university’s strategic plan. He highlighted NC State’s largest, most qualified and most diverse first-year class ever; the $1.4 billion already raised for the Think and Do the Extraordinary Campaign; and the university’s status as the best college in North Carolina, according to Money magazine.

Woodson also called on the entire Wolfpack community to live up to the university’s Think and Do culture: “Think about how we can work, individually and collectively, to make NC State better each day. And then do it.”

Before concluding his address, the chancellor made one final announcement: A extraordinary $28 million gift from Fred Wilson Jr. and the Wilson family to establish NC State’s second named college. The Wilson College of Textiles, Woodson said, “will ensure NC State and North Carolina remain the home of the United States textiles industry for generations to come.”

As he drew his 2018 address to a close, the chancellor said that he hoped all in attendance were as proud and inspired as he was by the university’s people, purpose and impact.

Discover more highlights from this year’s address as it unfolded live on NC State Twitter.

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