Crowdfunding campaigns support COE academic programs

Over the last year, NC State College of Engineering (COE) staff and faculty members have led three successful crowdfunding campaigns for student-centered programs in the COE Office of Academic Affairs.

These campaigns were selected by NC State Crowdfunding, which manages six to seven campaigns each semester. NC State Crowdfunding connects alumni, friends, family and community members with causes they’re passionate about and helps students and faculty and staff members bring their ideas to life.

For more information about future campaigns and how to support them, please contact Molly Andrews, assistant director of philanthropy, at meandre2@ncsu.edu.

Alternative Service Break in Rwanda

Launched during the fall 2023 semester, this campaign raised double its fundraising goal for the annual spring Alternative Service Break (ASB) trip to Rwanda led by the Women and Minority Engineering Programs. The campaign’s funds covered costs for students to participate in cultural experiences during their trip.

Danielle Lewis, who graduated in May 2024 with a B.S. in industrial and systems engineering, was a student team leader for this year’s trip after attending in 2023.

“If it weren’t for ASB, I would not have the same awe and excitement for learning about and immersing myself in new cultures,” she said. “I believe that incorporating and understanding international perspectives yields creative and remarkable results, which is an invaluable quality I want to possess as an emerging engineer.”

The Engineering Place

The Engineering Place (TEP) met its first crowdfunding campaign goal in fall 2023 to support its engineering outreach programs to engage students in engineering problem-solving and careers with learning experiences hosted at schools and on Centennial Campus. The campaign funded TEP’s travel to K-12 schools and provided resources for hands-on, take-home engineering projects that encourage students to continue the engineering design process, sharing what they are learning with their families.

“Their excitement as they engage in hands-on projects while creatively solving engineering challenges is contagious, and their enthusiasm extends the impact of the activity even further as they develop their STEM identity,” said Leah Bug, director of TEP. “I believe crowdfunding worked because our community really cares about investing in the future generation and increasing their understanding of engineering.”

Summer research experiences for incoming Grand Challenges Scholars

Through the Grand Challenges Scholars Program (GCSP) Undergraduate Research Experience, students participate in mentored research. During the 10-week summer program, they are paid a stipend, which is funded by the engineering enhancement fee. But because incoming first-year and transfer students have not yet paid the fee, they are not eligible for a stipend.

Olgha Qaqish, director of the GCSP, decided to initiate a crowdfunding campaign that ran during the spring semester to support incoming students interested in summer research.

“My idea is that during the fifth week, incoming students come in, and students already in the program have gained five weeks of research experience and can be peer mentors,” she said. “For the next five weeks, they can work together in a community of practice.”

By the numbers

• Support Students in Learning International Perspectives, Rwanda ASB Trip
  43 donors
  $10,050
• The Engineering Place
  45 donors
  $5,201
• Support Engineering Students in Research Around Grand Challenges
  69 donors
  $5,323