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Alumni Magazine

From the NC State Engineering Foundation Board of Directors

From left to right, Bobby Barnes, Ryan Burkett, Beth Smith, Pamela Townsend and Radhika Venkatraman.
From left to right, Bobby Barnes, Ryan Burkett, Beth Smith, Pamela Townsend and Radhika Venkatraman.

The NC State Engineering Foundation (NCSEF) was established in 1944 to aid and promote, by financial assistance and otherwise, engineering education and research at NC State. A board of directors made up of alumni and friends of the College of Engineering works with the college advancement staff and the dean of engineering to set the Foundation’s agenda.

Member updates

The board of directors has added five new members:

▪ Bobby Barnes
▪ Ryan Burkett
▪ Beth Smith
▪ Pamela Townsend (returning for a second term)
▪ Radhika Venkatraman

The following members have completed their terms:

▪ Bruce Baldwin
▪ Mike Creed
▪ Rashida Hodge
▪ Sam McCachern
▪ V. Nelson Peeler

Board president shares perspective on board’s role in engineering expansion

Imagine stepping into a new job with the expectation of growing the enterprise by 40 percent over the next few years while maintaining quality, retaining (and expanding) staff, adding new facilities and sustaining market-leading research. This, in a nutshell, is the challenge facing our new College of Engineering dean, Jim Pfaendtner. The NC State Engineering Foundation Board is focused on helping the dean in his stated goal of “doing expansion right.”

So, what does “doing expansion right” mean from our perspective? It means finding ways to expand the number of engineering alumni who annually support the College. It means being effective advocates for the College in professional and civic settings, creating and sustaining relationships that benefit both our alumni and the College. The Engineering Foundation Board members will also set the example by supporting the Dean’s Leadership Fund and other forms of philanthropy.

The 40 percent expansion goal, made possible by critical support from the North Carolina General Assembly, is recognition of the economic engine that engineers represent, but it is also recognition of the quality and caliber of engineers that NC State produces. Being an NC State engineering graduate was a “door opener” during my career. And like other board members, I see this as an opportunity to give back and ensure this expansion is a success. I hope you share our pride in NC State Engineering and will consider making a gift to the College at give.ncsu.edu/engineering and/or attending a local gathering when the dean comes to your area. Together, we can lead the way into the next 100 years of NC State Engineering.

— Scott Stabler, BSME ‘82, President, NC State Engineering Foundation Board of Directors

Get involved

To learn more about board service for the College of Engineering or to nominate someone, contact Griffin Lamb at grlamb@ncsu.edu.