Red and White for Life

I want to dedicate an entire blog post to my true love...

Here's to you, North Carolina State University.

This post isn't to compare universities or

begin a discussion about which one is "better".

No, this is merely to describe the fire-hot passion and unwavering love I feel for the Wolfpack nation, the People's University, the place I and more than 34,000 of my closest friends call home.

Let us begin with location. My University is located in the state capital of Raleigh, one of the fastest growing cities in the country. I share this city with all walks of life, young and old. I walk the streets of downtown in awe of it's beauty and history, and can't help but love the eclectic food, art, and nightlife scenes. I can visit museums, state government officials, or practically any shopping area I can think of. In April of this year, the US Chamber of Commerce tapped Raleigh as the nation's most sustainable mid-size community (Click here for the article.)

We are a community that cares about our community. In 1998, NC State Student Government and the Park Scholars began Service Raleigh, the largest student run service organization in the Triangle area. We are also home to the infamous Krispy Kreme Challenge, a race that raised $100,000 for the NC Children's Hospital this past year. (Click here to watch the ESPN video.) Students participate in Alternative Service Break, a program that sends students on student led trips to countries across the globe and places within our own country to serve in the areas of civil rights, environmental issues, conservation, gender inequality, health education/medical, homelessness, hunger, immigration, interfaith dialogue, substandard housing, water quality/sanitation, and youth education. (Click here to read about some of those experiences.) NC State also has the Caldwell Fellows program, an "intensive leadership-development scholarship program that brings together young people who share a passion for learning, growing, and serving others." I am so blessed to be a part of this program, and this past Spring Break I traveled to Mexico with a team of people to teach English in a rural community school. Saul Flores, the leader of this trip, traveled nearly 5,000 miles across 10 Latin American countries this past summer in what is known as "The Walk of the Immigrants". (Click here for more about his journey.) Saul is one of thousands of students at NC State who understand the importance of service and being globally engaged.

Speaking of international travel, let me tell you a little about our study abroad program. In 2009-2010, 1,062 students studied abroad. An estimated 22.1% of NC State undergraduate degree students study abroad. Think you can't afford it? Apply for scholarships within the program, awarded both fall and spring semesters. Last year, over $180,ooo was awarded. 30% of those who applied received a scholarship. You can even apply for a scholarship before you apply for the program, so you can plan accordingly.

I am receiving a top-notch education. NC State’s research expenditures are approaching more than $325 million annually, with almost 70 percent of faculty engaged in sponsored research and 2,500 graduate students supported by research grants. NC State is ranked third among all public universities (without medical schools) in industry-sponsored research expenditures.

NC State research developments include:

- The world’s first synthetic aorta

- The prototype for an artificial retina

- A blood cholesterol test that more accurately measures the risk of heart disease

- Statistical models that will aid in designing new treatment strategies for HIV patients

- Lighter, fire-resistant and biological agent-resistant turnout gear for first responders

- Statistical software that led to the creation of SAS, the world’s largest privately held software company

- A permanent nanocoating that, when exposed to light, kills or inactivates bacteria and viruses

- Genomic sequence of the rice plant and its greatest enemy – the rice-blast disease pathogen

NC State also sends more people to medical school each year than any other university in NC.

If you are interested in law school, click here for a list of law schools accepting NC State students. The list includes Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Duke, etc etc.

NC State also prepares several students to enter the world of agriculture, an industry that employs 21 million Americans. The United States claims the most productive farmer, with each producing enough food and fiber to feed 155 people. We also spend a smaller percentage of our yearly income on food than any other country in the world. So, NC State is preparing students for careers in engineering, education, business, sending them to prestigious medical and law schools, and equipping people to feed you three times a day. Man, what a diverse experience. Imagine the diversity of our student body.

Now on to one of my favorite things: athletics. I wish I could tell you that we've won a million national titles in every sport, but I cannot. What I can tell you is that you will find loyal, devoted, and ever-faithful fans that LOVE this university. We LOVE our athletic programs, thick or thin, and that's what makes us a family. We don't jump off the wagon when things get tough. We have always been here and always will be. We celebrate when it rains and we celebrate when it shines, because at the end of the day, we are part of the Wolfpack nation, and that means something. I am excited about our future, and have full faith we will see national titles again.

If you're like me and not talented enough to be recruited by a Division I school, NC State offers over 45 club sports and 18 intramural leagues. There are over 600 clubs registered with our Student Organization Resource Center, and new ones are created all the time. As you can imagine, they are diverse and cover a wide range of interests. I'm also not the only one interested in experiencing these things... NC State receives the most applications from North Carolina students.

Some may read this and think "man, she really got into it." Yes, I did. NC State is something to be passionate about, and I am so proud of my University. It's the friendly faces I meet walking across campus, painting my body for football games, and falling asleep in the Court of North Carolina. It's the late night cookout runs, running to the bell tower after victory, and the talented people who push me to be better. I love the bricks, the color red, and the amazing opportunities I've found here. This is my home, and the student body is part of my family.

I am red and white for LIFE, and regardless of where you attend or who you cheer for, I hope that you can experience such an intense love affair. I genuinely hope you can have even a fourth of the love I have for the North Carolina State University.

Go Pack.