N.C. State University Chancellor Randy Woodson flaunted his Wolfpack spirit as he spoke to members of the Rotary Club of Kinston Thursday, where several incoming State students were in attendance.
As three Lenoir County students received scholarships to the university, they got first-hand interactions with Woodson.
“It’s really exciting,” said Arendell Parrott Academy student Amanda Connor. “It’s a great opportunity to meet the leader of my school.”
Connor was one of two Parks Scholarship recipients from Lenoir County and will study business at N.C. State.
There were 45 total Parks scholarships awarded statewide, and winners included South Lenoir High School’s Cameron Gray.
Gray will be a member of the Class of 2019, as he will serve a two-year mission with his church, something he’s always wanted to do, before starting his college career.
“It feels good,” he said about being one step closer to attending N.C. State. “It’s pretty exciting.”
The scholarship will be deferred until he enrolls in August 2015.
During Woodson’s speech at the Rotary Club lunch in the banquet room of King’s Restaurant — where 33 former Rotary Student of the Week guests appeared — he talked about the unique focus of the university and how it fits well with the state, the history of land-grant schools, Wolfpack sports and the reality of proposed budget cuts.
“I know it’s difficult for the state because we’ve lost a lot of money in recent years,” he said. “But we do need to remind our elected officials education is what keeps the state moving forward.”
He added, “This state has made our education a high priority.”
After students from each high school shared their college choices with the audience, Woodson asked the five future N.C. State students their declared majors.
Hadley Bryan, a Parrott student who received the Goodnight Scholarship to State, said she would choose a pre-medicine path, the largest program at the school.
“I’m really excited about all the people I’m going to meet since it’s their biggest major there,” she said. “I actually wanted to go to Carolina, and then I visited State and their program was a lot more intensive and they had the exact major that I wanted.
“I’m really excited to be studying with the biggest university in the state.”
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at Jessika.Morgan@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.
2013 LenoirCountyN.C.StateUniversityScholarship Awards
Goodnight Scholar — Hadley Bryan, 18, Arendell Parrott Academy
Parks Scholar — Amanda Connor, 18, Arendell Parrott Academy
Parks Scholar — Cameron Gray, 18, South Lenoir High School