On Saturday October 17, 2009 I attended my 1^st NCSU Open House as an Admissions Counselor, instead of being on the other side of the table. We had over 8,500 people attend Open House this year! They had the opportunity to take campus tours, speak to faculty and staff from various departments, attend information sessions, and enjoy several performances by different student organizations. From the time I arrived on campus at 9:00am until it ended at 2:00pm, I was busy non-stop. I got to meet numerous people and assist them with their admissions questions. The best part was talking to students who remembered me from when I visited their schools previously. Overall, I would say that this year’s Open House was a success!

Home sweet home…

I’m in the office today but so far I’ve spent more time out on the road than I have in the office. But I always enjoy the opportunities I have to be on campus. One of the best parts of my day is the walk from my car into the office.  One of my favorite places on campus is the Court of Carolina. I’ve been to several campuses and there’s just a different feeling at NC State. There’s always something to do here and honestly everyday I discover something new. Today I walked to the Atrium and ate lunch, then for the first time, I went to the Howling Cow ice cream shop in the DH Hill Library where they sell NC State made ice cream. Yummm J Then I went to the 1911 building, which I haven’t been inside of since before it was renovated. It looks amazing! Check out some of the pics I took on campus.

View of the 1911 building from the Court of Carolina

Inside the 1911 Building

The Brickyard

The Atrium outside of DH Hill Library

Howling Cow Creamery

Inside of DH Hill

Peele Hall

I am Ashley Mackenzie and I am a proud 2007 graduate of North Carolina State University with a B.A. in Public and Interpersonal Communication. I graduated from Southeast Raleigh High School in 2003. So I guess you can say that I didn’t travel far from home when it came time to attend college. Although “home” was just up the street, NC State felt like a whole new world to me. I was very active in high school with cheerleading, track, community service, etc., so I was ecstatic when I got to NC State and there was always something for me to do on campus. I kept myself busy with schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and meeting A LOT of new people. I can honestly say that I enjoyed my time at NC State and I do not regret staying in Raleigh.

How did you end up back at NC State? That’s a great question and I’m glad you asked! After I graduated from NC State I began working in Corporate America, and I am convinced that my time at NC State prepared me for the fast pace world of Corporate America. However, overtime I realized that my passion is in the higher education field. So what better place to begin a career in higher education, than North Carolina State University!

I am now an Admissions Counselor for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and I’m loving every minute of it! Within the first few weeks I have already travelled in North Carolina from the Mountains to the Sandhills and several places in between. I get a chance to speak with high school students and parents who are interested in NC State, and not only can I assist them from the admissions prospective but I can also tell them about my personal experiences during undergrad. It’s a great feeling to be able to help students who are in the same position that I was in just a few years ago.

I think that I joined the Admissions staff at an awesome time because there is a lot going on with Fall College Fairs and High School visits, Application Deadlines approaching, and our 2009 Open House on October 17th. The best part is that I get to be apart of all of it! I’m excited about attending my first NCSU Open House as a staff member as opposed to being a prospective student. I know that it’s going to be great! Don’t worry I’ll give you the update on my first big event as an Admissions Counselor.

I’ll start off by telling you a little bit about me:  I am a native of Pennsylvania.  (Go Steelers!)  I grew up in a little tiny town called Millersburg and attended Millersburg Area High School….home of the Indians.  Millersburg is about 35 miles North of Harrisburg, the capital city of PA.  There were only 72 people in my public high school graduating class.  Yeah.  Like I said:  small.  I always found plenty of things to do to occupy my time, though.  I worked part time at a small restaurant and was a pizza-maker-waitress-cashier extraordinaire!  I was also the lead in several high school musicals….my favorite role was as Laurie in Oklahoma.  I participated in choir, student council, I cheered for football and basketball, and was in our Ski Club, and Conservation Club, Yearbook Committee, and volunteered in the Big Brother Big/Sister program.  Oh the memories!   Some of my absolute best memories, however, were from the college days and I’m sure you’ll be saying that one day too.  College is where you build the strongest friendships and make your best memories….and hopefully learn a lot too. 

I’m a little different from our previous staff blogger in that I’m actually not an NC State graduate.  So……I’m here to offer a different approach and outlook at the college experience.  My higher education journey began at community college.  This was something I swore I’d never do….attend what we called “13^th grade” because Harrisburg Area Community College (in PA) was where so many people from my high school went after graduation.  But, because of a tight budget and the fact that I had no idea what I wanted to study, it seemed like a logical starting point and man, was I right!  I’m very thankful to have gotten my college start at community college.  It allowed me to experiment with many different classes and save lots of money.  I, like the average college student, changed my major about four times.  I studied photography, music business, business administration, and finally ended up back in my original major, Mass Communications.  While this major-changing process was a learning experience, I will say that I wish I had been given the opportunity to go through a program like the First Year College here at NC State that helps students narrow down their options and select a major that’s best for them.  Excellent program!

After two years at H.A.C.C., I transferred to Carson-Newman College, a small liberal-arts college in Tennessee near Knoxville.  My reasons for choosing Carson-Newman were that I wanted to be at a small, religiously affiliated school and I preferred to be in the South because I was tired of snow!  I visited many colleges and universities during my college search but CNC was the only one in the South I actually visited.  What people will tell you is true:  VISIT CAMPUS!  Pick your top 3-5 schools and visit, visit, visit!  I’ll admit that when I stepped onto campus and toured CNC I just knew in my gut that’s where I was supposed to be.  I’ve recently learned in a grad class I was taking at STATE that something like 80% of females make their college selection based upon the fact that it “felt right” when they were on campus.  Isn’t that funny?  So anyway…….I had a fabulous college experience and again was very involved on campus in choirs, a touring rock band, I was a Resident Advisor in charge of a hall of 30 girls, I played intramural sports, and was part of the “Mossy Creek Maniacs” which was basically the student athletic fan club that sat together and cheered obnoxiously loud at all the sporting events.  College was an absolutely amazing experience and I hope you’re excited for your future college search and experience! 

 Summertime is one of the best times to visit college campuses and I realize that many of you are probably doing just that.  With that in mind, I wanted to offer you some suggestions of things to consider and questions to ask during your upcoming campus visits:

 Questions to Ask While Visiting College Campuses:

ü      What is your student to faculty ratio and average class size?

ü      What are your admissions requirements and deadlines?

ü      Are students required to have a computer?

ü      Is your campus wireless?

ü      What academic resources such as tutorial centers are available on campus?  Is there a writing center?  Are there fees for these services?

ü      Are freshmen required to live on campus? 

ü      Is housing guaranteed?

ü      What is your housing arrangement?  (Hall, Suite, Apartment-style?  Co-ed?  Arranged by major?  Freshmen together? Accept roommate requests?  Are they air-conditioned?  Does each room get a micro-fridge or are they available to rent? Internet in room is private connection or shared with roommate(s)?  Any special living & learning communities?) 

ü      May I have a car on campus my first year?

ü      What student health services are available on campus? Where is nearest hospital?

ü      What campus security measures are in place?  Is it a safe campus?

ü      Are your professors required to keep office hours and how available are they to students?

ü      Is there free public transportation for students to use?

ü      What are the scholarship and financial aid opportunities available and what does a student need to be competitive for a scholarship?

ü      Am I automatically considered for a merit-based scholarship when I apply?

ü      How is campus and student life; what is there to do on campus and in the area?

ü      What is it like on campus on weekends?

ü      Do you have sororities and fraternities & if so what percentage of students participate in Greek life?

ü      What is your policy for accepting AP and/or IB credit?  (Obviously only ask this one if you’ve completed AP or IB courses that you think may transfer.)

ü      Will I have an academic advisor within my major?  How are courses scheduled each semester?

ü      What are your study abroad opportunities?

 ***There are many different types of college visits that students and families can participate in.  Some of these various types are also explained below.  Regardless of what type of visit you choose, some good things to do while on campus are:  attend an information session and have your questions answered, attend a campus tour, and speak with a current student.  Other things you may like to try would be the food—eat in a dining hall on campus, or speak with a faculty member.

Types of College Visits:

Colleges and Universities host a variety of campus visit experiences.  It’s best to select the type of visit that best meets your needs.  These are some examples of visit programs that are out there:

ü      Information Session:  These are typically hosted by an admissions representative and will provide an overview of the university and admissions requirements.)  They’re offered on weekdays and some colleges/universities may tag a catchy name on them like “Closer Look Day” or “Showcase Saturday”  and offer them on a Saturday. 

ü      Campus Tour:  Typically hosted by a current student “Ambassador”) and provides a walk-through of the main parts of campus, academic buildings, perhaps the library, student center, etc…and sometimes will go to a residence hall room as well.  Some larger universities incorporate a bus tour along with their campus tour; some ask that you reserve a bus tour separately; while many other colleges/universities do not have bus tours available.)

ü      Driving Tour:  available on some larger campuses or on campuses in urban locations

ü      Open House:  These are typically on weekends and are often times an opportunity to speak with a wider population of student services and academic departments.  Attendance to Open Houses may be much larger than a week-day information session.  NC State’s Open House, for example, is one Saturday in the fall (October 17, 2009) and we’ll host multiple information sessions, campus tours, tours of academic facilities & labs, performances by student groups, and our gymnasium will be set up in a fair format which allows students and families to speak with representatives from every academic department and other offices such as Housing, Financial Aid, Student Life, Greek Life, Student Health Center, Study Abroad, etc…

ü      “Spend-a-Day” programs or other “Shadow” programs:  These allow the student to be paired with a current student and attend classes for the day, eat in the dining hall, etc….

ü      Academic department information sessions:  These may allow you to make arrangements to gather information from one, specific academic department on campus.  They’re typically hosted by faculty or recruiters for this department.  They may include a tour of labs or other academic facilities. 

ü      Overnight programs or ‘admitted student day’ programs:  May be hosted in the spring for students who are admitted for the following fall semester.  These programs cater specifically to the needs of students who are admitted and allow them an even more personal experience with the college/university by allowing them to possibly stay overnight with a current student, meet faculty, perhaps even pre-schedule courses. 

Happy Visiting!  Hope you’ll make a stop at NC State along the way!  Register online at:  http://admission.ncsu.edu to visit any weekday or plan to attend our Fall Open House on Saturday, October 17th.

Until next time,

Dana 

 Hola everyone!

                I am currently studying abroad in SPAIN!!!!  I have been here for about 12 days now.  I am finally settled in and ready to tell you all about my experiences so far!  Spain is AMAZING!!!!  I live with another girl from State and another American student from a different program.  We live with a Spanish family in an apartment in the city.  Our family is so nice and so fun!  Our Señora is a professional chef and her husband and one of her daughters who is 21 lives with us.  They have 5 other kids that live in their own places.  The apartment has 5 bedrooms, a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, and a living room/dining room.  Our room is pretty big!  It’s like the size of a dorm room and we have plenty of space for all of our clothes!  This is going to be hard to describe, but if you look outside of our window it is like an enclosed center of the building that looks up to the sky.  This is where all the floors above us hang up their laundry and it seriously looks like a scene from Aladdin!!  Our apartment is in an awesome location.  Although it is like 35 minutes away from the school, we have a BEAUTIFUL walk to school and we are RIGHT NEXT to Calle Betis and the river Guadalquivir which is where all of the nightlife occurs.  We don’t have to go far at all!

                This city is awesome.  The streets and alleys are so narrow and all of the buildings have these huge wooden doors that look like a dungeon.  All of the buildings are BEAUTIFUL.  They have so many awesome little shops and tons of flamenco dresses.  The streets are extremely confusing because they aren’t just perpendicular to each other.  They wind around whatever way they feel like.  The street signs are so hard to read because they are on the buildings so it’s impossible to see!!!  We spend a lot of time shopping in this area in the center of the city called El Centro.  El Centro is awesome because it is kind of like Disney world.  There is like loud music playing and random people doing random acts all over.  There are people dressed like statues but then they move, there are people playing instruments and doing dances and singing.  There are also people with little blankets set up selling jewelry and fans all over the streets.  It’s just a fun atmosphere to walk around and enjoy! 

I am taking 6 credit hours here.  I am taking a class called “Historia del Arte Español” and another one called “Conversación, Gramática y Redaccion.”  I have one class from 9:30 to 10:45am, and the other from 11-12:15pm.  The days go by so fast!  After class I stay at the school until lunchtime to do my homework and Skype with my family and friends because we don’t have the internet at my house.  We eat lunch around 3pm and then take a siesta.  The siesta is no lie here!  Most of the shops are closed from 2-5pm so there is basically nothing else to do but relax and sleep!  We eat dinner around 9pm.  My actual homework for my grammar class is pretty hard.  We move really fast obviously because it’s a summer class, but I don’t remember anything about grammar and also here we have to learn all of the vosotros forms when I have never had to do that in my past 6 years of Spanish classes so that is so confusing.  It is also really hard to understand or talk to anyone here because they speak in “el andaluz” which is a very strange dialect of Spanish.  They talk with a lisp, so everything with a “c” “s” or “z” has a lisp and sounds like “th” and it’s pretty funny.  They also make random things like “y” and “ll” sound like a “j” so that is confusing.  They pronounce the “h” in words which I have never heard in all my life, and they also just kind of cut words short and don’t finish them like instead of saying “hasta luego” they will just say “ta luego” and you’re like ok what???  It’s already hard enough trying to understand a different language but it’s insane when they speak it differently then what you have been learning since the beginning of high school!!!!!  Not to mention they speak at a million miles per hour.  It’s ok; I’m having the time of my life anyway!

We have already been on a lot of trips around Andalucía, which is Southern Spain.  Last weekend we went to tour an ancient Roman city called Italica.   After that we went to a beach on the Mediterranean called Matalascañas.  It was beautiful!!!!  Thursday we went to the Catedral  de Sevilla for a group tour.  It was HUUGE and really pretty.  We also saw Christopher Columbus’ tomb.   Our teacher Fernando explained how there is controversy over where the body actually is because it had been moved so many times between Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Sevilla.  We were told that the conclusion is that most of the body is here in Sevilla.  Supposedly his feet or legs or something are missing and are thought to be in the Domincan.  Haha.  Poor Christopher.   After that we climbed to the top of the tower.  It was all ramps and each floor was numbered.  When we FINALLY got to floor 35 we were at the top!!!!  The view was AMAZING!!!  You could see the entire city and the bell tower was open and windy and so awesome.  Yesterday we went to the city of Córdoba to visit the famous Mezquita.  It was soo huge and gorgeous.  We also walked around the city and just enjoyed the afternoon.  Next weekend a few friends are going to the beach in the city of Cádiz.  We are planning a trip to Lagos in Portugal for our 3 day weekend June 5-7.  The next weekend we have a four day weekend because of Corpus Christi, and I am going to Rome with a few friends!  We have an overnight trip the last weekend with the entire group to the city Granada, which has the famous Alhambra.  The next weekend, June 27^th, I am coming home!!!  This trip is going to go by sooo fast!!!!  I’m sure I will enjoy every minute of it!  Until next time, Hasta luego!!!

The incoming freshmen are able to network and connect with one another, thus beginning friendships that can last a lifetime.  The parents are able to ask any and every question that comes to mind.  The local alumni are able to relive their days at NC State and offer helpful hints to the new members of the family who will be stepping foot on campus in just a few short months.  And me?  As a staff member of the NC State Alumni Association (as well as an alumnus of NC State and member of the Alumni Association), I have the best job in the whole world: I have the opportunity to engage NC State alumni (both present and future) and friends with an event in the Senior Send Off that fosters pride and enhances a lifelong connection to NC State.

The NC State Alumni Association is on tour for the next 6 weeks!  Look for us at the Senior Send Off in your hometown and join us!  http://www.alumni.ncsu.edu/events/index.php

**Please note that these events are only for graduating high school seniors who have been admitted for the fall, 2009 semester and their families.

–Kristy Hendley

Assistant Director of Outreach and Engagement

NC State University Alumni Association

Kristy being silly

Moore, Anson, Hoke, & Richmond Counties, NC Send-off

Cake!!

Harnett County, NC Senior Send-OffWake County, NC Senior Send-Off Hosted at the University

All students in attendance at Moore, Anson, Hoke, & Richmond Counties Send off which was hosted at the National Golf Course in Pinehurst

Wake County, NC Senior Send-Off Hosted at the University

I was ecstatic to find out that I was accepted into such a prestigious honor society. To date, there are 1,069 links in the Golden Chain Society, and with my last name being York, I am currently the last link added; link number 1,069 lol. After receiving my link, I was able to reflect on these last couple of years at NC-State, and see how my hard work has paid off.

Coming in as a freshman, I never would have guessed that I would be inducted into such a society, but through God’s grace, hard work, and motivation from others, I am now link number 1,069. When coming to college,  make sure to stay focused on why you’re here. Have fun, Work hard, get involved, and find people who believe in you. Allow these people to feed into your life, and I guarantee that it will pay off down the road. You will accomplish things that you never thought were possible.

My group traveled to Jaibon/Laguna Salada where we partnered with an organization called Orphanage Outreach. As volunteers we taught English at the Centro para Ninez School located at the orphanage.

In the Dominican Republic, students go to school for half a day. We taught two different classes each day. In the morning we taught 5th grade and in the afternoon we taught 2nd grade. We taught the students basic English such as colors, numbers and animals. Each day we would come up with lesson plans and find creative ways to teach the students English. For our 5th graders, we played the memory game. By the end of the game, it got very intense…boys vs. girls. And the girls won 28-27.

In between our teaching periods we would work on construction projects at the orphanage. We helped them prepare for 140 volunteers that were coming the following week. Our main construction project was building bunk beds for the volunteers and laying cement for the new volunteer/community center that was being built on the orphanage grounds.

All in all, it was an AMAZING experience. Even though we taught kids something, they taught us as well. It was pretty hectic for the students leading up to spring break. But after spending a week teaching and working with the kids, I’ve learned to enjoy life and to be grateful for what I have. We all have something to give and everyone can make a difference…one person at a time.

And I couldn’t have asked for a better team of NC State students to travel with. The students who I had a chance to work with reflect the work we do in the admissions office in building a strong diverse class of students committed to making a difference. I was impressed with these students and their commitment to putting their hearts into everything they do.

NC State provides many different service-learning opportunities. If you are interested in service, this is an opportunity you should consider.

P.S. Thanks to Jeff Huber and Zainab Riyami for the pictures!

Recently on March 28,2009, NCSU students participated in Service Raleigh, an annual citywide day of service started in 1998 by NC State’s Student Government and Park Scholars. This year, over 2,000 volunteers from the university and surrounding communities volunteered to lend a hand. Despite the wet and murky weather, students stuck it out and participated in projects that ranged from moving mulch, site restoration, and planting trees. Arriving early Saturday morning, students were greeted with warm donuts from Krispy Kreme, and fresh bagels from Brueggers Bagels Shop. Once full and energized, students joined their organizations and then broke into teams heading for their designated locations. This year I partnered with my sorors of the Kappa Omicron Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.  in efforts to clean up an area located on interstate 440 to correspond with our “Think Pink Live Green” program. Overall it was an experience that made me think twice about my carbon footprint on this earth. I was happy to say that I was “KOmited 2 the Cause” and persevered despite the soggy rain boots and questionable finds.

If you or someone you know is interested in the Service Raleigh Organization, log on to thier website at http://www.serviceraleigh.org/volunteer/volunteer_reg.html

College admissions offices are making the final selections for their freshman class.  Many applicants will be ecstatic being selected.  Others will be very disappointed that they were not admitted.   Was it my test score?  Were my mid-year grades not high enough?  Was my essay not strong enough?  Did I not take enough AP courses?

On the flipside, students are selecting their school for next fall.  NC State spends a lot of time and energy trying to encourage great students to enroll.  In our admissions office there is a lot of disappointment when a student that we have admitted chooses to go to another college.  We ask why?  Was it our brochure?  Was it our campus tour?  Was it our website?  Was it the scholarship at the other school?  How could a student ever choose to attend that “other” college instead of  NC State.  We know we are so much better. 

We want answers.  Unfortunately, there is never a simple answer. 

Just as many factors go into the selection of the freshmen class at NC State, the decisions of high school students on college attendance are influenced by many factors.  We try to get to know applicants by reading their applications, and pouring over their transcripts.  While we may have loved an applicant’s essay, the grades or test scores may not have made the applicant competitive.  Students try to get to know NC State by researching on-line, talking to people on campus and visiting.  A freshman applicant may have loved the campus tour, but does not want a large school.  We may be favorably impressed with an applicant’s test scores and extracurricular activities, but not impressed by their grades.  Maybe an admitted applicant was impressed by the research facilities and internship opportunities, but just likes another school slightly better. 

There are no simple answers for applicants or for colleges.  Applicants and colleges must each move forward with their plans for the summer and fall.

NC State has made admissions offers after reviewing over 18,000 freshmen applications.  We have selected a great group of freshmen!  Admitted students include students with wonderful academic qualifications and tremendous experiences in their background.  When summer arrives, we expect 4,700 freshmen to attend orientation in July and enroll this August.  They will be some of the best and brightest that the world has to offer.