Giving
In 2016, NC State embarked on the most ambitious fundraising effort in our history: the campaign to Think and Do the Extraordinary.
We asked a lot of the university community, and they delivered. With more than two years left to go in our campaign, their combined support has moved us to within touching distance of our big, bold goal of $1.6 billion.
98%Toward Campaign Goal
125New Scholarships and Fellowships
$220MIn Private Support
Global Giving
One Extraordinary Day
This year, the total of annual gifts and new commitments to NC State rose above $200 million for the third year in a row — a first in the university’s history. Even more impressive than that surge in private giving is the culture of philanthropy our supporters are fostering.
On March 27, we turned to them again for our first-ever Day of Giving. They answered with nearly 11,000 gifts totaling $13.5 million — all in a single day. Along the way, more than 7,500 unique donors shared memories and photos on social media, competed on behalf of beloved colleges and programs, and demonstrated their pride in NC State.
The runaway success of the event was underpinned by the contributions of the Wolfpack’s newest members. More than one-third of donations came from alumni who graduated since 2000, and current students chipped in with more than 1,200 gifts.
The Future of Textiles
NC State is home to the only college fully devoted to textiles in the United States. That’s a testament to the university’s enduring relationship of mutual support with North Carolina’s textiles industry. That relationship was further strengthened this year thanks to a transformational gift of $28 million from alumnus Fred Wilson Jr. and his family — which boasts three generations of college alumni — to name the Wilson College of Textiles in perpetuity.
The Wilson College of Textiles became the second named college at NC State, along with the Poole College of Management, which was designated in 2010 following a gift from Lonnie and Carol Poole.
Through the rise of synthetic fibers, globalization and automation, the textiles industry has adapted and evolved. Today, the Wilson College of Textiles champions environmental stewardship and economic sustainability, and its interdisciplinary research teams develop applications that range from protecting first responders and the military to filtering the air we breathe and the water we drink.
The Wilson family’s extraordinary gift will help the college recruit and retain talent, build vital partnerships and attract jobs and investment to North Carolina long into the future.
Think and Do the Extraordinary
We're in the midst of the most ambitious fundraising effort in the history of NC State, with a goal of $1.6 billion in private support from the university’s remarkable alumni and friends.
Learn more