May 16th, 2012
Bachelor of Science degrees in Genetics were awarded at the second Department of Genetics graduation ceremony. A Faculty of Genetics was formed at NC State in 1951 by Dr. Stanley G. Stephens. Subsequently, the Department of Genetics was founded in 1958 and moved to what is now Thomas Hall in 1966. Although the first graduate degrees in Genetics were awarded in 1952, it wasn't until 1988 that an undergraduate minor in Genetics was offered, which has since become the most popular minor at NC State.
The drive for a major in Genetics was initiated by a student-led petition over 10 years ago, and under the guidance of Dr. Stephanie Curtis, Director of Academic Programs in the Department of Genetics, a new Bachelor of Science in Genetics was approved by the UNC Board of Governors in 2010. The inaugural graduating class was in 2011.
This years graduates include Jennifer Baker who is completing a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Biochemistry and Giovanna Hernandez who completed a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Biological Sciences with a minor in Microbiology. Kristin Hartgrove was awarded the Chancellor Carey Bostian Scholarship for the graduating Genetics minor with the most outstanding record in academics, leadership and service. Kristin completed a Bachelor of Science in both Horticultural Science and Plant Biology with minors in Genetics and Biotechnology.
At the ceremondy, Nathaniel Grubbs was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Genetics. Nathaniel performed his dissertation reserach in the lab of Dr. Jim Mahaffey.
