Healthy Impact

In kitchens and classrooms across North Carolina, small moments of change begin because of Carolyn Dunn’s work. A parent chooses water over soda. A child learns to love the color of a new vegetable. A family gathers around a meal made with intention. For more than three decades, those everyday decisions have been at the heart of Dunn’s work — quiet, consistent shifts that, over time, transform lives.

The belief that healthy choices should be accessible, practical and empowering has guided Dunn’s career at NC State University and far beyond. Her commitment to improving health and well-being is being recognized nationally with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Board on Health and Human Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring her extraordinary leadership, scholarship, and service.

Dunn, a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and former head of NC State’s Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences (AHS), has been a national pioneer in nutrition education and health promotion. Her work has reshaped how universities and Extension systems approach behavior change, translating research into programs that meet people where they are.

Among her most influential contributions are hallmark initiatives such as Color Me Healthy; Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less; and Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes. These evidence-based programs have reached communities in all 100 North Carolina counties and beyond, improving health outcomes while positioning NC State as a national leader in Extension-based public health programming. To date, more than 30,000 people have participated in Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less alone.

Her impact extends beyond individual programs. Dunn played a key role in the Extension Master Food Volunteer Program, helping expand access to food preservation education and practical cooking skills — an effort that continues to grow as communities seek sustainable, long-lasting food solutions.

As department head from 2013 to 2021, Dunn guided AHS through a period of growth and transformation. She strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration, championed faculty mentorship and cultivated a culture rooted in inclusion, innovation and applied scholarship. Under her leadership, Extension programming expanded and the department’s national reputation deepened.

One of her most enduring legacies is the Dinah E. Gore Teaching and Research Kitchens, a state-of-the-art facility that integrates teaching, research and community engagement. Through Dunn’s vision and ability to bring people together, the kitchens now serve as a hub for culinary science, Extension programs and public outreach — an embodiment of NC State’s “Think and Do” spirit.

“Carolyn Dunn’s career is full of examples where she brought people together around a shared vision in a way that made everyone feel valued and heard, creating a culture of collaboration that continues to shape our department today,” says Ben Chapman, current AHS department head. “From a personal perspective, Carolyn’s mentorship has been the most important influence on my career. She pushed me to think bigger, supported me in taking risks, and modeled leadership grounded in both vision and compassion.”

Dunn’s commitment to mentorship includes guiding generations of students, faculty and Extension professionals. Many of her mentees now serve in leadership roles across the country, extending her influence far beyond campus.

Reflecting on her career, Dunn, now a professor emerita, credits NC State for fostering the environment that made her work possible. “During my 33 years at NC State, leaders with whom I have worked have allowed me the freedom and opportunity to dream,” she says. “It is their support that afforded me the creativity to develop programs that I hope continue to have a positive impact on people’s lives.”

She also emphasizes the collaborative nature of her success. “My work was most often done as part of a team,” Dunn says. “Working collaboratively is not the easiest way to create; however, it always nets a more powerful program with greater impact. When you find your people, it just works.”

For Dunn, the recognition is both meaningful and humbling. “I continue to be in awe of all the work that goes on in the area of health and human sciences at universities across the country,” she says. “To be singled out for this award is deeply humbling.”

Her legacy is evident in the programs that continue to evolve, the facilities that foster innovation and the people she has inspired. Across North Carolina and beyond, those early morning choices — the ones that begin in kitchens, classrooms and communities — carry forward her vision of healthier lives for all.