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Message from the Dean

This is at the core of who we are: providing access to the education North Carolinians need to solve the challenges of tomorrow.

But we know that gaining access to NC State and our college is harder now than it ever has been.

In 2016, NC State received 26,000 applications – roughly 10,000 more than just six years ago. From that applicant pool, 44 percent were accepted. About 1,300 of those were accepted into CALS.

We take pride in our land-grant charter. We are honored to deliver the teaching, discovery and extension of knowledge that helps our citizens thrive and grow.

We know that the path to CALS for many of our students is not as direct as it used to be. But for those passionate, qualified students determined to join the Wolfpack, we are committed to helping them find their path to our campus.

That’s why we’ve dedicated this edition to examining the issue of access: to research, to opportunities beyond the classroom and, most of all, to a CALS education.

Keep reading to learn about our innovative programs, insider advice and CALS success stories from North Carolinians of all backgrounds.

Living our mission

Our mission is to transform challenges into agriculture and life sciences opportunities that benefit our state, the nation and the world, and we put that mission to work everyday. Here are a few highlights from the past year:

  • Through your generosity, we raised $150 million for key initiatives. This includes a $45 million grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation, helping make the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative a reality.
  • We hired Dr. Rich Bonanno to serve as N.C. Cooperative Extension Director, and he hit the ground running.
  • Our faculty secured over $70 million in grants and contracts to support cutting-edge agriculture and life sciences research
  • We graduated 123 students from our Agricultural Institute and 646 students in our 4-year degree programs ready to help feed, fuel, clothe and heal a growing population.
  • Thank you for your continued passion and support for CALS.

Go Pack and go CALS!

Richard Linton
Dean
NC State University
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences