North Carolina home economics legend Ada Dalla-Pozza honored by NC State University Alumni Association
Media Contact: Sharon Runion Rowland, Executive Director of Development for North Carolina Cooperative Extension, 919.515.9267
Ada Dalla-Pozza received the 2011 North Carolina State University Alumni Association Award of Merit. The Alumni Association awards honor alumni and friends of the university for their professional and personal accomplishments and their continuing support of NC State. Dalla-Pozza was one of 18 recipients of Alumni Association awards.
“Their light, ignited by their NC State education and fueled by their own successes, reflects upon their alma mater, enhancing NC State’s reputation around the world,” NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson said during the January reception. “They unequivocally add value to an NC State degree.”
Born in Anson County and now residing in Cary, Dalla-Pozza has been active in North Carolina Cooperative Extension for more than 70 years. After graduating from Woman’s College in Greensboro (now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro) in 1943, she became the youngest Cooperative Extension agent in the state.
In an Extension career that spanned nearly five decades, Dalla-Pozza served as assistant state home economics leader and provided leadership to the North Carolina Extension Homemakers’ Organization (now North Carolina Extension and Community Association). She started the organization’s internship program and led efforts to preserve and send food to soldiers overseas. Dalla-Pozza also worked with Extension Homemakers to shape state and local policy to support families across North Carolina.
Dalla-Pozza has received a number of accolades throughout her career, including the National Association of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Distinguished Service Award. She also was named to the North Carolina Family and Consumer Sciences Foundation Hall of Fame (inaugural class) and the North Carolina 4-H Hall of Fame.
She was instrumental in organizing both the North Carolina Family and Consumer Sciences Foundation and the North Carolina Extension and Community Association Foundation. These two groups have raised more than $2.3 million in endowments and enhancement funds and have secured more than $2 million in grants in five years.
Dalla-Pozza also created the Ada B. Dalla Pozza Family and Consumer Sciences Association Endowment, which provides professional development funds for agents from across the state. She also has made additional gifts to the NC State University Club, the Carol Caldwell Scholarship Endowment, the Jane S. McKimmon Society, and to numerous endowments for 4-H, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Extension and Community Association programs.
In her remarks at the reception Dalla-Pozza said, “Throughout my life, my goal has always been to better the families of North Carolina through this non-formal, land-grant mission called Extension home economics. I graciously accept this award of merit on their behalf and challenge those of you in the audience to continue this work for all North Carolinians.”
— Suzanne Stanard, 919-513-3126 or suzanne_stanard@ncsu.edu
