It's a new year and a new class has joined the Pack. When they aren't in the classroom or the lab, you'll find them exploring Hunt Library, relaxing on the Court of North Carolina, working out at Carmichael Gym, and catching up with friends over some Howling Cow ice cream.

Together, they make up our largest-ever incoming class of students - for the sixth year in a row. 7,590

new undergraduate students 5,904

first-year students 1,686

transfer students

Our new students hail from 98 counties in North Carolina, plus 47 states and 53 countries. First-year students came to NC State with a weighted high school GPA range of 4.2-4.5, and the average transfer GPA was 3.5. 22%

are first-generation college students 22%

are from the 80 most economically distressed counties in N.C. 12%

increase in first-year applications

They're bakers, musicians and Eagle Scouts. They're studying to become food scientists, mechanical engineers and radiologists. Along the way, they'll Think and Do things they can't even imagine today. We can't wait to see it.

Ada Duggan: Mixing It Up

* Major: Food science and science, technology and society

* Hometown: Apex, North Carolina

* One Memorable Experience So Far: After a visit to NC State's Agroecology Farm, she helped roast some okra she harvested there. "It was delicious."

Ada Duggan loves baking. Her eye for detail and precision while mixing ingredients evolved, however, into an appreciation for chemistry in high school. These two seemingly disparate ingredients - cooking and science - began to blend and merge into a new, unexpected recipe for her future next steps. Duggan is pursuing a degree in food science through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS).

"I didn't really know that food science was a thing," she said. "But, about halfway through high school, I discovered what it was. Ever since then, I've been very excited to explore it."

As a Thomas Jefferson Scholar, she'll also pursue a humanities degree. Duggan is interested in the interdisciplinary relationship between food science and the humanities.

Thomas Jefferson Scholars

The Thomas Jefferson Scholars program is a highly competitive, dual-degree program of CALS and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Explore new paths

"I'm looking to connect the two," she said. "The reason why - other than a love for food - is I'm also very interested in our American food culture. And how much misinformation there is, and how disconnected society is from the actual science of how food interacts with our bodies and nutrition. The goal would be to study the culture of food and connect that with the science I'm learning, in order to hopefully dispel some of the distorted ways we think about food."

Born and raised nearby, Duggan knows a bit about North Carolina's agricultural story - and NC State's role in its greatness. She recommends that new students check out the Agroecology Farm to see its sustainable agricultural practices in action.

"It's so awesome to be able to connect with local agriculture and what that looks like - agriculture being so important to our state and our local history."

Sofia Stringer: One Pack, Two Programs and No Limits

* Major: Mechanical engineering

* Hometown: Plantation, Florida

* Fun Fact: She loves music, plays multiple instruments and is looking for bands to perform with on campus.

Joining the Wolfpack has already proven to be the right decision for Sofia Stringer. The Park Scholar and College of Engineering student grew up hearing great things about NC State from her alumnus father, so she knew of our supportive university community before she ever applied. What Stringer couldn't have imagined was just how many possibilities would be available to her here.

Stringer's love of engineering and robotics naturally led her to consider enrolling at NC State to major in mechanical engineering. The financial aid provided by the Park Scholarships program, along with its passionate community of students, staff and mentoring faculty, solidified her decision.

Two of a Kind

The Park/Stamps partnership will benefit more and more Park Scholars in the semesters ahead.

Learn about the partnership

"I participated in a lot of leadership and service experiences in high school, like volunteering for the Lighthouse of Broward and being president of the Guitar Club and Black Student Union, so I was also drawn to the enrichment experiences offered by the Park Scholarships program," said Stringer.

She is part of Park's 30th class of Scholars, as well as part of the first class of Stamps Scholars at NC State. This new partnership between the two merit-based scholarship programs will ensure scholars can Think and Do even more on behalf of their communities, the state of North Carolina and the world at large.

It's a surprisingly small world for Stringer, though. Roe Stamps, who established the Stamps Scholars Program with his late wife, Penny, lives about 30 minutes south of Stringer's hometown. These Floridians' paths led to NC State, and thanks to support from the Park Scholars and Stamps Scholars programs, there's no limit to where Stringer will go and what she will accomplish after graduation.

Brooks Ford: Microplastics and Miracles

* Major: Polymer and color chemistry

* Hometown: Wilmington, North Carolina

* Fun Fact: In his spare time, Brooks loves painting miniatures.

Brooks Ford was already a changemaker when he stepped onto the bricks of NC State's campus. Hailing from Wilmington, NC, Ford cares about the environment of his city and of coastal towns across the state.

Ford is a first-year student and an ITT/Roger Milliken Centennial Scholar. Prior to his time at NC State, he conducted a six-month Eagle Scout project that examined microplastics along our coast. He constructed kits, tested materials, led volunteers and presented the results of this environmental research publicly. Ford's efforts contributed to the North Carolina General Assembly enacting a ban in 2023 to protect the coast from this marine debris, making the state the first one with such a measure.

Two things brought Ford to NC State: its proximity to his hometown and its polymer and color chemistry (PCC) program. Housed in the Wilson College of Textiles, the PCC program with a medical sciences concentration is attractive for those intending to enter medicine. The concentration's flexibility helps students complete all prerequisite courses needed to apply to medical school.

Ford has wanted to be an interventional radiologist since he was 10 years old - the year his father was diagnosed with cancer. The prognosis was poor and his family refused to accept the answers that doctors were providing. An interventional radiologist in Texas gave his family hope, removing the tumor while strengthening his father's back with medical-grade cement.

Ford said of the experience, "It seemed like miracle work back then. It still seems like miracle work now."

"I want to help people the way they helped my dad. I know what a huge difference that's made in my life and I want to do that for others."

Beyond his degree program, Ford looks forward to getting involved with the national parks club, making lifelong friends and pumping iron in Carmichael Gym.

Audrey Newkirk: Elevating to New Heights

* Program: Elevate

* Hometown: Wake Forest, North Carolina

* Fun Fact: She loves animals, plants and people, and she's eager to learn more about all three at NC State.

"I've always wanted to go to college, but I didn't see a way," said Audrey Newkirk. "I was very excited when I heard about Elevate, a program for people like me."

Elevate, a nondegree program administered by the College of Education, gives North Carolina students with intellectual and developmental disabilities the chance to grow academically and vocationally by taking classes at NC State. Newkirk will join other members of Elevate's inaugural cohort in pursuing a mix of program-specific courses and courses at different NC State colleges to earn a four-year certificate. Elevate's Pillars of Success

Elevate fosters student growth in five key areas: academics, employment, independent living, social engagement and personal development.

Newkirk brings a passion for people - especially children - to Elevate. She spent time during high school working at KinderCare, a local network of childcare facilities, where she supported kids in their interactions and play.

In Elevate, Newkirk will access employment-focused classes, interest-based internships and personal coaching that will empower her to reach for her goals.

"I'm excited to learn more about taking care of children," she said. "I want to be a teacher. And I want to get married and have my own house."

Newkirk has spent her early days at NC State exploring campus, enjoying Wolfpack Welcome Weeks, working out at the Climbing Center and making new friends. She looks forward to the breadth of experiences awaiting her, and she already has some advice for other new students:

"Have the courage to get outside your comfort zone and stretch yourself."

Ethan Diaz: Crystalizing His Passion

* Majors: Chemistry, Geology

* Hometown: Mount Airy, North Carolina

* Fun Fact: Diaz has worn an Aloha shirt, also called a Hawaiian shirt, almost every day for the past five years.

Two years ago, Ethan Diaz visited NC State's campus for the first time and knew it was where he wanted to attend college.

"I realized this was a place where I could find my people," Diaz said. "I also realized how good NC State's study abroad and research opportunities were."

As a Goodnight Scholar, Diaz has already made connections on campus.

"This year's cohort was doubled from last year for first year students, so it's a larger community than it ever has been," Diaz said. "Being selected as a Goodnight Scholar has also helped me get through the financial obstacles of my academic journey, and I'm really thankful for that." A Myriad of Uses

Crystals are used in electronics, cars, medical machinery, sensors, lasers and more.

Diaz is looking forward to meeting more people by joining student organizations and studying abroad. But his primary goal is to get involved in undergraduate research related to mineralogy and the application of crystals.

"There are a lot of practical applications for crystals," Diaz said. "Understanding why they work the way they do can help us understand our planet better and improve our technologies. I'm particularly interested in analytical geology, which requires a lot of chemistry."

Outside of academics, Diaz is keen on attending fine arts exhibitions and performances - and eating lots of Howling Cow ice cream.

"It's a staple at State for a reason," he said.

Geneva Benson: From Pets to Prosthetics

* Graduate Program: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

* Hometown: La Grange, North Carolina

* Fun fact: Geneva is scuba certified (thanks to an NC State study abroad trip).

Geneva Benson might not be new to NC State, but she is new to the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). This Goodnight Scholar graduated a year early from her undergraduate animal science degree program, enabling her to use the last year of Goodnight funding for her first year as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine candidate.

"The Goodnight Scholars staff, like Allison Medlin, are truly dedicated to each scholar," said Benson. "They've helped me grow beyond what I thought possible."

Mentoring the Next Generation

Benson is also a Goodnight STEM Coach, a program that connects the scholars to younger students in the Triangle through places like the Boys and Girls Club to get them excited about STEM fields.

Meet STEM coaches

Benson has loved animals as long as she can remember, but shadowing two local NC State-graduate veterinarians for a career exploration assignment sealed the deal - she wanted to do what they did. She took their advice to attend NC State and hasn't looked back.

Benson doesn't shy away from taking advantage of every opportunity: from study abroad to research opportunities to lunch-and-learns offered at CVM. She even discovered an unexpected passion in prosthetic development when she joined The Helping Hand Project at NC State. With this team, she found her niche and got to work with Derrick Campana, the founder of Bionic Pets, an animal-focused orthotic and prosthetic device company.

Her summer semester in Thailand stands out as a particularly impactful experience. During this trip, made possible by University Honors Program funds, she administered care to wildlife, assisted with small animal procedures and furthered her interest in prosthetics, seeing elephant prosthetics made by Dr. Campana put to good use.

Benson's hands-on undergraduate experience allowed her to witness the dynamic between professors and students within CVM, and she knew there was no better place for her to attend veterinary school.

"I'm a first-generation college student, and I've met so many people throughout my time at NC State that have been instrumental in me having such a wonderful college experience. This community made me want to stay."