What began as a student internship has turned into a nearly 60-year career for alumnus Tony Laws ‘69, whose leadership helped turn Burlington, North Carolina into a hub for community athletics.

Over the decades, Laws has overseen the expansion of facilities, the growth of youth and adult athletics and the development of programs that serve residents at every stage of life, turning recreation into a cornerstone of community connection and quality of life.

“I want the Recreation and Parks Department to continue like it is and keep growing and expanding,” Laws said. “The fact that we’ve established quite a good park system and programs, I want that to continue, and that would be my legacy.”

Read the full story at the link in our bio.

📸: City of Burlington (@burlingtonnc)

Our NC State Extension team recently hosted the 15th biennial Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals (ANREP) at the Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, NC. 🤝 During the week, multiple NC State students, staff and faculty presented their outreach work.

With over 200 participants, there were 90 presentations, 22 scholarships awarded, about 1,500 pounds of waste diverted from the landfill through our green initiative, and much more. Speakers included Dean Myron Floyd, Dr. David Monks, Dr. M. Ray McKinnie, Dr. Marcelo Ardón, and Dr. Whitney Knollenberg.

Awardees in the College of Natural Resources included:

-Dr. Kelly Oten: 2026 Outstanding Educational Materials Awards Gold Award for the “Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Educational Video”

-Dr. Jennifer Fawcett: Excellence in Natural Resources Extension and Service Award

-Amanda Bratcher: Regional Collaborator Award for the “From the Southeast to the World: A Regional Extension Collaboration Advancing Pollinator Conservation Through Community” efforts

-Savannah Moore: Third Place in the ANREP Biennial Conference poster contest for “Analyzing Pathways for Increased Landowner Participation in FloodWise Nature-Based Solutions.”

Outdoor adventure is part of the job for many of our faculty, especially those in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. 🥾🌳 #GreatOutdoorsMonth

Our own Dr. Micah Dobson, department lecturer, recently had the opportunity to travel to Cape Town, South Africa, to speak and present at the World Association for Sport Management Conference. During this trip, he visited the Black Rhino Game Reserve in Pilanesberg National Park.

This malaria-free park, located in the North West Province, is set within a 1.2-billion-year-old volcanic crater and is just two and a half hours from Johannesburg. It has more than 7,000 animals, 360 bird species and a variety of ecosystems perfect for self-driving tours. While there, Dr. Dobson and his wife were able to encounter rhinos, buffaloes, elephants, giraffes and impalas.

📸: Check out some of the highlights of his outdoor adventures.