Thank You!

Wishing you the best in all your future endeavors, #NCState25! 🎓 🎉 Take a look back at today’s ceremony and receptions at @ncstate`s McKimmon Center, where we celebrated 130 new undergraduate alumni and 68 graduate alumni.

Meet our fall #NCState25 graduate student commencement speaker: Lauren Pharr. 🎓 🐺

Lauren is graduating this fall with her Ph.D. in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology. She completed her master’s degree in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology from the college in 2021.

After graduation, Lauren plans to continue building on her Ph.D. work and pursuing a postdoctoral or faculty position. She will continue to focus on cooperative breeding birds, ideally with Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, as well as other systems such as acorn woodpeckers or Florida scrub-jays.

During her time at NC State, Lauren was a member of the American Ornithological Society, The Wildlife Society and The North Carolina Chapter of The Wildlife Society. She received many awards and grants during her time in the college, from the North Carolina State University Forestry and Environmental Resources Charles B. Davey Fellowship for Excellence in Biological Sciences to the North Carolina Wildlife Federation Conservation Leadership Grant.

“We’ve learned to collaborate across boundaries: between science and art, policy and practice, people and place. Whether our classrooms were forest plots, rivers, parks, computer labs, or community centers, we’ve shared one truth — that the work we do matters. It matters to the planet, to the people who depend on it, and to the generations who will inherit it.” —@ldpharr

Check out the link in our bio to learn more about Lauren.

Meet our fall #NCState25 undergraduate student commencement speaker: Julianna Welch. 🎓 🐺

Julianna is graduating this fall with her bachelor’s degree in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology. After graduation, she plans to work seasonally before pursuing a master’s degree. Upon earning her master’s, Julianna hopes to move back home and pursue a career in conservation or a related field.

During her time at NC State, Julianna has been involved with the College of Natural Resources Ambassador program, the James Buzzard Leadership Development Program, and she served as the vice president of communications for Epsilon Eta last year. She had internships in Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Discover Life In America, a small non-profit in the park, and she served as the assistant crew lead on the Indigenous Conservation Corps in Cherokee, North Carolina.

“I found our majors have similar objectives: forming a passion for the environment, a drive for innovation, and a commitment to creating a better future. Soon, it made sense why there is such a diverse set of majors, to help create broad perspectives, enable collaboration, and make connections inside and outside of the classroom.

The people you meet here, whether in your major or not, are part of your community. The more time I spent here, the more I realized campus wasn’t as different as home; the 39,000 students soon didn’t intimidate me. The College of Natural Resources, with roughly 1,700 students, didn’t feel like such a big place, but more like a home that I’m glad to have called my own for the last few years.” —@juli.annaw

Check out the link in our bio to learn more about Julianna.

Meet soon-to-be #NCStateCNR alumnus Jacob Schoen. 🎓

Jacob is graduating this fall with his bachelor’s degree in paper science and engineering (PSE). After graduation, he will be joining Sonoco Packaging`s Emerging Leader program in January in Hartsville, South Carolina.

For the past four years, Jacob has been a member of TAPPI and has attended multiple TAPPI student summits. During his time in the college, he has had several internships working as a process engineer on paper machines with International Paper and Sonoco Packaging.

“The College of Natural Resources has given me great opportunities to learn both in and out of the class. Having the opportunity for a large number of internships as soon as freshman year has been the best aspect of being in the PSE and CNR community.

The labs that the PSE major provides are excellent hands-on experience that directly relates to skills needed in the paper-making industry. Getting the chance to make paper on the Wolfpack Baby paper machine has to be one of my favorite memories from these last four years.”

#NCState25

Meet soon-to-be #NCStateCNR alumnus Kai Hale. 🎓

Kai is graduating this fall with his bachelor’s degree in sport management. After graduation, he will serve as the head junior varsity baseball coach at Jordan High School in Durham, NC. There, he plans to become a certified teacher and gym coach.

Currently, Kai is entering his fourth year coaching with the Riptide Travel Baseball Academy. During his time in the college, he has been the recipient of the Wayne Williamson and Bette Rose Scholarship in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management and the Isaac Frank Ormond, III Memorial Scholarship Fund.

“I was presented with the opportunity to transfer schools and pursue a different college experience that I thought I had longed for. While I didn’t end up moving schools, I’ve now realized that while I may not be in the top one percent of Wolfpack fans today, attending NC State was not only the right college to attend but the only college for me.

Had I chosen to go to a different school, I wouldn’t have been able to meet the people I call friends now. The opportunities I capitalized on with my new job and the NC State internship program, which has now ultimately led me to what I would call my dream job post-graduation, wouldn’t have been an option if I had moved schools. Looking back on these past few years, I am beyond grateful for the blessings that were presented right in front of me.” —@Kash_233

#NCState25

Meet soon-to-be #NCStateCNR alumna Charm Wheaton. 🎓

Charm is graduating this fall with her master`s degree in environmental assessment. After graduation, she plans to transition into a full-time role in environmental consulting.

During her time at NC State, she was involved with the NC State Coastal Community Resilience Immersive Training Program, which is an internship hosted by NC State’s Coastal Resilience and Sustainability Initiative. Charm is also a member of the Xi Sigma Pi Honor Society.

"No matter the path, we all learned that caring for natural resources means caring for people, too. We studied how environmental policies shape lives, how communities depend on access to clean air and water, and how sustainability is about both ecological and social well-being. Our work is not just about managing land or resources; it is about creating a future where both people and the planet can thrive.

As we prepare for what comes next, I hope we carry with us the lessons this college has taught us: to stay curious, compassionate, and collaborative. The challenges ahead are complex, but so are the skills and perspectives we’ve gained."

#NCState25