Engaging Leaders Program
The College of Natural Resources (CNR) Engaging Leaders Program aims to develop students by equipping them with the confidence and capacity to collaborate with new communities.
Each year, we select up to 20 students to participate this unique program. Students do not need to have prior leadership experience, and we value students with a strong desire to grow personally and professionally. The program is open to freshman, off-campus transfer and on-campus transfer students.
About the Program
Throughout the year, Engaging Leaders attend sessions to help them better understand their personal leadership style, strengths and weaknesses. They also learn essential skills for working in groups, communicating effectively, and project planning.
Benefits of Becoming an Engaging Leader
- Become part of our supportive EL community and build relationships with your CNR peers from around the country and the world
- Learn how you can best utilize and improve your unique skills and strengths to prepare you for future leadership positions both on campus and in the professional world
- Enhance your ability to encourage and cultivate community and student success as both a leader and group member
- Understand different communication styles and develop the skills necessary to work and communicate well with a variety of individuals
- Get connected to community service, professional development, and academic opportunities around the college and all of NC State
- Learn professionalism for academic and work environments, and the skills you need to impress future employers
Key Components of the Program Include:
- Membership in a supportive community of dedicated leaders representing all majors within CNR
- One-on-one mentorship with a Buzzard Fellow
- Tools to help identify personal leadership styles, strengths, and cultural skills
- Mentoring and guidance from a coordinator
- Monthly leadership seminars
- Engagement activities such as a networking dinner
We had a wonderful time with our newly admitted students and their families this past Saturday. We hope to see each of you back here in the fall! 🐺🐾
#NCState30 @applyncstate
Meet Abby Johnson, an NC State alumna passionate about protecting wildlife and preserving natural ecosystems. 🐺🌳
Abby is the recipient of the Carroll and Dawn Mann Wildlife Conservation Scholarship from NC State’s College of Natural Resources. Her passion for wildlife and commitment to conservation have driven her to pursue hands-on research and immersive field experiences. These opportunities have strengthened her understanding of sustainable wildlife management and prepared her for a future dedicated to protecting natural ecosystems.
“My college experience, and everything following it, has been and will forever be changed because of this generous scholarship. I hope to honor Dawn Mann, Dr. Carroll Mann III, and everyone else who came together to help me have this opportunity.”
Click the link in our bio to learn more about Abby’s story.
Meet Nick Librizzi, a senior majoring in sport management at NC State. 🐺📚
Through his leadership with the NC State Icepack, Librizzi is building more than a competitive hockey program. He is creating a culture centered on accountability, discipline and community.
As a student leader, he is helping teammates grow both on and off the ice, emphasizing mentorship, teamwork and personal development. The experience is preparing players for success far beyond their time at NC State.
"I’ve been fortunate to have some once-in-a-lifetime experiences with Icepack, and they are memories I will never forget. The Men’s Basketball Final Four run was the most united I’ve seen the school since I arrived, and being part of that energy was truly unforgettable."
Click the link in our bio to learn more about Nick’s leadership journey.
Join us next Tuesday, March 3, for the 2026 CALS & CNR HOT Jobs+Internships Fair. 💼 🤝
Open to all NC State students; registration is not required. Some employers in attendance include Wake County Parks, N.C. Forest Service, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Department of Environmental Quality, Bailie Lumber and many more.
⏰ 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
📍 Talley Ballrooms, third floor
🔗 See the link in our bio
Last week, our environmental technology and management program held its spring 2026 meet and greet. 👋🐾
The event included networking and poster sessions, where our students had the opportunity to display their experiences within the program.
Mark your calendars for March 25! 📍 Join us in #GivingPack to support #NCStateCNR during @ncstate’s annual Day of Giving.
All money raised on Day of Giving will support student scholarships, faculty research, facility improvements and many more opportunities for the NC State community.
🔗 Click the link in our bio to learn more about how you can participate in this year`s Day of Giving.
Congratulations to the newest members of the #NCStateCNR Pack! 🎉 We can’t wait to meet you, #NCState30. 🐺🐾
Tag @ncstatecnr in your posts (make sure your profile is public) for the chance to be featured on our Instagram Stories.
Our own Dr. Kai Lan, assistant professor in NC State’s Department of Forest Biomaterials (@ncstatefb), has been named a 2025–26 Goodnight Early Career Innovator. 🎉
This prestigious recognition celebrates outstanding early-career faculty in STEM and STEM education. Through this honor, Kai Lan will receive funding to advance AI-enabled sustainability research and strengthen the Sustainability Analysis and Innovation Lab (SAIL) — driving data-driven insights for sustainable industrial systems and the bioeconomy.
🔗 Read more at the link in our bio.
Congratulations to Abby Kidder ‘26 who has been recognized with the John and Joan Markham Tourism Marketing Award! 🎉
The Markham Award, given by the Travel and Tourism Research Association, honors emerging scholars whose work demonstrates strong analytical thinking and a clear connection between research and real-world application in travel and tourism. This is the fifth time a student in #NCStateCNR’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (@ncstateprtm) has received the award.
“Receiving the John and Joan Marketing Award is an incredible honor and a direct reflection of the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management program. I cannot be more grateful for the support and opportunities that have come from my time at NC State.” —Abby Kidder
Last summer, Abby interned at the globally-recognized tourism research firm Tourism Economics. She is also a James Buzzard Leadership Fellow and president of the Tourism Management Association at NC State (@tmancsu).
After Abby graduates this spring, she hopes to find a job that allows her to contribute to research that drives decisions in the tourism industry. Her goal is to use her education and experience to improve data literacy and an understanding of research among tourism destinations.
Congratulations to our own Dr. Megan Lupek and Dr. Nathalie Lavoine for their recent honors! 👏
Lupek received the Advancing Global Learning at Home Award for her work, “Global Urban Sustainability through Citizen Science and Collaboration." She is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources (@ncstatefer).
Lavoine received the International Research Accelerator Award for her work, “Fostering International Bio-materials Engineering Research: an Upcycling Partnership (FIBER-UP).” She is an associate professor in the Department of Forest Biomaterials (@ncstatefb).
📸: Megan Lupek (left), Nathalie Lavoine (right)
Campus has been looking absolutely gorgeous lately. ❤️❄️ #NCStateOnCampus
Join us in congratulating our own Dr. Nils Peterson, who has received the 2026 Outstanding Mentor Award! 👏
This award, given by the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS), honors Dr. Peterson’s success mentoring graduate students in the NC State College of Natural Resources.
"Being a recipient of this award makes me incredibly grateful for how much our college supports graduate student mentoring. Our students are a joy to work with and take over critical leadership roles in the conservation world when they graduate, so it is a privilege to work with them here at NC State." -Dr. Nils Peterson, professor in the Department of Forestry & Environmental Resources (@ncstatefer)
