{"id":41375,"date":"2026-02-13T18:10:29","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T23:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=41375"},"modified":"2026-05-06T12:35:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T16:35:35","slug":"macallister-paper-science-and-engineering-scholarship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/macallister-paper-science-and-engineering-scholarship\/","title":{"rendered":"Paper Science Alumna Turns Gratitude Into Opportunity for Students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

On graduation day in 2019, North Carolina State University alumna Manon MacAllister made a promise to herself: She would one day give back to the College of Natural Resources program that had shaped her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That dream became reality recently when she learned the MacAllister Paper Science and Engineering Scholarship had been approved. Overjoyed, she jumped up at her kitchen table, threw her hands in the air and immediately texted her university friends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had been working toward this for so long, and finally, it happened,\u201d MacAllister said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a student, MacAllister received scholarships from the James A. Buzzard, Ernie and Beverly Alexander, and Bowater NCSU Alumni endowments, and she remains grateful for the mentorship provided by those who supported her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, she credits much of her success to that guidance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe best part of my scholarships was the mentorship from Jim Buzzard and Ernie Alexander. They were mentors more than funders,\u201d MacAllister said. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the things that make the paper science program unique: collaboration between students and funders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspired by this support, she eagerly embraced the opportunity to create her own scholarship and mentor students in turn. \u201cI can\u2019t endow a scholarship like Jim and Ernie did, but when I learned I could still provide some sort of scholarship and be a mentor, I jumped at the chance.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the MacAllister Paper Science and Engineering Scholarship will provide need-based support to undergraduate students pursuing a degree in paper science and engineering, continuing the legacy of mentorship and guidance that inspired MacAllister herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where Gratitude Meets Opportunity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Person<\/a>
Manon MacAllister in her graduation gown standing by the Pulp and Paper Laboratories sign on NC State’s campus, commemorating the completion of her degree. Photo provided<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

MacAllister has always felt a strong sense of gratitude for her time in the paper science and engineering program and a deep commitment to give back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program became more than just a place of study. It was her community, her network and the foundation of her career. \u201cI always felt so lucky to get so much, and the least I can do is return the favor in whatever way I can,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her path to the program was not planned. MacAllister originally enrolled at NC State intending to become a chemical engineer, but a seminar with Med Byrd, the paper science and engineering program\u2019s undergraduate coordinator, sparked a new passion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Byrd\u2019s enthusiasm for paper science and engineering opened the door to a field that MacAllister would come to exemplify. \u201cI\u2019d never heard of paper science and engineering, yet here was this man really hyping it up. I thought, \u2018Hey, this sounds really, really cool,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MacAllister decided to take an introductory class with Byrd to learn more, and it quickly won her over. She added paper science and engineering alongside her chemical engineering degree and never looked back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since graduating, MacAllister has had no regrets. She worked at International Paper in South Carolina and now is a senior reliability engineer at Clearwater Paper Corporation in Lewiston, Idaho. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a really good career and fits my personality very well. It\u2019s been challenging in a good way. There\u2019s a lot of space for growth with the industry and a lot of opportunities. It allows me not to be tied to a desk much. It\u2019s a good hands-on type of job,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MacAllister hopes her scholarship fund will help others find a fulfilling career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf someone is interested in our industry, I want them to have the opportunity to be a part of NC State\u2019s paper science and engineering program. The barriers to college entry keep getting higher, and I want to help students get in the door,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before speaking with Jonathan Hern\u00e1ndez, assistant director of philanthropy, and Jennifer Piercy, assistant dean of philanthropy, MacAllister thought she would need to fund an endowment to create a scholarship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey showed me other options that were a better fit for people in my position. I work with the scholarship committee and am part of the Pulp and Paper Advisory Board, so I\u2019ll definitely be talking more about how to get the word out to alumni,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n