Kent Hudson<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHudson, who graduated with dual degrees in pulp and paper science technology and chemical engineering in 1975, established the scholarship to support rural North Carolina students interested in paper science and engineering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A native of Gibsonville, a town of about 10,000 residents, Castagna fit the profile. He was also high-achieving, graduating as valedictorian from East Guilford High School while balancing a college preparatory program, community volunteer work and a job at a local grocery store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Castagna\u2019s resume ultimately earned him the scholarship, which he called \u201clife-changing.\u201d With the financial barrier removed, he was able to enroll at NC State and pursue a degree in paper science and engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKnowing that I was selected because my background and work ethic reflected the values of Kent Hudson made the scholarship especially meaningful to me,\u201d Castagna said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As he prepares to begin his second year at NC State, Castagna described his experience so far as \u201cexciting, rewarding and memorable,\u201d citing the opportunity to meet new people, explore campus and immerse himself in the paper science and engineering program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most rewarding part of the experience, Castagna said, has been realizing that he is \u201ctruly in the right place.\u201d Through the paper science and engineering program, he has gained a deeper understanding of the opportunities available in the industry \u2014 from internships to careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He has especially enjoyed program events, mill visits and opportunities to connect with industry professionals, experiences that have given him a firsthand look at an industry that continues to evolve and the growing demand for graduates prepared to work with emerging technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy experiences in paper science and engineering have confirmed that I am in the right field, and they have motivated me to pursue a career where I can make a meaningful impact while continuing to learn and grow,\u201d Castagna said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Castagna added that support from the program, particularly from professors such as Med Byrd and Charles Fleming, has made the experience even more rewarding. \u201cBoth professors have inspired me in different ways and have helped shape my first-year experience at NC State.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Byrd, who is an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Forest Biomaterials and the undergraduate coordinator for the paper science and engineering program, has a \u201cpassion for the industry that has made me even more excited about my future,\u201d Castagna said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hudson, too, has played an important role in Castagna\u2019s journey beyond the scholarship itself, offering guidance and encouragement throughout his first year. One piece of advice, in particular, has continued to inspire Castagna: \u201cIf you\u2019re not living on the edge, you\u2019re taking up too much space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat mindset has encouraged me to take chances, pursue opportunities and push myself beyond my comfort zone,\u201d Castagna said. \u201cKnowing that someone believed in my potential enough to invest in my future has motivated me to work hard and make the most of every opportunity at NC State.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking ahead, Castagna said he is most excited about gaining real-world experience through internships and co-ops, becoming more involved in clubs and campus organizations and continuing to grow within the paper science and engineering program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that while his journey has just begun, he hopes to someday be able \u201cto give back to future students in the same way that Kent Hudson has given back to me.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe support, guidance and opportunities I have received through the Kent Hudson Scholarship have had a lasting impact on my life. I hope that one day I will be in a position to help a paper science and engineering student pursue their goals and make their college journey a little easier, just as Kent helped make mine possible,\u201d Castagna said. <\/p>\n"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Castagna reflects on his first year in the paper science and engineering program and the impact of the Kent Hudson Scholarship on his education.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":42573,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false,\"displayCategoryID\":189,\"caption\":\"Ryan Castagna, left, and Kent Hudson hold a plaque recognizing the Kent Hudson Scholarship during a holiday event.\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[173,1,102,189],"tags":[39,22,100,355,84],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-42566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni-and-friends","category-hidden-news","category-hidden-newswire","category-student-success","tag-forest-biomaterials","tag-paper-science-and-engineering","tag-philanthropy","tag-scholarship","tag-student-profile"],"displayCategory":{"term_id":189,"name":"Student Success","slug":"student-success","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":189,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Connect with the students who call the College of Natural Resources their home away from home. From forestry to sports management, our graduates strive to take their learning beyond the classroom and apply it in ways that will enhance local communities and their environment.","parent":0,"count":228,"filter":"raw"},"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42566","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/171"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42566"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42566\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42574,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42566\/revisions\/42574"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42566"},{"taxonomy":"_ncst_magazine_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/_ncst_magazine_issue?post=42566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}