Jerry Fox Memorial Scholarship Established

David A. Fox ’94, has established the Jerry H. Fox Scholarship to honor the memory and accomplishments of his father, the late Jerry H. Fox ’60.

Jerry Fox '60 Wood Technology

Jerry Fox ’60 Wood Technology

Originally from Roxboro, Jerry Fox attended NC State on the Pat Brown Lumber Company Scholarship and graduated from the School of Forestry in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in Wood Technology.  During his undergraduate years, Jerry was an active member of the Forestry Club, served as President of the Forest Products Research Society and Xi Sigma Pi Forestry Society.  After graduation, Jerry was an accomplished banker and entrepreneur, as well as a proud husband and father.

David Fox established this endowment to support students at NC State University that embody the same characteristics and determination and academic excellence, as well as the strong passion for sustainable forestry and the natural environment, as his father.

The scholarship will provide opportunities for undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Natural Resources who have shown exemplary academic performance and merit and are pursuing a degree in the area of sustainable forestry, including but not limited to healthy forests, biomass and energy, wood production and new bio-product development.

The college is proud to help honor Jerry Fox and is grateful to David Fox for his generous support of our students.

NC State Endowment Board Signs $150 Million Hofmann Forest Agreement

The Board of Trustees for the Endowment Fund of NC State University has agreed to terms for the sale of Hofmann Forest – a move that will pave the way for unprecedented investments in students, faculty, research and extension in the College of Natural Resources (CNR) and continued access for students and faculty.

Jerry Walker, manager of the purchaser, has signed an agreement to buy the 79,000-acre property near Jacksonville, NC for $150 million. Walker is a third-generation agri-businessman who runs the family’s multi-state agriculture business based in Illinois.

Proceeds from the sale will be placed in an endowment with the annual return of interest benefitting the College of Natural Resources, in keeping with the intent of the original deed gifted to the Endowment Fund in 1977 by the private non-profit Forestry Foundation (now known as the Natural Resources Foundation). The benefit to CNR is estimated to be $6 million annually, which is more than three times the current annual yield from the forest.

The purchase agreement also indicates the buyer’s intent to address additional objectives set by the Natural Resources Foundation, which include access for students and faculty to conduct research, preserving the legacy by keeping the Hofmann name, and maintaining a working forest on the property.

“The income generated annually by the investment of the sale proceeds will provide tremendous educational and research opportunities for the College of Natural Resources and its students,” said NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson.

“As an asset, the forest’s full potential was not being realized,” Woodson added. “We have an obligation to our stakeholders – our students, faculty, staff and alumni – to ensure our colleges are positioned to provide a robust academic environment that attracts world-class faculty and the best and brightest students.”

Additional resources generated by the endowment will go toward promoting growth in research and academic offerings within CNR, and making progress toward the college’s mission and strategic plan, which includes transforming the college into the go-to leader for solutions to natural resource challenges across the state, nation and around the globe.

“We’re confident the resulting impact from Doc Hofmann’s legacy will be nothing short of transformational for our college,” said CNR Dean Mary Watzin. “CNR’s vision is to be a world leader among universities that are creating healthier and more sustainable communities.” The transaction will not affect the existing zoning of the property which permits its use for timber and agricultural purposes, the preservation of the two existing wetlands or the existing lease for Onslow County’s Deppe Park.

In addition, the purchase agreement recognizes the Department of Defense’s interest in obtaining an easement from the purchaser that would ensure long-term protection for approximately 70,000 acres of the property and formalize the military’s long-standing interest in the conservation of the property.

“Hofmann Forest is a wonderful property with a long and storied connection to the communities of Eastern North Carolina, and we are committed to preserving that legacy going forward,” said Walker. “We look forward to working with our military neighbors on a plan for maintaining the primary use of the land for timber and agriculture purposes.”

Additional Background •Hofmann Forest was purchased by the North Carolina Forestry Foundation, Inc. in 1934, later named the Natural Resources Foundation. The Foundation gifted the land to the NC State Endowment Fund in 1977 for the benefit of the College of Natural Resources.

•About 56,000 of the forest’s 79,000 acres function as a working forest. Other activities at the forest include agriculture, hunt clubs and an Onslow County park.

•There are approximately 1400 undergraduate students in the College of Natural Resources, including about 80 in the forestry program, and over 400 graduate students in the College’s MS and Ph.D. programs. The vast majority of the college’s outdoor education is conducted currently at Hill Forest and Schenck Forest.

•More than 98 percent of sponsored forestry research in the college is currently conducted at sites outside the Hofmann Forest (around the state and across the world).

•The income generated from Hofmann, similar to other forests, has produced a relatively low return on market value and subject to fluctuations in demand for houses. In fiscal 2012, Hofmann generated a net income of approximately $861,000 to support the college. With a 4% spending policy, the $150 million generated from the sale would result in $6 million in annual support to CNR.

Media Contact: Fred Hartman | | 919.515.7159

 

CNR helps NCSU Break Fundraising Record

NC State University fundraising efforts hit record breaking levels for fiscal year 2012-2013 with gifts and pledges totalling $198.2 million – a 78% increase over the previous year.  Cash in the door jumped 27 percent to $127.6 million. Fundraising for the endowment was off the charts, raising nearly $130 million. And the annual giving program surpassed 2011-12 by 7 percent, collecting nearly $2 million.

Donations to the College of Natural Resources grew 263% over the previous year to $9 million.  The total is due in part to a soon-to-be-announced $7 million gift from a donor who isn’t even an alumnus, just a committed wildlife enthusiast who believes in the work the college is doing.

Donor support is critical as the university faces an expected 5 percent cut in state funding this year just as it begins to implement an ambitious strategic plan that calls for investments in faculty and infrastructure to improve student success, confront society’s grand challenges and drive economic development.

Learn more >>

 

Harcharik Forestry International Studies Endowment Established

David and Angelica Harcharik

David and Angelica Harcharik

The College of Natural Resources is honored to announce that David and Angelica Harcharik have named the NC State Natural Resources Foundation, Inc. in their estate plans.  When funded, the David and Angelica Harcharik Forestry International Studies Endowment in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources will encourage and entice students to go beyond their national borders in pursuit of scientific knowledge and the understanding of other cultures.

Dr. David Harcharik earned a Ph.D. in forest genetics from NC State in 1984 after earning his bachelor’s degree in forest management from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in forest ecology from Duke University.”  David Harcharik is a true role model for our students,” says Dr. Larry Nielsen. “His fundamental concern for narrowing the gap between rich and poor nations, and for achieving a sustainable world economy and environment, are the core values we work to instill in every student at NC State.” He was NC State’s College of Natural Resources 2002 Distinguished Alumnus.

David Harcharik, former Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United NationsHarcharik retired in 2007 as Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, a position he held for ten years.  In this capacity, he assisted the Director-General with the overall leadership and management of this international organization dedicated to world food security and the sustainable management of natural resources.  Previously he served as Assistant Director-General and Head of the FAO Forestry Department and as a Forestry Officer with FAO.

Harcharik also held a number of positions in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, including Director of International Forestry and Associate Deputy Chief. Early in his career he was a Peace Corps Volunteer and Visiting Professor in the Department of Forest Sciences at Agrarian University in Lima, Peru. He also served our country in the US Army in Vietnam.

He and his wife, Angelica, met while studying Italian in Rome, where she was visiting from Argentina. They married in Rome and lived there for some 18 years. In Italy, Angelica developed a passion for cooking and went on to earn three degrees from professional chef schools in Rome and Paris. In addition to fine cooking with natural ingredients, especially based on Italian recipes, she enjoys travel and nature, and a keen love of animals.

This endowment will be used to support fellowships, research funding, study abroad, student recruiting and/or other related forestry international study purposes for graduate students enrolled in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources in the College of Natural Resources at NC State University.

 

Gift Will Create Stephen H. Conger, Sr. Professorship in Forestry

The College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University is honored to announce that Stephen H. Conger, Jr., Forestry ’78, has named the NC State Natural Resources Foundation, Inc. in his estate plans.  When funded, the Stephen H. Conger, Sr. Professorship in Forestry will honor his father and extend the Conger family legacy in forestry.

Steve Conger and Mary Watzin with Conger Professorship Plaque

Dean Mary Watzin (R) presents the Conger Professorate plaque to donor Steve Conger ’78 .

Stephen Halsey Conger Sr. was a native of Augusta, Ga. and earned his forestry degree from the University of Georgia in 1949. His long career in the forestry industry began in 1949 with Coastal Lumber Company in Lake City, SC and retired as Vice-Chairman in Weldon, NC.  Mr. Conger was a leader in the hardwood lumber industry and active in leadership roles for many related associations. Mr. Conger believed in service and did by actively engaging in his civic community, his church, and political affairs.

Support for this professorship will be directed to the person holding the Stephen H. Conger, Sr. Professorship in Forestry and will be appointed by the Dean of the NC State College of Natural Resources in accordance with the established procedures for granting endowed professional awards.

About the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources

The Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources (FER) is part of the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University. It was founded in 1929 as the NC State’s School of Forest Resources and is one of the oldest and largest departments of its kind in the nation. Since its beginning, the department has grown steadily in scope and global reach to reflect evolving industry needs and environmental concerns.

Distinguished by a long history of innovation, an exceptional faculty, outstanding learning facilities, a commitment to research, a diverse extension and outreach program, and the ability to educate students in all sectors related to forestry and environmental resources, FER’s integrated approach to teaching, research and extension allows students to work side-by-side with academic and industry professionals on real-life challenges.

FER has graduated many prominent forestry and environmental policy makers, researchers, scientists, executives, practitioners, and academic leaders. Students have opportunities for many study abroad programs, internships, and research experiences. Over 4070 alumni live in all 50 US states and in 24 countries.