{"id":12196,"date":"2019-04-09T18:04:59","date_gmt":"2019-04-09T22:04:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/?p=12196"},"modified":"2019-04-09T18:04:59","modified_gmt":"2019-04-09T22:04:59","slug":"get-back-what-you-give","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/2019\/04\/09\/get-back-what-you-give\/","title":{"rendered":"You Get Back What You Give"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Kimberly<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s often noted that once you are part of the College of Design community, you are forever a part of a tightly woven family, a family of designers that spans generations, professions, continents, and limitless passion. It\u2019s living a Design<\/strong>life.<\/p>\n

Kimberly Wicker [MLAR \u201997] sees the value and benefits of staying connected and is truly living the Design<\/strong>life. Recently, Wicker established the Kimberly Jo Wicker Landscape Architecture Graduate Award Endowment. \u201cThis is my way of giving back in a specific way that will provide students the opportunity for higher education that I received,\u201d Wicker says. The scholarship is for a student pursing a graduate degree in landscape architecture and is merit-based with consideration to need. Additionally, preference will be given to first-generation college students and special consideration will be given to a student who has overcome challenges and for those raised by a single parent.<\/p>\n

Wicker is the only member of her family to have attended college. While higher education wasn\u2019t a concern in her family, her appreciation for the opportunities it offers her runs deep. Wicker says, \u201cI always had this desire to see and do more. I think it\u2019s the passion\u2014it\u2019s ingrained in [me], a saturation that [I] feel here [at the College]. Being the one that went to college in my family has helped me appreciate everything as well.\u201d Wicker says that her mom\u2019s financial wisdom was beneficial, and seeking out different types of financial support for college made a major difference. \u201cWithout the small grants, scholarships, and even teaching assistantships that I had, the opportunity for higher education would not have been possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou get back what you give. No matter what it is. I feel like I have a lot to give, and even if I\u2019m not directly getting back, in some ways the universe gives you back what you give. Even if it\u2019s an hour or $100 or $25 dollars\u2014it\u2019s not about the amount, it\u2019s about the purpose.\u201d \u2014Kimberly Wicker<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

After receiving her undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University, Wicker enrolled in the Master\u2019s of Landscape Architecture at the College of Design. She has since continued her connections and relationships with the College and local design community in a myriad of capacities, including as past Chair of the City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board and a past member of the Wake County Planning Board. Most recently, she was appointed to the NC State University Board of Visitors. In 2005, she opened her own design firm, Coaly Design.<\/p>\n

Wicker has also served as an adjunct professor at the College, is an annual contributor to the Design<\/strong>life Fund, serves on the Leaders Council, has mentored students and sponsored students to participate in College events, and hires students to work in her practice. Wicker\u2019s support is a natural extension of who she is and an integral part of her life. She doesn\u2019t need a reason to give\u2014\u201cYou get back what you give. No matter what it is. I feel like I have a lot to give, and even if I\u2019m not directly getting back, in some ways the universe gives you back what you give. Even if it\u2019s an hour or $100 or $25 dollars\u2014it\u2019s not about the amount, it\u2019s about the purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

This eagerness to give came at least in part from Wicker\u2019s family, who instilled in her the importance of volunteering and community relationships. \u201cI had great influences in my family\u2014my grandfather was a township supervisor of 25+ years, and my mother was actively involved in volunteering with our church, school, and local politics. She has always been a role model as a strong, independent female having a voice and influence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVolunteering and giving back\u2014whether it\u2019s monetary or of my time\u2014it goes back to appreciation, feeling that even if it\u2019s a small impact that I am making on a student, I\u2019m honored, and I know that even a small contribution can make a lifetime of difference,\u201d states Wicker. \u201cWhen I was 22, I was on the Wake County Planning Board, and I had a certain set of skills that I could offer. I may not have been 45 with a lot of experience; however, time and participation are important.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs my success and achievements as a businesswoman have grown, I\u2019ve been able to reflect on the many influences that have allowed me to become the person I am. My family, friends, teachers, employers, and all the many mentors\u2014personally and professionally\u2014who played a valuable role,\u201d Wicker says. \u201cI didn\u2019t get here alone.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\"Kimberly<\/a>\n\nIt\u2019s often noted that once you are part of the College of Design community, you are forever a part of a tightly woven family, a family of designers that spans generations, professions, continents, and limitless passion. It\u2019s living a Design<\/strong>life.\n\nKimberly Wicker [MLAR \u201997] sees the value and benefits of staying connected and is truly living the Design<\/strong>life. Recently, Wicker established the Kimberly Jo Wicker Landscape Architecture Graduate Award Endowment. \u201cThis is my way of giving back in a specific way that will provide students the opportunity for higher education that I received,\u201d Wicker says. The scholarship is for a student pursing a graduate degree in landscape architecture and is merit-based with consideration to need. Additionally, preference will be given to first-generation college students and special consideration will be given to a student who has overcome challenges and for those raised by a single parent.\n\nWicker is the only member of her family to have attended college. While higher education wasn\u2019t a concern in her family, her appreciation for the opportunities it offers her runs deep. Wicker says, \u201cI always had this desire to see and do more. I think it\u2019s the passion\u2014it\u2019s ingrained in [me], a saturation that [I] feel here [at the College]. Being the one that went to college in my family has helped me appreciate everything as well.\u201d Wicker says that her mom\u2019s financial wisdom was beneficial, and seeking out different types of financial support for college made a major difference. \u201cWithout the small grants, scholarships, and even teaching assistantships that I had, the opportunity for higher education would not have been possible.\u201d\n

\u201cYou get back what you give. No matter what it is. I feel like I have a lot to give, and even if I\u2019m not directly getting back, in some ways the universe gives you back what you give. Even if it\u2019s an hour or $100 or $25 dollars\u2014it\u2019s not about the amount, it\u2019s about the purpose.\u201d \u2014Kimberly Wicker<\/blockquote>\nAfter receiving her undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University, Wicker enrolled in the Master\u2019s of Landscape Architecture at the College of Design. She has since continued her connections and relationships with the College and local design community in a myriad of capacities, including as past Chair of the City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board and a past member of the Wake County Planning Board. Most recently, she was appointed to the NC State University Board of Visitors. In 2005, she opened her own design firm, Coaly Design.\n\nWicker has also served as an adjunct professor at the College, is an annual contributor to the Design<\/strong>life Fund, serves on the Leaders Council, has mentored students and sponsored students to participate in College events, and hires students to work in her practice. Wicker\u2019s support is a natural extension of who she is and an integral part of her life. She doesn\u2019t need a reason to give\u2014\u201cYou get back what you give. No matter what it is. I feel like I have a lot to give, and even if I\u2019m not directly getting back, in some ways the universe gives you back what you give. Even if it\u2019s an hour or $100 or $25 dollars\u2014it\u2019s not about the amount, it\u2019s about the purpose.\u201d\n\nThis eagerness to give came at least in part from Wicker\u2019s family, who instilled in her the importance of volunteering and community relationships. \u201cI had great influences in my family\u2014my grandfather was a township supervisor of 25+ years, and my mother was actively involved in volunteering with our church, school, and local politics. She has always been a role model as a strong, independent female having a voice and influence.\u201d\n\n\u201cVolunteering and giving back\u2014whether it\u2019s monetary or of my time\u2014it goes back to appreciation, feeling that even if it\u2019s a small impact that I am making on a student, I\u2019m honored, and I know that even a small contribution can make a lifetime of difference,\u201d states Wicker. \u201cWhen I was 22, I was on the Wake County Planning Board, and I had a certain set of skills that I could offer. I may not have been 45 with a lot of experience; however, time and participation are important.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs my success and achievements as a businesswoman have grown, I\u2019ve been able to reflect on the many influences that have allowed me to become the person I am. My family, friends, teachers, employers, and all the many mentors\u2014personally and professionally\u2014who played a valuable role,\u201d Wicker says. \u201cI didn\u2019t get here alone.\u201d"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kimberly Wicker received her MLA from NC State College of Design and has since remained loyal in giving of her time, talent, and passion for all things Raleigh NC and beyond. Owner of Coaly Design, Wicker understands the importance of designing for the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":12199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,11,7],"tags":[19,12],"class_list":["post-12196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni-experience","category-giving","category-newswire","tag-_featured","tag-landscape-architecture"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12196"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12196\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}