All News

Feb 21, 2024

Discover the Power of Design Thinking

Aspiring designers arrive at the College of Design with diverse dreams and leave prepared to bring the values of design thinking to their communities and careers.

Feb 8, 2024

Reshaping Raleigh: Environmental Designer Brings Iconic Spaces to Life

Alumnus Joshua Gajownik '04 thought he wanted to be an aerospace engineer. Now, 20 years on, the College of Design graduate is a successful practicing environmental designer. He touches every single detail of the properties he works on, from the branding to the furniture selections, even down to the in-room art.

Jan 31, 2024

LAF Fellowship Spotlight: Meg Calkins on a Material Shift

About 90% of a constructed site’s carbon footprint comes from the materials used to build it. If landscape architects really want to reduce the carbon footprint of their work, they need to radically rethink not just materials selection but also material assemblies and the types structures they design. This is Meg Calkins’ message to the discipline and the focus of her 2023-24 LAF Fellowship.

Jan 26, 2024

MLA Student Shabnam Mohammadzadeh Receives Dean’s Wings on Wings Award

As part of the fall 2023 commencement ceremony, Dean Mark Hoversten recognized an exceptional student for their performance in the classroom and service to the college with the Dean’s Award for Outstanding College Citizenship and Academic Excellence, known as the Wings on Wings award.

Jan 25, 2024

Alumna Dare Coulter wins 2024 Coretta Scott King Book Award

Alumna Dare Coulter [Art + Design '15], illustrator of “An American Story,” is one of two winners of the 2024 Coretta Scott King Book Awards honoring African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.

Jan 25, 2024

How can A.I. Transform Voice Language Analysis?

Master of Graphic & Experience Design (MGXD) students collaborated with the Laboratory of Analytic Sciences (LAS) here at NC State to explore the potential of machine learning to assist in voice language analysis tasks.

Jan 17, 2024

NC State Students and Alumni Win Numerous AIANC Design Awards

Each year, the American Institute of Architects North Carolina Chapter (AIANC) recognizes design that exceeds the benchmarks for outstanding architectural design, structural composition and application of design theory. Over 140 projects were submitted to this year's program, with 24 awarded. The College of Design at NC State University had numerous winners recognized, including five student entries, AIA NC Educator of the Year, and the F. Carter Williams Gold Medalist.

Jan 11, 2024

LAS Announces 2024 Collaborators

The Laboratory for Analytic Sciences at NC State University will provide research funding to 22 faculty collaborators representing 11 academic institutions as well as six industry organizations this year. Collaborators will…

Jan 10, 2024

Q&A: Lesley-Ann Noel on Her New Book, “Design Social Change”

Assistant Professor Lesley-Ann Noel's recently-published book, titled "Design Social Change" was written as a guide for topics, mindsets and principles that designers can use to drive the way they think about change. We talked with Dr. Noel about the book's mission and inspiration.

Dec 12, 2023

Breaking the Stereotype: Using AI to Support Diversity in STEM

Ashley Anderson's research looks at why there aren't as many Black students earning degrees in STEM fields, and is looking at how generative AI can be used a tool to foster diversity and belonging.

Dec 7, 2023

Alum Featured In New Exhibition at MoMA-NYC

NC State graduate Ralph Knowles' dedication to environmentalism through architecture has helped influence dozens of works on display at the new Museum of Modern Art Exhibit, "Emerging Ecologies."

Nov 29, 2023

New Just Communities Lab Advocates for Environmental Justice

Kofi Boone, a professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, has formed a new lab at NC State that uses design and planning as a tool to address environmental justice concerns.

Nov 9, 2023

NC State Creatives: Weatherly Reeves

Weatherly is a sophomore in Design Studies, and she believes design is an avenue to tell stories that uplift others. She recently illustrated her first book which tells the story of a young Andy Griffith.

Nov 7, 2023

An International Footprint: Celebrating Prague’s Past and Future

The College of Design brought its 75th anniversary celebration to Prague to connect with past alumni of the program and discuss the future of its global footprint. During five days in early October, College of Design alumni, NC State University leadership, and current study abroad students were able to connect around DesignBlok, the largest design and fashion expo in Central and Eastern Europe. 

Nov 1, 2023

Representing an Amalgamation of Peoples

As Miss Lumbee 2023, first-year architecture student Ashtyn Thomas represents her people as an ambassador working to educate the North Carolina community and beyond about Lumbee pride and heritage.

Oct 31, 2023

NC State Alum Matt McConnell’s ‘Evolution Field’ Featured in Brickyard

NC State students, faculty and staff and interested passersby on Hillsborough Street will notice a mesmerizing blend of light and color in the Brickyard over the next three months.  Three sets…

Oct 13, 2023

Exploring Connection through Paper Form

This year's First Year Experience Paper project was all about connection - the connections we make with others, with our surroundings, and with ourselves. First-year students in the College of Design were tasked with creating a wearable or inhabitable structure that examines how we related to one another. Pieces created by the students were meant to raise awareness of interpersonal relationships in new and nuance ways, and were primarily constructed using paper or fiber with minimal fasteners, adhesives or support.

Oct 12, 2023

The Oval Becomes NC State’s Newest Hallowed Place

The Oval was selected as NC State’s 10th Hallowed Place because of its historical significance to the original design of Centennial Campus.

Oct 10, 2023

Turning the Tide

What can be done to reduce the negative effects of disasters and to reduce the likelihood of future disasters occurring in the first place? Hazard mitigation involves taking actions to reduce the vulnerability of communities to the damaging effects of natural hazards and disasters. Gavin Smith, professor of landscape architecture and environmental planning, is assisting local jurisdictions, states, and national governments in addressing this vexing issue.

Oct 3, 2023

First Speaker Named for Architecture Endowed Lecture Series 

Carol Wilson, a two-time NC State alumna, has been announced as the first speaker for a new architecture lecture series endowed in honor of Roger Clark.  Wilson is an architect based in Maine. She owns a small firm that primarily focuses on residential work, and her creativity can be seen in buildings as far as New York and Soho. 

Sep 29, 2023

2023 Shawcroft Prize Winners Announced

Four students were awarded prizes for their work. Submissions are judged based on students’ use of hand drawing skills in the categories of the design process, documentation and analysis, and presentation.

Sep 28, 2023

Students win 2023 Aspire Awards

Six student teams won 2023 AIA Aspire Awards celebrating outstanding design and improves the quality of the built environment. AIA Aspire is a collection of the state chapters of Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Sep 19, 2023

NC State University Foundation Awards Four Grants to College of Design

Thanks to philanthropic support from the foundation, the College of Design is poised to implement or expand several new programs in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

Sep 8, 2023

NC State Creatives: Danny Garrett

As a former Marine, Danny is using his time in the MAAS program to research factors that contribute to veteran homelessness and suicide. Ultimately, he aims to design a sustainable, supportive, community-based housing typology that pinpoints the specific needs of veterans.

Sep 7, 2023

Landscape Architecture Students, Faculty Win National ASLA Awards

Students and faculty were recognized as winners of the national ASLA award competition, with four student projects and one faculty-led project receiving awards. In addition, two faculty were recognized: Chuck Flink won the LaGasse Medal and Emily McCoy was elevated to fellow.

Aug 29, 2023

Q&A | Emily Burdo on Embedded Counseling at the College of Design

Emily Burdo, LCSW, has taken on the role of a full-time embedded counselor at the College of Design. In her new capacity within the college, Burdo's primary objective is to establish an inviting environment for personalized emotional support. Additionally, she aims to equip students with the necessary resources to explore various avenues of mental health assistance.

Aug 23, 2023

NC State Named Finalist for 2023 C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) named North Carolina State University a regional winner of the 2023 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Scholarship Award. As a winner, NC State will compete for the national C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship award, which will be announced in November.  The award recognizes the work of NC State’s Coastal…

Jul 12, 2023

Landscape Architecture: An Early History

The landscape architecture program saw many successes in the early years as part of the School of Design. The program, accredited in 1951, was one of the first two accredited programs in the American South. Landscape art and gardening have been taught at NC State since the 180s, but the formal program wasn't developed until 1911.

Jul 7, 2023

Back to the Pack: Mary Hauser

Mary Hauser is the Associate Director and Registrar at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design. Hauser earned her Bachelor of Industrial Design in 2001, and her Master of Industrial Design in 2004 at the College of Design. She shared her story from her time as a student to her time with NC State as a professional in the second installment of Back to the Pack.

Jul 6, 2023

Ready for the Turning Point

In the century since the term was coined, graphic design has continued to redefine itself in the face of both technological and cultural changes – whether that’s the birth of the desktop computer in the early nineties or the emergence of artificial intelligence image generators like DALL-E in the early 2020s. As such, graphic design at NC State has also been one of continual redefinition, at the forefront of emerging practices.

Jun 30, 2023

A Continuing Legacy: Susan Toplikar Fund Connects Students to Professionals

Through a fund named after one of the College of Design's most missed instructors, students are gaining the opportunity to build new meaningful relationships with professionals across the Triangle.

Jun 29, 2023

Sifting Through the Past

Associate Professor of Architecture Kristen Schaffer shares her experience of sorting through the archives as part of the research related to the College of Design's 75th anniversary.

Jun 23, 2023

Back to the Pack: Luna Vanaman

Luna Vanaman earned her Bachelor of Industrial Design from the College of Design in 2000, and currently works as the lead interactive media producer for NC State University's Communications Office. She shared her story from her time as a student to her time with NC State as a professional as part of our new series, Back to the Pack.

Jun 23, 2023

A Driving Force

From its founding in 1948 to the present day, each dean of the College of Design has left a mark.

Jun 21, 2023

DELTA VR Tours Compliment College of Design’s 75th Anniversary Celebration

DELTA and the College of Design teamed up to create virtual tours of the entire building to showcase the current facilities and projects students are working on this year. These tours are being used to engage with alumni as part of the yearlong 75th anniversary celebration as well as for recruitment and admissions promotions.

Jun 21, 2023

Architecture: Then and Now

Dean Kamphoefner displayed a clear vision to establish in only a few years an institution of national and international prominence. He used all means available to him, including the curriculum, faculty and student selections and negotiations for university resources, to achieve this goal. Explore the history of the architecture program to see how Kamphoefner implemented his vision.

Jun 15, 2023

Chuck Flink Recognized as One of ASLA’s 2023 Awardees with LaGasse Medal

Charles A. “Chuck” Flink, FASLA is the 2023 recipient of the LaGasse Medal, named for Alfred B. LaGasse, past executive director of the American Institute of Park Executives and executive vice president of the National Recreation and Parks Association. This national honor recognizes notable contributions by individuals to the management and conservancy of natural resources and/or public landscapes.

Jun 13, 2023

Exploring our Spaces

Explore the history of the buildings that have housed students from the College of Design since its inception.

Jun 6, 2023

Trees of Design

As the College of Design faces the social, environmental and economic challenges of the 21st century in its 75th anniversary, the Tree of Design stares out from the pages of this early bulletin to capture our imagination on what interdisciplinary thinking might look like in the 21st century.

May 30, 2023

Celebrating Our 75th Birthday Through Community and Collaboration

The online 75th birthday celebration for the NC State College of Design was filled with nostalgia, joy and connection with the institution's rich legacy. Throughout the day, alumni and community partners took to social media to share their recollections of the college.

May 26, 2023

From Tragedy, a New School Found Its Voice

The first issue of The Student Publication of the School of Design paid tribute to the school’s first head of architecture, Matthew Nowicki, after his untimely death. Uplifted by his pioneering spirit, his students chose to carry it forward.

May 25, 2023

Art2Wear: A Tradition of Showcasing Wearable Art

Art2Wear — one of the largest student-run productions of its kind in the Southeast — has become a highly anticipated annual wearable art showcase. But the first one was a small, grassroots production.  It started in a fibers and surface design studio in 2002, where Vita Plume — then an assistant professor of art + design, who retired as an associate professor in 2012 — taught textile techniques such as weaving, knitting and dyeing cloth.

May 24, 2023

College of Design’s First African American Graduate Offers Perspective, Wisdom

Art Clement decided he would be an architect in the sixth grade, after learning about Frank Lloyd Wright and his Guggenheim Museum. Seven years later, he enrolled in NC State in 1966, part of the first wave of African American students attending the university. He began studying architecture in what was then called the School of Design. No one in the school looked like him, but he was committed to completing the five-year program.

May 23, 2023

Celebrating A Decade of Collaboration with Eastman  

Compostable takeout containers. Cosmetics packaging. Ready to assemble furniture. These are just a few of the sponsored studio projects the NC State College of Design has conceptualized for real-world applications with industry partner Eastman. They have maintained an active partnership with the College of Design over the past ten years, resulting in nine invention disclosures, five applications and one patent.

May 22, 2023

Shattering Glass Ceilings To Shape a Modern World

Under a new dean and a new curriculum, Elizabeth Bobbit Lee thrived as the sole female graduate in a class full of men, even as she set the mold for a life well lived.

May 20, 2023

The Class That Started It All

The students who graduated from the School of Design in the spring of 1953 were the first to complete the new school’s five-year course load. Their commitment set the pace for everything that came after.

May 15, 2023

SAS and the NC State College of Design — A decade of fresh ideas

The College of Design and SAS celebrated a ten-year partnership in April. SAS Director of Product Design Rajiv Ramarajan reflects on the projects created over the years.

May 12, 2023

Maria Gallardo-Williams and Derek Ham receive the 2023 Libraries Faculty Award

Gallardo-Williams’ open pedagogy and Ham’s racial history VR artistry highlight their collaborations with the Libraries

May 10, 2023

Students Redesign Exterior of Wood Hall

The Spring 2023 LAR 506 graduate course designed, proposed and created a new outdoor communal area for Wood residence hall.

May 10, 2023

College of Design Faculty win NC State Awards in Teaching and Research

Six College of Design faculty were recognized with awards from the Alumni Association, Graduate School, Libraries and Office of the Provost this spring.