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entrepreneurship

Jess Ekstrom

Dec 4, 2017

NC State’s Outstanding Young Alumna: Jess Ekstrom

NC State's Alumni Association names and celebrates an outstanding young alumnus each year during the university's Evening of Stars gala. Jess Ekstrom (communication '13), founder of Headbands of Hope, earned the honor for 2017. 

Feb 1, 2017

Alumna’s Bee Downtown Goes to Ghana

Leigh-Kathryn Bonner is bringing her "beesness" to Ghana to empower women and promote sustainability. 

Nate Myers and Zakiya Pettiway

Jun 27, 2016

Student’s Startup Helps Teens Tap into Creative Gifts

Over the last four years, Nate Myers has trained high school students in photography, videography and music production at the Boys and Girls Club of Wake County afterschool program. Working with teens largely from low-income households, Myers mentored students through multimedia projects with themes often promoting social change. Now, through his startup — the Malkuta Project — Myers is expanding the afterschool model to the broader community. 

Apr 15, 2016

Student Startups Win Awards at eGames

Two startups founded by Humanities and Social Sciences students took home awards Thursday at the 2016 Lulu eGames at NC State's Talley Student Union. 

Feb 16, 2015

Creating a Buzz on and off Campus

Senior Leigh-Kathryn Bonner created quite a buzz with the nonprofit she founded - literally. Bonner’s organization Bee Downtown has over 120,000 bees in various observation hives and has recently partnered with Burt’s Bees to open the state’s largest observation hive at Durham's American Tobacco Campus. 

Dec 22, 2014

English alum’s many hats: chef, TV star, commencement speaker

Chef, restaurateur, TV star and NC State English alum Vivian Howard served up a great speech during NC State's winter graduation ceremonies. 

Mar 13, 2014

From Wolfpack Red to Blue Man Group Blue

Brian Tavener (Communication, ‘04) did something very unusual for an NC State alumnus: he turned blue. Tavener, a former Park Scholar, has been a member of the Blue Man Group, an international spectacle in which the performers dress in bald caps, blue-black costumes and makeup, for more than six years. Blue Man Group performances are regularly seen across the country and around the world. 

Feb 6, 2014

NC State Students Bring Nonprofit’s Work to Life

Two Communication students volunteered their skills and talents to a local nonprofit. Zach Swann and Cameron McCarty have created a video to help PLM Families Together tell the story of moving families from homelessness to places of stability and hope. 

Katye Thomas and

Sep 3, 2013

MSW Alum Raises Awareness of Birth Defects

Kayte Thomas (MSW 2013) is a recent graduate of the master's of social work program. In addition to being a mother, she is also a national award-winning advocate and a published researcher on the education and prevention of birth defects. 

Jessica Ekstrom speaks at May 2013 commencement

Jun 24, 2013

COM Grad Gives Student Commencement Address

Communication major Jessica Ekstrom delivered an inspired and moving student address during NC State University's spring 2013 commencement exercises.