Academics

The Pullen Literary Society was founded in 1889. This student organization frequently engaged in formal debates with the Leazar Literary Society and remained active until the early 1930s.

The Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Botany was established as one of the five original academic divisions of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts.

The first student enrolled at the college was Walter J. Matthews, who studied mechanic arts.

Mathematics courses were offered when the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts opened.

English courses were offered when the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts opened.

The North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (A&M) taught two curricula: agriculture and mechanics. The mechanics curriculum included fundamentals of civil and mechanical engineering.

Chemistry courses were offered when the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts opened.

Botany courses were offered when the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts opened. One of the first five faculty members at the university was Wilbur Fisk Massey, Professor of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Plant Biology, and horticulturist of the experiment station.

Agronomy courses were offered when the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts opened.

History courses were offered when the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts opened.

The first classes were held at the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. Fifty-two students, at the minimum age of 14, attended. Tuition was $20 a session. Students could select from two basic curricula: agriculture and mechanics.

The Leazar Literary Society was founded in 1889. This student organization frequently engaged in formal debates with the Pullen Literary Society and remained active until the early 1930s.

The Agricultural Experiment Station was transferred from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to the North Carolina College of Agricultural and Mechanic Arts.

The entomology curriculum was taught within the Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Botany.

The Second Morrill Act became law and required states to provide technical education for African Americans. No federal money would be disbursed to any college that made distinctions between students on the basis of race. In 1891, in order to comply with the Second Morrill Act and prevent admission of African Americans to the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, the state government created the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College in Greensboro, NC.

Courses with content in zoology were first offered.

Microbiology courses became a part of the curricula in the zoology and botany departments.

A curriculum of applied science was added to the academic program.

Military science and tactics were first taught at NC State. Students, all men at this time, were designated cadets and required to attend drill.

The mechanics course curricula was divided. The result was the creation of the Department of Civil Engineering and Mathematics.

George Franks Ivey taught the first courses in textiles in fall 1899. Courses specialized in cotton manufacturing and milling, designing twills, and mill engineering. These course were taught in Holladay Hall.

The Biological Division was created with coursework devoted entirely to plant pathology.

Margaret Burke became the first woman to take a course at A&M College. She enrolled in a physics course.

Eula Louisa Dixon took a course in dairying and became the second woman to enroll in a course at A&M College.

In fall of 1901, a small number of students formed the Biological Club to further promote their interests in the topic.

Botany curriculum was taught as a component of the botanical instruction program.

Adeline Stevens, the wife of Frank Lincoln Stevens, became the first woman faculty member as an instructor in biology during the 1902-1903 academic year.

Entomology was first listed as a separate subject in the course catalog with classes fulfilling part of the four-year degree in Agriculture.

Women's enrollment continued to increase during the 1903-1904 academic year. Evelyn Byrd Lawrence of Raleigh took a course in architecture, Ivey Roberts of Raleigh took a course in drawing, and Frances Claire Stainback took courses in chemistry and English. This was also the first year that women were listed as summer school students, and more than 200 women attended.

The Department of Horticulture, Arboriculture, and Botany moved to Patterson Hall, originally known as Agricultural Hall.

Winston Hall opened and housed civil, chemical, and electrical engineering courses. It was named for the second college president, George Tayloe Winston.

The Department of Chemistry moved from Holladay Hall to Winston Hall.

The botanical instruction and botany programs were separated. Botany classes were taught as a part of the agriculture curriculum.

Poultry classes became part of the curriculum in the Department of Animal Industry.

The Smith-Lever Act provided for federal, state, and county cooperation in creating a system to expand demonstration and extension work for men and women. The law authorized land-grant colleges to sign memoranda of understanding with the USDA to begin such work. NC State then created a new Department of Extension, which became the Agricultural Extension Service.

The course was Educational Psychology.

The total number of degrees awarded by A&M College reached 1,000.

The Department of Electrical Engineering and Department of Physics were established when the Department of Physics and Electrical Engineering separated into two programs.

Service courses in farm equipment were taught in the Department of Agronomy and not by engineering. Agricultural engineering courses were first taught in the 1920-1921 academic year.

Plant pathology curriculum was taught within the Department of Botany.

A bachelor's degree in architectural engineering was first offered through the School of Engineering.

The State College Civil Engineering Society was recognized by and inducted into the North Carolina Society of Civil Engineers.

Lucille Thomson of Wilmington, NC, became the first woman to fully enroll at NC State University. She studied electrical engineering from 1921 to 1923.

Entomology professor Zeno P. Metcalf debated Bible Conference leader William B. Riley on the topic, "Resolved: That Evolution is a Demonstrated Fact" in the old Pullen Hall.

State College was awarded a chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

A four-year program in agricultural administration was created within the Department of Business Administration.

The School of Engineering was established on May 28, 1923. The school included five departments: mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, physics, and textile engineering.

In 1923, NC State hired George Zook of the US Bureau of Education to survey the college and make recommendations on how it could be restructured. Zook recommended the creation of schools focusing on the following broad disciplines: engineering, agriculture, general science, social science, and business administration. He also reported that the library was inadequate for the needs of the growing institution and suggested that library services be centralized.

The college first offered physical education classes and established the Department of Physical Education, which was originally housed in the Frank Thompson Gymnasium. Athletics was included in the Department of Physical Education, and all coaches were teaching faculty.

Books in departmental libraries were first cataloged as part of a central library system.

A. F. Greaves-Walker organized and served as head of the new Department of Ceramic Engineering, the first department of its kind in the American South. Greaves-Walker was from the U.K. and spent 20 years working in industry as a mining and ceramic engineer and administrator. According to a 1927 Technician article, the department was "established primarily to promote the ceramic industries of North Carolina and to thus provide plants in which its graduates may find employment."

The Poultry Department became one of six original departments in the School of Agriculture.

The Division of Agronomy became the Department of Agronomy.

The Board of Trustees removed the Textile Department from the School of Engineering and created a separate School of Textiles. Becoming a separate school enabled textiles to have its own dean and to compete on an equal basis with other schools in the college for resources, faculty positions, equipment, and space. Thomas Nelson became the first dean and served until 1943.

The Department of History and Sociology formed when rural sociology curriculum was separated from the program. A separate Department of Rural Sociology was also created.

An article in the Technician stated that the department was established "primarily to train 'miners' for the particular mining problems of the state and the south," who will "be particularly well trained for geological survey work and the development departments of southern railroads." A. F. Greaves-Walker was head of department.

The Department of Modern Languages was renamed the Department of Modern Languages and Translation Services.

The original D. H. Hill Jr. Library, in what later became Brooks Hall, was designed by Hobart Brown Upjohn and named for Daniel Harvey Hill Jr., the first faculty member to oversee the library.

The first PhD was conferred to Jesse Mowry who received a degree in the rural sociology.

A professor and six students from the economic geology class took a field trip to Carolina Coal Mine and became trapped in the mine for four hours.

Agricultural administration curriculum became a full department and was named the Department of Agricultural Economics.

Professor Joseph Plummer Pillsbury initiated developing a curriculum in landscape architecture, which was was established as a component of courses in the Department of Horticulture.

Following the dissolution of the Department of Mining Engineering, a separate Department of Geology was established. Jasper L. Stuckey was head of the department.

The Department of Mining Engineering was dissolved and courses were distributed between the ceramic engineering and geology departments.

The Athletics Committee created academic guidelines and declared students must maintain a passing grade of 60% in their classes to play in collegiate athletic events.

Jane S. McKimmon became the first woman inducted into NC State's chapter of Phi Kappa Phi.

Dr. B. W. Wells gave a lecture on plant evolution as a part of the Phi Kappa Phi lecture series.

Students in the Agronomy 135 course, Farm Terracing, spent the day outside doing lab work, including surveying the land in preparation for planning tile drains.

The first degrees were conferred to women at NC State. The recipients were Jane McKimmon, BS in business administration; Charlotte Nelson, BS in education; and Mary Elizabeth Yarbrough, MS in chemistry. Yarbrough was the first woman to graduate who completed all coursework while at NC State, and she was the first woman to earn a master's degree at NC State.

Lillian P. Wallace became the first woman to earn a master's degree in education. She later published several historical works on politics in Europe.

Virginia F. Harris became the first woman to earn a master's degree in rural sociology.

Norwood (“Red”) Hicks II taught the first courses in religion. Although the courses were listed in the 1927-1928 college catalog, they were not taught before Hicks became an assistant professor in 1928.

Twenty-one woman enrolled at State College for the 1928-29 academic year, which was twice as many as the previous year.

Genetics curriculum was taught as a component of coursework in the agronomy, zoology, and plant pathology departments.

The Rural Sociology Department merged with the Agricultural Economics Department. The result of this merger was the creation of the Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology Department.

Ada Curtis Spencer became the first woman to enroll as a freshman and complete a four-year degree from NC State. She majored in social science.

Curriculum in industrial engineering was announced with the first courses offered in the fall of 1930.

The Department of Forestry was renamed the Division of Forestry.

The Consolidation Act was passed by the North Carolina General Assembly with some of the following provisions: State College became one of three campuses of the Consolidated University of North Carolina, which included UNC-Chapel Hill and the Women's College in Greensboro. State College's Board of Trustees was abolished, and a new board of trustees was established to oversee all three of the campuses. This arrangement continued until the creation of the UNC System in 1972.

The Department of Industrial Engineering was established and located at 111 Lampe Drive.

The Order of Thirty and Three was founded by members of the sophomore class. There were 11 charter members.

Lillian Tyler Jones was the first woman to earn a graduate degree from the School of Textiles. Her thesis was on "the effect of some wet and dry cleaning and stripping and spotting reagents on the relative tensile strength of some acetate and viscose yarns."

Elizabeth Lee Lawrence became the first woman to earn a BS in landscape architecture.

Katherine W. Sams became the first woman to earn a MS in economics.

Maud K. Schaub became the first woman to earn a MS in biology.

The senior class passed a resolution that faculty who participated in commencement exercises must wear caps and gowns.

A faculty vote officially abolished the honor system at State College, so teachers were required to remain in the classroom during all quizzes and exams.

The faculty denied a proposal to exempt the senior class from all examinations.

The Department of Geology was renamed the Department of Geological Engineering.

The process of consolidating State College's and UNC-Chapel Hill's engineering programs into one program at State College began in 1935.

The civil engineering curriculum received accreditation from the Engineers' Council for Professional Development.

The Electrical Engineering Department received accreditation by the Engineer's Council for Professional Development.

The Department of Chemistry was placed with the administration of the School of Agriculture.

Department of Chemistry was renamed the Department of Agriculture and Biological Chemistry.

The Department of History and Sociology divided into two departments: the Department of History and Department of Sociology.

The 1937 class was the largest graduating class the textile school had up to that time.

The Basic Division replaced the School of Science and Business. It was established as an academic service division, consisting of non-degree-granting departments and offering fundamental courses to first and second-year students.

The Consolidated University (NC State, UNC, and Woman's College) consolidated all engineering programs at NC State. Engineering faculty and $40,000 worth of equipment were transferred from UNC to NC State.

Woman chemist J. C. Richmond of State College was awarded a grant to study the Vitamin C content in goat's milk and the presence of nicotinic acid in cow's milk.

The Department of Ethics was renamed the Department of Ethics and Religion.

The Student Welfare Committee approved a plan that allowed juniors and seniors with a "B" cumulative grade point average to have ten unexcused absences per term and twenty per year. No more than sixty unexcused absences were permitted during their four-year academic careers.

Margaret Kramer and Martha S. Richmond became the first women to receive MS degrees in agricultural chemistry.

Myrtha M. Wilson became the first woman to earn a MS degree in animal ecology.

Ethel C. Sheridan became the first woman to earn a MS in occupational information and guidance.

Food science curriculum was scattered throughout several departments, including animal industry, horticulture, and poultry science.

The Department of Agriculture and Biological Chemistry relocated from Winston Hall to Withers Hall.

The Department of Architectural Engineering was renamed the Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering.

The Department of Industrial Engineering moved from 111 Lampe Drive to the 1911 Building.

Gertrude Cox was hired as professor of statistics and head of the Department of Experimental Statistics. She was the first woman at State College hired as full professor and department head at the same time.

One of the most significant contributions to the war effort was the Diesel Program developed by the Mechanical Engineering Department. The program trained more than 1,500 members of the navy.

The Architecture Library opened as the first branch library with Grace Sims Dalton as the first librarian. This was part of Library Director Harlan Brown’s goal to eliminate autonomous departmental libraries in favor of centrally-controlled branch libraries. The Architecture Library was renamed the Harrye B. Lyons Design Library in 1968.

Margery Belle Garriss was the first woman to graduate in architectural engineering.

The Division of Landscape Architecture was established in the Department of Horticulture.

The faculty approved a plan to hold fall engineering classes in the summer as part of a nationwide war effort to accelerate graduation at technical schools.

Urgent appeals were made to increase women enrollment numbers in engineering courses as male students left to fight in World War II.

Plans were announced for up to 2,000 military trainees to enroll at State College and take specialized defense classes through the U.S. War Department. The college operated as two separate units: one for the military and one civilians.

Eighteen women won a fellowship award of $1,425 from Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, which offered to employ them as engineering aides after completing a 48-week course offered by State College.

The Textiles Library was established, and Rachel Penn Lane was the first librarian. The library was originally located in the main library but relocated to Nelson Hall the following year in 1945. The library was renamed the Burlington Textiles Library in 1954 when Burlington Industries funded its expansion.

The Department of Modern Languages and Translation Services was renamed the Department of Modern Languages.

A plant pathology section was created within the School of Agriculture, and a new Department of Botany and Plant Pathology was created.

The Minerals Research Laboratory opened in Asheville, NC. The laboratory was initially created as a collaboration between the Tennessee Valley Authority, which provided equipment and funds, and the Division of Mineral Resources of the North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development, which provided the building. State Geologist and NC State professor Jasper L. Stuckey was involved in securing the initial contract for the laboratory and served as its founding director.

Jeanne Freeman became the first woman and the first person to earn a MS degree in experimental statistics.

After receiving a loan of $2,000,000 worth of diesel engines from the U.S. Navy, the College of Engineering launched a graduate program in diesel engineering.

More than 75 trailers, forming what was known as the "City of Trailers" or "Trailwood," were constructed. These structures were built so married World War II veterans and their families could attend NC State on the GI Bill. In 1949, Trailwood was relocated, and Williams Hall was built in its place.

Department of Industrial and Rural Recreation was established in the School of Education.

Lois Madden became the first woman to graduate with a degree in chemical engineering.

The School of Design was established with the Division of Architecture and Landscape Design incorporated into the curriculum. Henry Kamphoefner from the University of Oklahoma was the first dean of the school and served in the position until 1973.

The department began teaching courses in philosophy in 1949. As a result, the Department of Ethics and Religion was renamed the Department of Philosophy and Religion.

More than 1,000 students graduated from State College for the first time.

Twenty-two women were listed on the faculty, most at the instructor or laboratory technician level. Departments with more than one woman employee included English (six), statistics (three), textiles (three), and modern languages (two). Women were also on the faculty in architecture, agricultural economics, mathematics, physics, social studies, chemistry, engineering, research, and agronomy.

The Division of Biological Sciences was established. The Department of Entomology and Zoology were placed in the division and separated into two programs: the Department of Zoology and the Department of Entomology.

The Department of Chemical Engineering received full accreditation from the Engineer's Council for Professional Development.

Harold Lampe, dean of the School of Engineering, approved the building of a nuclear reactor on campus and the establishment of a nuclear engineering program, which were both firsts in the nation.

The Division of Biological Sciences was created, and plant pathology was the largest of five units.

The Department of Industrial Engineering moved from the 1911 Building to Riddick Laboratories.

The Division of Forestry became the School of Forestry.

The Department of Genetics was established and located in Winston Hall. For historical records, see the online collection guide.

The Consolidated University of North Carolina declared that African American students were eligible for admission into graduate programs.

The Department of Chemical Engineering moved from Winston Hall to Riddick Laboratories.

The Department of Landscape Architecture received accreditation from the American Society of Landscape Architects and became the second to do so in the South, and one of only ten accredited schools in the U.S.

Over 200 citizens gathered for a ceremony at the newly-opened Riddick Laboratory. The lab building, constructed for $1,300,000, was dedicated to Dr. Wallace Carl Riddick. Dr. Riddick was NC State's first dean of engineering and the university's fourth president.

A velvet carpet loom was installed on campus for use by the School of Textiles.

The School of Forestry moved from Ricks Hall to Kilgore Hall.

The Department of Genetics moved to Gardner Hall.

The Department of Agronomy moved to Williams Hall.

The non-degree granting School of General Studies was established. The school later became the degree-granting College of Humanities and Social Sciences. General Studies replaced the Basic Division, and initially it included the following departments: economics, English, history and political science, modern languages, philosophy and religion, physical education, social studies, and sociology.

State College celebrated the opening of Scott Hall, the new poultry science building, named for Robert Walter Scott. Construction of Scott Hall cost $380,110.97.

State College admitted two African American graduate students into the School of Engineering: Robert Clemons and Hardy Liston. Clemons became the college's first black graduate. Liston withdrew and didn't complete his degree.

The Board of Trustees agreed to transition the academic calendar from a quarter system to a semester system by a vote of 46-28. NC State switched over in the fall semester of 1953.

A popular myth that there was a "high academic mortality rate" for School of Design students was debunked by the Technician. Of the 629 students enrolled in the School of Design, only 12 received flunking grades at a 2% mortality rate. This was much less than the rumored rate of 10%.

The R-1 reactor was the first non-government-run nuclear reactor in the world and the first designed, built, and operated by an academic institution. Design and construction began in 1950. It was the first of four reactors operated at NC State. More information on the nuclear reactor program can be found on the departmental website.

The Extension Division of NC State College began offering a night class in Elementary Russian.

The new building housing the School of Forestry and the Department of Horticulture was formally dedicated as Kilgore Hall. The building was named in honor of the late Dr. Benjamin Wesley Kilgore. He was the former Dean of Agriculture, Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, and the first head of North Carolina's Agricultural Extension Service.

Hervasio Carvalho of Brazil, a graduate student in the School of Engineering at NC State, was the first person in the world to complete a PhD in nuclear engineering.

The Peru Project was established as a cooperative effort between NC State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the government of Peru to develop programs in agricultural and textile research, extension, and education.

In Frazier v. the Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina, the court determined that undergraduate colleges and universities should be open to African Americans.

William Edward Shinn, head of the knitting department, developed knitted tubes using synthetic fibers to serve as artificial aortas. The knitted aortas were more flexible than the woven tubes previously used. Dean Campbell had an artificial aorta implanted in 1970 after suffering an aneurysm, and he lived until 1978 with the help of the synthetic aorta technology.

The Division of Biological Sciences was dissolved, and all subjects within became individual departments. From this, the Department of Entomology was established. More historical information about this department exists on their website.

The Burlington Nuclear Laboratories building was dedicated. Located within the building was the first non-government-run nuclear reactor.

The Department of Horticulture moved to Kilgore Hall.

The Department of Agronomy was divided into the Department of Field Crops and the Department of Soils.

Patricia Ann Sarvella became the first woman to receive a PhD degree at State College from the Department of Genetics.

Dr. Arthur Kelman, professor of plant pathology, received an award after being voted the most outstanding professor in the School of Agriculture at the first annual Agronomy Club Banquet.

The first four African American undergraduates enrolled at North Carolina State College: Ed Carson (electrical engineering), and Manuel Crockett (electrical engineering) enrolled in summer. Irwin Holmes (electrical engineering), and Walter Holmes (mechanical engineering, aerospace option) enrolled in fall.

Dr. William Barclay instructed a class as part of the Atoms for Peace program.

Students worked on a spinner rocket project with a Goodyear Electronic Differential analyzer, which was a type of electronic analog computer.

Robert Clemons received a professional degree in electrical engineering (PREE) and became the first African American to graduate from NC State.

A tobacco bulk curing unit was developed by the Department of Agricultural Engineering.

The Research Triangle Institute at Research Triangle Park was established by NC State, Duke University, and UNC-Chapel Hill.

The Department of Botany and Bacteriology was created and replaced the Division of Biological Sciences.

The first African American woman hired as an academic staff member, Justina Williams, worked in the Department of Genetics's drosophila research lab. Many African Americans worked at State prior to Williams's appointment, however, they primarily worked in custodial or food service positions.

The Department of Industrial and Rural Recreation was renamed the Department of Recreation and Park Administration.

The Department of Yarn Manufacturing, the Department of Knitting, and the Department of Fabric Development merged to form the Department of Textile Technology.

Department of Forest Management was established. Curriculum in the School of Forestry was divided into departments for the first time.

The Agricultural Policy Institute was established and was one of only two such organizations in the United States.

The Department of Agriculture and Biological Chemistry was renamed the Department of Chemistry.

The Department of Chemistry was transferred from the School of Agriculture to the School of Physical Science and Applied Mathematics.

The Department of Physics moved from the School of Engineering and became a founding department in the new School of Physical Science and Applied Mathematics.

Irwin Holmes earned a BS in electrical engineering, making him the first African American undergraduate to receive a degree at NC State. Further documentation of Irwin Holmes's life exists at DigitalNC.

More information on the history of the nuclear engineering program can be found on the departmental website.

The chemical engineering department's reading room in Riddick Labs was dedicated to Dr. Edgar Eugene Randolph, who was instrumental in developing the chemical engineering curriculum at NC State.

The Department of Animal Industry is renamed the Department of Animal Science.

The Institute of Biological Sciences was created. The Department of Botany and Bacteriology became one of the five divisions within.

The Poultry Department was renamed the Department of Poultry Science.

The Department of Soils was renamed the Department of Soil Science.

The Department of Horticulture was renamed the Department of Horticultural Science. More historical information exists on the department's website.

The Department of Field Crops was renamed the Department of Crop Science.

Twenty-three years after Gertrude Cox's appointment, Eloise Cofer, Extension Professor of Food Science and Assistant Director of the Agricultural Extension Service, became the second woman appointed as a full professor at NC State. In 1980, Cofer was named "Home Economist of the Year" by the NC Home Economics Association.

The Speaker Ban Bill passed through the NC House, prohibiting anyone with "known Communist ties" from speaking on any state-supported campus, including NC State.

The formerly non-degree granting School of General Studies was renamed the School of Liberal Arts and received authorization to award degrees. Fred V. Cahill was the first dean of the new school and served in the position until 1971. The school originally contained the following departments: economics, English, history and political science, modern languages, philosophy and religion, physical education, social studies, and sociology and anthropology.

All chemistry lab students were required to wear protective eyewear, as voted on by the chemistry department, regardless of whether that student wore glasses.

The new head of the physics department, Dr. Dudley Williams, warned students that sleeping in class merited a piece of chalk being thrown directly at them.

A computer created by professors from NC State and built at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at a cost of $50,000 arrived on campus. The computer, named Lincy, greeted professors with the message, "I want to be here," and was to be used in experiments to measure the distance between heartbeats, blood pressure, and brain waves.

Two women engineering students from NC State attended a conference at MIT that discussed the opportunities and difficulties facing women in science and engineering.

Faculty Senate voted to abolish compulsory ROTC. Prior to this date, all male students were required to take military training.

John T. Bogdan developed a lint-free washcloth that was used on the Gemini and Apollo space flights.

The Water Resources Research Institute, a joint federal-state program for the UNC System, was established at NC State.

The Department of Botany and Bacteriology was divided. The Department of Botany and the Department of Microbiology was established.

The Triangle Universities Computation Center was established by NC State, Duke University, and UNC-Chapel Hill in the Research Triangle Park. It was one of the world's largest university computing centers.

The Ad Hoc Committee on Computer Science formed and included a faculty member from the Departments of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Economics, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Statistics, and the director of the Computer Center, Paul E. Lewis.

Dorothy Williams became the first African American instructor with faculty ranking in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

Extension programs, including 4-H and Home Economics, began to integrate.

The Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology merged with the Department of Economics, keeping the latter name.

The Department of History and Political Science was divided into two departments: the Department of History and Department of Politics.

NC State received its first National Science Foundation grant to create a science development plan in order to strengthen faculties in the biosciences; support materials, mechanics and electrotechnics in engineering; and support the social sciences.

Norma Wright Garcia became the first African American woman to receive an undergraduate degree after earning a BA in history.

Department of Rural Sociology merged with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, retaining the latter name.

The Technical Information Center opened in the D. H. Hill Jr. Library as a joint project between the library and the Industrial Extension Service.

The Center for Occupational Education was established and became one of two such centers nationwide.

Doris King became the third woman to serve as a full professor and taught courses in history and education.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering was renamed the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Paul E. Lewis and John W. Cell of the Department of Mathematics wrote a report recommending the reconstitution of the Computing Center in the Department of Computer Science within the School of Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics.

Stanley G. Stephens became the first faculty member elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

The Geological Engineering program separated from the Department of Mineral Industries and the College of Engineering. It was renamed the Department of Geosciences in the newly-formed School of Physical Science and Applied Mathematics, and later became part of the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences in 1980.

The fourth and fifth women hired as full professors at NC State were appointed. Hedwig Hirschmann Triantaphyllou advanced to full professor of plant pathology and Emily Quinn Pugh became a full professor of adult education.

The Department of Recreation and Park Administration was transferred from the School of Education to the School of Forest Resources.

The Cooperating Raleigh Colleges program was established by the libraries of NC State, Meredith College, Shaw University, Peace College, St. Mary's College, and St. Augustine College. The program allowed for direct borrowing of library resources among the six campuses.

Stephen Benton Latimer received a PhD in animal science and became the first African American to earn a doctoral degree from NC State.

The Department of Wood Science and Technology was renamed the Department of Wood and Paper Science.

The School of Forestry was renamed the School of Forest Resources.

The Department of Forest Management was renamed the Department of Forestry.

William E. Splinter, professor in the Department of Agriculture Engineering, helped develop a mechanical tobacco harvester and a mechanical tobacco transplanter. Splinter joined the faculty at NC state in 1954.

The Apollo VIII spacecraft launched and became the first human spaceflight mission to escape Earth's gravitational field. Many NC State alumni and faculty played a role in both the development and launch of the spacecraft.

In fall 1969, NC State began offering Black Studies courses. These courses included Black American literature, the Afro-American in America, Black Americans in American Politics, and Black Ideology. Previously, students were going to Shaw University and St. Augustine's College to take similar classes.

The library received the Sanford Richard Winston Music Collection, consisting of classical music scores, opera librettos, guides, biographies of composers, books on music criticism and history, and musical recordings.

Twenty-six NC State alumni, all employees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), played a key role in the voyage of the Apollo 11 space mission, which was successful in placing the first men on the moon.

The Department of Mineral Industries was renamed the Department of Materials Engineering. Emphasis of the program changed from the exploitation of raw materials to discovering and applying fundamental relationships that exist between the hyperfine structures of solids and their engineering properties. William W. Austin was head of the department.

The School of Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics (PSAM) was renamed the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (PAMS).

The Department of Chemistry moved from Withers Hall to Dabney Hall.

The Health, Education, and Welfare Department (HEW) informed the University of North Carolina schools that its institutions, including NC State, failed to comply with the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The School of Forest Resources moved from Kilgore Hall to Biltmore Hall.

James H. Goodnight received an appointment as an assistant statistician in the new Department of Statistics. Over the next several years, Goodnight, a statistics student named John Sall, and others would lay the groundwork for SAS. SAS became one of the largest software providers in the world.

The Department of Adult Education was renamed the Department of Adult and Community College Education.

The Department of Experimental Statistics was renamed the Department of Statistics.

The School of Forest Resources Library opened in Biltmore Hall. It later became the Natural Resources Library.

The Department of Wood and Paper Science moved to Biltmore Hall.

Samiha Mourad became the first woman to receive a PhD in nuclear engineering.

Augustus M. Witherspoon became the second African American to earn a PhD at NC State. He received a PhD in botany and was the first African American to receive a doctoral degree from NC State and then join the faculty.

The International Potato Center was established in Peru by NC State and the Peruvian government in an effort to increase the world's supply of white potatoes.

Jane Carol Pickard was the first woman honored for graduating with the highest grade point average. Every year at commencement, NC State honored the student graduating with this achievement.

The UNC System was created with NC State as one of the constituent campuses. A Board of Governors was established at the system level, and a new Board of Trustees was instituted at NC State to oversee matters specific to the university.

William Maxwell became an assistant dean in the School of Education and NC State's first African American academic administrator.

NC State published "In a Black Perspective." This pamphlet totaled the university's black community at nine professors and 222 students (out of a total 13,809). The publication listed courses focusing on black history and culture: two in political Science and one on race relations in sociology.

D. H. Hill Jr. Library utilized document card catalogs in the early 1970s. By 1975, the Libraries had adopted the computerized cataloging of book collections, which led to the development of the online catalog.

The Department of Textile Technology was renamed the Department of Textile Materials and Management.

The Department of Product Design was renamed the Department of Product/Visual Design.

Nannette Smith Henderson was the first African American woman awarded a PhD at NC State with a degree in plant pathology.

Dr. Mary Wheeler became the first woman granted the NC State Outstanding Teacher Award.

Dr. Ellis Brevier Cowling was awarded the North Carolina Award for Science.

Dr. Lawrence M. Clark (1934-2012) was hired as Associate Provost. Dr. Clark was the second African American to serve as a university administrator. In addition to serving as a professor in mathematics education, Dr. Clark coordinated all activities related to the university's Affirmative Action Plan. Dr. Clark was instrumental in the founding of NC State's African American Cultural Center, the Peer Mentor program, and the African American Symposium.

Rajendra Pachauri was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree. He previously earned a MS degree in 1972. In 2007, he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Barbara Parramore became the second woman hired as department head at NC State and led the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at its founding.

Dr. John T. Caldwell retired after 15 years as NC State's chancellor. Caldwell oversaw a period of unprecedented growth for the university. Of the nearly 47,000 degrees awarded in the first 85 years of the university, two-thirds were earned during Caldwell's tenure.

The Department of Recreation and Park Administration was the first department of its kind in the United States to receive accreditation from the Council on Accreditation of the National Recreation and Park Association.

The Department of Politics was renamed the Department of Political Science.

Mary E. (Betty) Wheeler became the head of the Department of History and the third woman to hold a position of department head at NC State.

The School of Liberal Studies was renamed the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The Department of Modern Languages was renamed the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

The State Climate Office of North Carolina found a permanent home in PAMS. The office was established as part of the UNC System in 1976 and was primarily housed at UNC-Chapel Hill. Since moving to NC State, the office grew into the primary source for North Carolina weather and climate information and for climate-related research, education and extension services.

The Department of Political Science was renamed the Department of Political Science and Public Administration.

The Department of Electrical Engineering was renamed the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The Department of Geosciences merged with the Department of Marine Science and Engineering to form the Department of Marine, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences.

Geology professor Garrett Briggs was named the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences' second dean. Briggs served until 1988, leaving NC State to serve as president of Peace College until his retirement from academics in 1998.

NC State's new School of Veterinary Medicine held classes for the first time. Initial enrollment was 40 students selected from 126 applicants.

Katherine W. Klein, Associate Professor of Psychology, became the first woman faculty member named an "Alumni Distinguished Professor."

The Department of Product/Visual Design was renamed the Department of Product and Visual Design.

The Department of Textile Management and Technology formed from the split of the Department of Textiles Materials and Management.

The Department of Textile Engineering and Science was established when the Department of Textile Materials and Management split.

The School of Veterinary Medicine awarded its first PhD degrees to Melinda Hollingshead in August 1986 and Cathy Carlson in December 1986.

In July 1986, as a result of successful advocacy by Dr. Hren and others, the Department of Materials Engineering was officially renamed the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. The new name reflected the dual nature of the materials disciplines with expertise in both science and engineering, which was consistent with recent trends among the nation’s materials-oriented academic institutions.

Debra W. Stewart was appointed interim dean of the Graduate School. She was the first woman to serve as dean of the Graduate School. Her appointment became permanent in 1988, and she served as dean until 2000.

Eight of the university's academic schools were designated as colleges.

In fall 1988, NC State implemented an African American Studies minor, the first of its kind at the university. The interdisciplinary minor required students to take courses in both history and English literature.

Elizabeth C. Theil became the first woman at NC State to hold a named professorship and was honored with the University of North Carolina's O. Max Gardner Award.

The Department of Computer Science was transferred from the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences to the College of Engineering.

African American student leaders gathered at the Student Center to discuss campus issues. The low graduation rate for African American students, the lack of African American faculty members and athletic administrators, and the discriminatory discipline practices within the athletics department were problems cited by leaders during this meeting.

The Department of Textile Management and Technology was renamed the Department of Textile and Apparel Management.

The Department of Textile Chemistry and the Department of Textile Engineering and Science merged to form the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science.

The Mars Mission Research Center was established. This was a cooperative effort between NC State and NC A&T State University.

The Women's Studies program was established with Barbara Risman as the first director.

The Department of Recreation and Park Administration was renamed the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

The new Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics was created in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The Information Technologies Teaching Center (ITTC) was established in the D. H. Hill Jr. Library, initially funded through a gift from the Class of 1990.

The minor was established by director Dr. Ronald Toering (1989-1994). The minor offered two tracks in performance and general studies, and there was another minor in arts entrepreneurship.

The Department of Product and Visual Design divided into the Department of Graphic Design and the Department of Industrial Design.

The College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (PAMS) established the Science House to provide hands-on science opportunities to K-12 students. The Science House later expanded to a main office on Centennial Campus and five satellite offices throughout the state.

James Anderson was the first African American dean after being appointed Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

The UNC Board of Governors authorized the establishment of the College of Management at NC State. The college was formed out of the Division of Economics and Business in CHASS. Robert L. Clark served as interim dean.

The Board of Trustees established the Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence to honor NC State faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to the university through achievements in research, teaching, or extension and engagement.

Barbara Parramore became the first woman faculty member to receive the Holladay Medal for Excellence.

An undergraduate biomedical engineering concentration was established within the College of Engineering.

The Graphic Communications program merged with the Math and Science Education program to form the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education.

The Department of Textile and Apparel Management was renamed the Department of Textile and Apparel Technology and Management.

A crowd of approximately 500 students and faculty members rallied in Witherspoon in support of Affirmative Action. Students opposed UNC system President Molly Broad's proposal to eliminate race-based programs within the UNC system.

NC State became one of the first land-grant universities to offer master's and doctoral degrees in genomic science.

The Department of Biochemistry was renamed the Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry.

The Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry relocated from the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Statistics professor Daniel L. Solomon was named the fourth dean of the college.

The Department of Toxicology was renamed the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology. More historical information about the department exists on its website.

The Department of Psychology was transferred from the College of Education, formerly the College of Education and Psychology, to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program was established. Fifty-six freshman women with majors in PAMS and the College of Engineering joined the program in its first year. As of 2009, the "living and learning village" included 256 women majoring in five colleges across campus, and a high school chapter was established at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

The Department of Civil Engineering was renamed the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering was established and co-located at UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Medicine and NC State's College of Engineering.

The Department of Forestry was renamed the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources. More historical information exists on the departmental website.

The Fox Science Teaching Laboratory opened as a new undergraduate chemistry lab facility for students.

The Department of Chemical Engineering was renamed the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering moved from 111 Lampe Drive to the Engineering Building II on Centennial Campus.

The Department of Industrial Engineering was renamed the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, making it the first named department at NC State. More historical information was hosted on the departmental website.

The Department of Adult and Community College Education was renamed the Department of Adult and Higher Education.

The Department of Botany was renamed the Department of Plant Biology.

The Department of Political Science and Public Administration divided into two departments: the Department of Political Science and the Department of Public Administration. These two departments comprised the School of Public and International Affairs within CHASS.

The Department of Physics moved into its new home in Riddick Hall, which had been completely renovated to provide the department with about 10,000 square feet of space for its growing number of faculty, staff and students.

The Department of Elementary Education was established within the College of Education.

The Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, along with the College of Natural Resources, moved into a new wing of Jordan Hall. The new wing was comprised of 10,000 square feet of high-tech classrooms, teaching laboratories, and offices and meeting spaces.

The Department of Zoology was renamed the Department of Biology.

The Department of Philosophy and Religion was renamed the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies.

SAS Hall was dedicated as the new home of the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics. The 119,000 square-foot building housed state-of-the-art classrooms, computer labs, tutorial centers and meeting and study space for students and faculty.

The Department of Wood and Paper Science was renamed the Department of Forest Biomaterials.

The department became the Prestage Department of Poultry Science after receiving a $10 million gift to honor Bill and Marsha Prestage, owners of the Prestage Farms poultry and pork production company.

The university changed the name of the Department of Physical Education to the Department of Health and Exercise Studies.

The College of Sciences was established and combined programs from the former College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences with several biological science programs from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The donation provided additional funding for the Park Scholars program.

The University College was created and included the following departments: music, health and exercise studies, ROTC, and the environmental science. The First Year College became the Exploratory Studies Program.