How We Navigated 2010

As we power down the mimeograph and box up the Bulletin’s Smith Corona Skyriter for the year, we thought it would be fun to revisit a few of the milestones of 2010. After all, it’s been a downright busy year, and we hardly had time to get used to one big change before another was tapping at the window.

So, in no particular order, the Bulletin presents the top 10 stories of 2010.

If we missed something important, just post a comment and vow to make one of your New Year’s resolutions to be kinder to the overworked and technologically challenged Bulletin staff.

1. Meet the New Boss

That’s right, 2010 was the year NC State welcomed a new chancellor, Randy Woodson, with a 40-foot-tall inflatable wolf. The university’s event planners reasoned, apparently, that if the budget crunch didn’t scare him, a giant carnivore might do the trick. If they were serious about testing his mettle, they would have arranged a meeting with the barrel monster. Feb. 18 | Woodson Welcome

2. NC State Pooles Its Resources

Lonnie and Carol Johnson Poole, longtime contributors to NC State, gave $40 million in December to fund scholarships, fellowships, facilities and research at NC State. The College of Management, which will receive the lion’s share of the donation, has been named the Lonnie C. Poole Jr. College of Management.

Lonnie Poole earned his undergraduate degree in engineering in 1959. Dec. 16 | Record Gift

3. Hillsborough Street Shines

NC State supported the effort to revitalize Hillsborough Street, and joined the celebration in September when construction finally came to an end. The newly revamped Color Wall was lit to mark the occasion. Sept. 23 | Memory Lane

4. Bricks and Mortar

There were plenty of physical changes on campus in 2010, including the unveiling of the bronze wolf sculptures near the Free Expression Tunnel and the bust of the late Kay Yow near the Talley Student Center. Engineering Building III was officially opened and construction began on the new chancellor’s residence on Centennial Campus. March 4 | Bronze and Beautiful Aug. 25 | Yow Legacy Sept. 7 | This Red House Sept. 16 | Dedicated to Progress

5. Up, Up and Away

NC State’s research activities got a boost with the creation of the new Springboard on Centennial Campus, an effort to support innovators and promote collaboration. Sept. 17 | It’s the Economy, Professor

6. We Need a Plan

Everybody’s favorite topic, strategic planning, got a lot of attention in 2010 when the chancellor pulled together some of the best minds on campus and ordered them to start thinking big. The result was 150 people on nine task forces holding more than 70 meetings and creating a gazillion PowerPoint slides. We’ll see if it pays off in 2011. Sept. 14 | No Bull Session

7. You’re Hired

Dr. Warwick Arden became the university’s chief academic officer in December after serving 18 months as interim provost. Perhaps his training as a surgeon will help during budget time. Dec. 9 | Five Questions With the Provost

8. Submarine Duty

Two NC State seniors secured a place in history after being named the first female Naval ROTC members selected for submarine duty. They credited their ROTC training, supportive faculty and the rigorous chemical engineering program at NC State for their accomplishment. May 7 | Submarine Pioneers

9. Thank the Academy

Geneticist Trudy Mackay was elected into the National Academy of Sciences, one of the world’s most important scientific societies. April 27 | Mackay Elected to NAS

10. Family Ties

Debbie Yow, sister of the late Kay Yow, joined NC State as director of athletics in July. Yow, who spent 16 years as AD at the University of Maryland, is ranked among the 20 most influential people in college athletics by two national publications. June 30 | Secrets of the Yow Sisterhood