Pack to School

The fun of Wolfpack Welcome Week isn’t just for students.

As you sharpen your pencils and your wits for the academic year, take some time to tour spruced-up spaces on campus, get an autograph from a bestselling author or Wolfpack football star, and roll up your sleeves for the blood drive and meal packing events of Service NC State.

Here are some highlights you won’t want to miss.

Friday, Aug. 12

Food, prizes and a chance to express yourself with sidewalk chalk. That’s the agenda for the Brickyard Block Party.

Have lunch at the renovated Atrium Food Court during the 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting event and you could win one of the prizes for the first 100 customers. If you’re not a winner there, move on to Harrelson Hall for another chance to win during the bookstore ribbon-cutting at 11:30 a.m.

Before you leave, exercise your creativity. Write a message for students during Chalk the Walk, which ends at 2 p.m. on the Brickyard.

Saturday, Aug. 13

The first home football game may be three weeks away, but you can show your spirit this Saturday.

Bring the family to Meet the Pack Day from 2 to 4 p.m. at Carter-Finley Stadium. The first 2,000 fans will receive an autograph book or card for their favorite players and coaches to sign.

Monday, Aug. 15

Hit the books with award-winning author Rebecca Skloot on Monday.

Skloot, who wrote The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,  NC State’s common reading selection, is the keynote speaker for the Convocation Festival, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at the RBC Center. The festival features a welcome from Chancellor Randy Woodson, games and a pep rally. Buses to the event will begin loading at 5 p.m. from Bragaw Hall. The convocation is open to the public.

Tuesday, Aug. 16
Have a question you’d like to ask author Rebecca Skloot? Attend a Q&A session from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in Witherspoon Campus Cinema, where Skloot will discuss her research and experiences writing The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Pick up ideas for a class discussion of the book and related biomedical research issues. Skloot will also sign copies of her book.

It’s hard to keep quiet about some of the upgrades to D.H. Hill Library. That’s why the librarians are hosting an open house Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Check out the new eye-catching furniture, see the Technology Sandbox in action and preview the cutting edge touchscreen technologies that will be part of the new Hunt Library, scheduled to open next year.

Wednesday, Aug. 17

Celebrate the New Year’s of the academic world: the first day of classes.

Friday, Aug. 19

Start your semester off right by helping save 3,000 lives. That’s the goal of our 1,000-pint blood drive, part of Service NC State. Each pint helps three people, on average, so we’re trying to double last year’s donations. It’s doable, with your help.

Make an appointment to donate at Carmichael Gym between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday.

Saturday, Aug. 20

Since 2005, NC State has packed more than 2 million meals in its efforts to help stop global hunger. Help us continue that tradition by donating time and money for the Million Meals effort on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers will assemble 100,000 meals that will be used to support school lunch feeding programs in Haiti and elsewhere. Organizers have raised $25,000 to cover supplies and shipping, and additional donations will be accepted at the event.

Here’s how you can get involved.

Questions? Read the full schedule for Wolfpack Welcome Week activities.