They moved into their residence halls, met thousands of their new classmates at convocation, checked out some events, found their way to their classes, maybe bumped into an astronaut, and celebrated at Packapalooza.

And they’re just getting started.

For the 7,712 new undergraduates and 2,154 new graduate students who joined the Wolfpack, there are countless things to look forward to during their time at NC State. Together, they make up our largest-ever incoming class of students — for the seventh year in a row.

Our new students hail from 98 counties in North Carolina, plus 47 states and 52 countries. There are 103 valedictorians and 92 salutatorians among them, alongside class presidents, captains of athletic teams, actors, drum majors, Eagle Scouts, organization leaders, musicians, researchers and activists. Some are non-traditional students making a pivot while working or caring for their families.

All are now members of our Pack, ready to Think and Do in pursuit of a brighter future.

We sat down with seven of our new students to hear what brought them here and what they’re looking forward to doing next at NC State.

---

Dani Fick: Dreaming of Being a Dentist

• Major: Biological sciences 
• Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina
• Personal NC State bucket list goal: Start a student organization. Fick already knows what type of club she’s going to start, but she’s keeping it a secret for now.

Dani Fick has had a fascination with the symmetry and structure of teeth for as long as she can remember, and she plans to turn it into a career. 

“My kindergarten teacher used to pull my teeth out if they were wiggly in a way that turned something scary into an exciting, special adventure,” she said. “I’ve wanted to be an orthodontist since fourth grade. I truly do believe smiles are contagious, happiness is contagious and laughter is contagious. And I just want to be able to give everyone confidence in their smile.”  

Fick chose to pursue her dentistry dreams at NC State after learning about the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Village during a campus tour. 

“WISE gives you a whole community right at your door, and it’s amazing,” she said. “It offers so many amazing things like tutoring, counseling and mentorship — and it’s all specific to STEM. I don’t need to search for those resources.”

Fick’s ultimate goal is to open an orthodontic practice in Wyoming, but in the meantime, she’s excited to explore her various interests at NC State.

“If you’re on the pre-dental track, you don’t actually have to major in a specific field. You just need the prerequisites,” she said. “I want to explore a little and maybe take classes in fashion, psychology, theater and horticulture while completing my biology degree.”

Fick is making the most of her NC State experience with the help of three scholarships. She earned the university’s Herman Hays Family Scholarship, which provides need-based and merit-based scholarships for students committed to leading with their values. Preference is given to students from Cumberland County in North Carolina. Fick, whose father is in the military, also earned two military affiliated scholarships, one from the Joint Special Operations Foundation and one from AFCEA International. 

Fick wrote about her experience as one of North Carolina’s first female Eagle Scouts — Scouting America’s highest rank — in her scholarship applications. 

“My brothers were in Boy Scouts (now known as Scouting America), and I used to tag along,” she said. “When they started allowing girls, my dad enrolled me and I loved the challenges and experiences. And I just love inspiring women to join.”

Fick is serious about her goals — and about enjoying life at NC State. Since arriving on campus, she’s played soccer in an inflatable field during Talley Takeover and had the time of her life at Moonlight Howl and Move. Through WISE, she scored VIP seats for the Aug. 24 event welcoming NASA astronaut and three-time NC State graduate Christina Koch back to campus. 

“I could be dancing from Talley to my dorm because I’m in such a good mood, and people will start dancing with me,” she said. “I’m having so much fun here at NC State.” 

---

Alex Rodeck: Staying Cool Under Pressure

• Degree: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
• Hometown: It’s complicated…
• More: “I’m a military brat. Grew up mostly in California and Virginia — did my undergrad in Iowa, which is where I met my wife. We kind of call Iowa home. But we don’t really get to claim a home very much. Bought a home in Raleigh so we’re North Carolina residents now.”

Alex Rodeck is exactly the kind of person you want in a veterinary emergency room: he’s smart, kind, compassionate — and knows how to stay calm in high stress situations.

He’s a first-year doctoral student in the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) with plans to become an emergency surgeon for large and small animals. Caring for creatures of all sorts has always been a part of his life, which led to a bachelor’s degree in animal science.

“I always had animals all the way through — dogs, cats, horses and goats for a little while. And then as my kids grew up, we had our own farm in Florida that we built from the ground up,” Rodeck said. 

His military training has played a role in his decision to become an emergency veterinary surgeon. His experience includes flying the P-3C Orion, an airplane used for gathering intelligence off coastlines and detecting enemy submarines. With 23 years as a Navy pilot and multiple combat deployments, he has developed the skills to stay level-headed in crises.

“Being that calm center of what can be a very stressful situation definitely calls to me,” Rodeck said. He admits to being a bit of an adrenaline junkie and finds that he thrives in the fast pace of an emergency room, where quick and informed decisions are key to providing compassionate care for animals and their owners.

For Rodeck, NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine stood out also for its compassionate care and supportive culture. “Speaking with the staff, students, doing the orientation, they really do put the well-being of the student first,” he said.

Rodeck chose NC State for its exceptional veterinary program and its flexibility with his start date, accommodating additional military deployments, and getting his daughter through her last year of high school.

He loves being a supportive husband and father of three. He also finds it easy to think of his classmates as part of one big family. He was just elected class president for the CVM class of 2030.

“I’m the second oldest in the class and my lab partner is the youngest — younger than my kids. I do have a little bit of that ‘class dad’ or ‘big uncle’ feeling. If they succeed, I succeed, because that means we did it together.”

---

Clara Weinmeister: A Place in the Pack

• Major: Elementary education
• Hometown: Swansboro, North Carolina
• Personal NC State bucket list goal: Participating in NC State’s Rotaract Club, the collegiate version of Rotary International’s Interact Club, which she was the president of at her high school.

Growing up in a military family, Clara Weinmeister moved a lot during her primary and secondary education. She often felt out of place when starting at a new school because most of her classmates had known each other practically their whole lives. She finally found the sense of community she was seeking when she joined the College of Education. 

“I definitely think that has shaped who I’ve become, and I think it’s also a big factor of why I want to be a teacher,” Weinmeister said. “Making everyone feel included, no matter if they’re new or not, that’s really important for me.”

Weinmeister interned in a kindergarten class during high school and fell in love with the idea of helping students get off to a strong, stable start. She hopes to be a kindergarten or first grade teacher after graduation.

“I just have such a passion for teaching our future generations and helping students,” Weinmeister said. “It’s something about them being so young and me being able to have an impact on the people they become. That’s really inspiring to me.”

And what better place to become an educator than NC State, home to North Carolina’s #1 ranked College of Education (source: U.S. News & World Report)? Support from the Goodnight Scholarships program, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and the Transformational Scholarships program is helping turn her academic dreams into reality.

Add in the fact that NC State is relatively close to Weinmeister’s hometown and that her sister is also a student on campus, and joining the Wolfpack just made sense.

“It was really nice, getting to hear her stories about life here,” Weinmeister said. “I kind of knew what to expect coming in, and I already knew my way around campus for the most part.”

Her favorite area of campus: the College of Education’s library. She encourages other students to visit this special space, as well as to take advantage of the Undergraduate Writing Center, which is helping her with freshman English this semester.

“A lot of people I talk to are scared to go and ask for help, but for me, personally, why not?” Weinmeister said. “It’s there for you; why not use it?”

---

Madi Jacob: In Her Element

• Majors: Polymer and color chemistry, chemistry
• Hometown: Greenville, North Carolina
• Personal NC State bucket list goal: Try out every dining spot on campus and along Hillsborough Street

Madi Jacob got her first taste of NC State as a rising high school senior, when she took part in the Summer Textile Exploration Program at the Wilson College of Textiles. The one-week program allowed her to live like a student on campus, create fabrics in the college’s labs and studios, and visit a real industry laboratory.

“Being able to walk around campus and see everything, it made me realize I really did want to go here,” she said.

Jacob brings a passion for chemistry and forensics, which took hold while watching detective dramas on TV with her mom, and led her to complete advanced high school chemistry courses and take on a summer job in a forensics lab. She’s planning for a career in forensic pathology, the field of science that investigates causes of death.

She selected her primary major, polymer and color chemistry, to strengthen her understanding of polymers, molecules that serve as building blocks for all living things and for many synthetic materials. “When it comes to forensics, you want to be able to identify any fibers or materials you have and analyze them to see their makeup,” she explained.

Jacob’s secondary major, a bachelor of science in chemistry, includes advanced classes designed to prepare students for careers in the laboratory or for graduate study in chemical fields. “I will take classes like advanced organic chemistry and advanced analytical methods.” she said. “I feel like having those advanced classes will strongly benefit me in my career.”

Jacob is eager to try new things on campus, and has already gone rock climbing with her peers from the Honors Program. She’s a Textile Pioneer Scholar, part of Women in Science and Engineering and is rushing Alpha Chi Sigma, a national co-ed professional chemistry fraternity. And she’s only getting started.

“I want to meet people outside of STEM as well,” Jacob said. “So I’m hoping to join groups like the Women’s Running Club, to get more athletic and to keep exploring campus.”

---

Adaina Smith: Betting on Herself

• Major: Business administration with a concentration in finance
• Hometown: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
• Personal NC State bucket list goal: To complete the Krispy Kreme Challenge

Adaina Smith had always planned to apply to NC State, but it was the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands’ Rashida A. Hodge Scholarship that sealed the deal. 

The scholarship was created by Hodge, an NC State alumna, and provides full tuition, fees and housing for four years at NC State to a senior graduating from the U.S. Virgin Islands’ public school system. The scholarship also includes access to NC State’s Summer Start Program, a way for new students to jumpstart their experience during summer session II. 

“I wanted the opportunity to branch out, try something new and go to a different location. So this [scholarship] has allowed me to do that,” said Smith. 

In her short time here, she has already found a Wolfpack amongst her Summer Start cohort and her fellow participants in the Multicultural Symposium, which is held before the fall and spring semesters for incoming students from all backgrounds at NC State. 

With fall semester in full swing, Smith is considering joining the band and looks forward to taking part in organizations like  Student Government and Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA). 

Studying away from St. Croix is something Smith is keenly aware of, and organizations like MSA help students make NC State home. 

“Being from the Caribbean and coming here, it’s a whole different vibe,” she said. “Sometimes you can be tempted to change yourself or lose focus on the vision and the plan. I hope I stay true to myself.” 

She’s balancing staying true to herself with staying open to the variety of opportunities and experiences available to her at NC State. No matter where her extracurriculars may take her, Smith intends to stick to her plan: Once she graduates, she is skipping the gap year and heading straight to law school, with her business degree supporting her corporate lawyer ambitions.

In the meantime though, she’ll keep betting on herself.

---

Sutter McQuillan: Building Community Far From Home

• Major: Engineering First-Year Program
• Hometown: Sydney, Australia
• Personal NC State bucket list goal: Participate in undergraduate research

If becoming an NC State freshman were like attending a high school reunion, Sutter McQuillan would contend for a “traveled the longest distance to get here” award.

McQuillan hails from Sydney, Australia. At Cammeraygal High School, he served as captain, lead driver and media representative of the internationally competitive school robotics team; mentored younger students as a peer support leader; and coached a community basketball team.

As school prefect of well-being, he led initiatives on everything from mental health to anti-bullying. He received a North Shore Future Leader award from a member of the Australian House of Representatives.

How did he end up in Raleigh?

Both of McQuillan’s parents grew up in the United States and he was born in California, moving to Australia as a toddler. He long dreamed of attending college in his native country and got serious about the idea around his sophomore year.

He wanted a large university, he said, with a strong engineering reputation, big athletics program and clear sense of community and support. He applied to the Park Scholarships, making his second visit to Raleigh for finalist interview weekend.

“Once I got the scholarship, I was 100% committed to NC State,” McQuillan said. “I was already very high on it, but that totally sealed the deal.”

He is already busy with the University Honors Program, intramural soccer and basketball, Baja SAE Motorsports, Park Ambassadors, Service Raleigh — and a built-in community of Park Scholars.

“I’m considering mechanical and industrial engineering and doing something in robotics or manufacturing,” he said. “I also love talking to people and building community. I want to use engineering to make a difference for people.”

---

Natalie Nameth: Big Plans Ahead

• Major: Environmental First-Year Program
• Hometown: Thomasville, North Carolina
• Personal NC State bucket list goal: Attend as many Wolfpack football games as possible

Natalie Nameth’s “bring it on” energy is contagious — it’s easy to see within minutes that she is taking her college experience, and her life as a whole, by storm. The first-year has a lot of passions: she’s learning how to keep a nature journal, enjoys making jewelry and is fascinated by coral reefs. Nameth is part of NC State’s EcoVillage, she’s an Extraordinary Opportunity Scholar and, in her first week at the university, she’s already joined the Marine Science Club. 

“I was going to do biomed, but in my junior year [of high school] I took a climate change biology class and I was so interested in it,” said Nameth, a member of the Environmental First-Year Program. “I started looking into the climate sciences but I have always been interested in aquatic life, so my goal is to research coral reefs from an environmental perspective.”

Nameth says that it’s thanks to scholarships that she was able to make her final decision about where she’d spend these next four years. That includes the Bob Kellison Family Extraordinary Opportunity Scholarship, which bridges the financial gap facing many students and empowers Nameth to dream big for her college experience. 

“NC State had the most resources for my career path,” said Nameth. “I am truly grateful for the scholarship and for the donors’ faith in my capacity to make an impact in the future.”

The passionate coral enthusiast is already looking at programs like the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, learning how she can apply for lab opportunities and get involved in discovering climate and environmental solutions right in our own state. 

Her to-do list doesn’t stop there — Nameth is hoping to get scuba certified over the next year, starting with swimming classes at NC State, as well as applying for Rising Leaders and joining the Badminton Club. She’s also looking into studying abroad through the university’s Australia program, to get a chance to explore the region’s biodiverse coral reefs. 

And while she’s certainly looking ahead and making plans, Nameth doesn’t let that stop her from enjoying the moment she’s in now. One of her favorite memories so far has been attending Packapalooza with fellow first-years. 

She’s living in the EcoVillage, one of the Living and Learning Villages at NC State. Everyone in the program lives on the same floor of their dorm, takes Environment 101 in their first year, and participates in meetings and field excursions as a group.

“I’m getting to meet so many people who have similar interests to me, and it’s a quick start to making friends in your first year,” said Nameth.

---