UNC-system happenings, Jan. 15, 2014

WSSU class of 1958 breaks record

Winston-Salem State’s Class of 1958 finished a record-breaking donation of $103,000 to the university at its 2013 homecoming.

The cash donation, which is organized by the Office of Alumni Affairs, will go to scholarships for education majors.

The gift follows a tradition started by the Class of 1954, which pledged by its 50th anniversary to donate $50,000. Each consecutive class has tried to exceed that donation, said Michelle Cook, vice chancellor for university advancement.

“They came to us and said, ‘you know, we’ve gotten this far,” she said. “‘It seems like we can get it to 100,’ and they set that as a goal.”

The Class of 1958 had donated $65,000 to the university by its 50th anniversary.

Cook said any graduating class can decide where its money will be spent.

ECU purchases 3-D printers

East Carolina University recently purchased four 3-D printers for a new course on graphic programming.

The 3-D printers are around campus, and print in different colors and materials, said Ranjeet Agarwala, instructor of engineering at ECU.

Students can use the printers to design their own projects in class, and see those projects produced only a couple of hours later, Agarwala said.

Agarwala said using 3-D printers can greatly reduce the time spent on creating projects, which further serves to encourage innovation and creativity.

Agarwala said he predicts that 3-D printers will be the next new technology.

“The sky’s the limit. Anything you can imagine, you can pretty much print.”

UNC-C competes for funding

UNC-Charlotte has joined with corporations and universities from Florida State University to Virginia Tech to compete for the largest federal funding in the region.

The competition began last summer when the U.S. Department of Defense solicited concept papers for a digital manufacturing hub. The winner of the competition will receive a $70 million award over five years for the start-up.

Five teams were selected nationwide to compete, and a winner will be chosen by the end of this month, said John Ziegert, head of advanced manufacturing at UNC-C.

UNC-C would be the center of the hub, entitled U.S. Manufacturing Advancement through Digital Enterprise, or U.S. MADE.

WCU chancellor tours nation

Western Carolina Chancellor David Belcher will continue his second tour around the nation to meet with Western Carolina alumni.

In 2011, the chancellor took a trip to different states and cities to introduce himself to Western Carolina alumni in his “Get Acquainted” tour.

The alumni he visited encouraged him to come back.

Now, he continues his second tour to the Cherokee community Thursday.

So far this year, the chancellor’s trip has taken him from Raleigh to Greensboro to Florida.

Marty Ramsey, director of Alumni Affairs at WCU, said the meetings are informal socials, so that the chancellor can get acquainted with alumni in different areas.