Vision and Goals
North Carolina State University is a community of achievers with a thirst for knowledge, discovery and results. It’s an attitude and a practice we call “Innovation in Action.” It is not only our legacy but also our promise for the future.
Our university’s history is one of listening to the needs of North Carolina and responding with real-world applications that solve real-world problems. We continue to meet the educational, economic development and quality of life needs of our state and society.
NC State’s mission is constant and focused, but the environment in which we live is always changing, and the university has changed with the times. While NC State began as a university with a focus on agriculture and engineering, we now offer more than 260 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. NC State is a research-extensive, land-grant university able to provide a well-rounded, cross-disciplinary education rarely found anywhere else in the nation.
Our community of scholars—in disciplines ranging from science and technology to history, the arts, design, and the humanities— not only preserves the past, but provides the tools to solve the problems of the future. We help shape our students to be the leaders of tomorrow. Our cutting-edge research creates revolutionary possibilities and opens the doors of opportunity for communities across North Carolina.
That is scholarship for the 21st century –our vision of progress, hope and innovation. It is a commitment that stretches across campus and undergirds all our endeavors – teaching and learning, research and extension and engagement. Our faculty produce dynamic results as they pursue science’s challenges and introduce innovative concepts as they strive to improve student learning. Our extension professionals take knowledge from the campus and share it widely across North Carolina. Our student services professionals develop leading-edge programs to help ensure that our students are successful. With energy and enthusiasm, our students thrive in this environment that allows them to work side-by-side with some of the best faculty and staff found in higher education.
To make our vision a reality, we value a culture of innovation, an environment of diversity and inclusiveness and organizational capability. We support the pioneering thinking that fuels discovery, and we advance the results to improve the health, well-being and quality of life of North Carolina’s citizens. We recognize the power of our diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to enrich our university community. And all our achievements begin with organizational capability, effective and efficient operations guided by dedicated people.
Our success will be measured by the future that we create. Among my responsibilities as chancellor, few are as important as building the relationships and creating the atmosphere that will allow mission and vision to be more than words. Together we will be leaders and achievers, making a difference in our university, our state and our world.