One Day’s Giving Leads to Years of New Learning Experiences for NC State Students
Supporting NC State is a proud tradition for Ron and Dale Terry, with their generosity having benefited hundreds of students over the years. The College of Natural Resources (CNR) is particularly near and dear to the couple: Ron graduated from the college in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in pulp and paper technology — he also graduated from the College of Engineering in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering — and has served on the NC State Natural Resources Foundation’s board of directors.
While the Terrys are eager to help NC State any day of the year, Day of Giving 2025 offered them a special opportunity to make a difference in how CNR students Think and Do — emphasis on the latter.
The couple made a pledge during the yearly giving event to further the Ronald and Dale Terry Student Assistance and Enrichment Fund, as well as other initiatives in the college. Their namesake endowment enables beneficiaries to study abroad, travel for professional conferences, participate in unpaid internships and more.
The overall goal: to give students access to the hands-on learning opportunities for which NC State is well known.
High-impact experiences, or HIEs, are key ingredients of a Wolfpack education. Taking students out of the classroom and immersing them in real-world, career-specific activities is a proven strategy for producing alumni who excel personally and professionally. HIEs often allow students to travel outside of North Carolina and/or the United States for the first time, too, helping them cross language barriers and explore different cultures — lessons that will benefit them and everyone they come in contact with throughout their lives.
“We both came from modest means and didn’t have these types of opportunities until later in life, so being able to help students grow intellectually and culturally while they’re still at the university is extremely rewarding for us,” Ron said. “As students learn more about the world and other people, they bring those new perspectives back to campus and share them with their friends and classmates. Everyone wins through these truly life-changing experiences.”
Photos: Terry Fund Recipients in the Field
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Yinan Ding holding an insect during her spring break study-abroad trip to Ecuador. -
Participants of a study-abroad trip to Mexico pose for a photo. -
Matthew Francisco ’23 studied big cat conservation in the eastern Himalayas of Bhutan thanks to the Ronald and Dale Terry Student Assistance and Enrichment Fund. -
Lilly Humphries ’20, far left, poses for a snowy photo with a group of her peers while studying renewable energy and sustainability in Iceland. -
Sarah Simmons ’25 holds up the wolfie hand sign during her 2023 study-abroad experience in the Arctic Circle. -
Jessica Chastain holding a bird during a study abroad trip to Ecuador. -
Participants of a study-abroad trip to Mexico pose for a photo. -
Matthew Francisco ’23 setting up a trail camera as part of his big cat conversation research in the eastern Himalayas.
McKenzie Herlihy was one of the students who benefited from the Terry fund during their time in CNR. Herlihy graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in parks, recreation and tourism management, with a focus on sustainable tourism. During the summer of 2019, she was able to participate in a fully funded research/study-abroad program in Senegal thanks to the Terrys’ support.
“My time in Senegal really changed a lot of my ideas about tourism and what it can do for a group of people,” Herlihy said. “Seeing firsthand how sustainable tourism development, if done correctly, can elevate and empower a community was eye-opening and really exciting to be a part of.”
The Terrys’ endowment was created in 2015 and made its first award in 2016. All undergraduates enrolled in a CNR major can apply, with nearly $10,000 awarded in the fall of 2024 alone. This boost of support on Day of Giving 2025 will enable the fund to help even more students while serving as a vivid example of what donors can achieve by #GivingPack.
“We love giving back on Day of Giving because it allows NC State alumni and friends to show what a powerful impact we can make as a group, as well as how much the university means to us,” Dale said.
Visit go.ncsu.edu/terry-fund to learn more about the Ronald and Dale Terry Student Assistance and Enrichment Fund, and click here to contribute to the endowment on Day of Giving 2025.
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