Ben Franklin Scholars celebrate 20th anniversary

Robert White looked around the crowded reception hall and saw lots of friends. Some, like him, were recent graduates of NC State. Others had been out of school for a while and were finding success in a variety of fields.

This was a diverse group of students and alumni, but they shared a common bond. All were Ben Franklin Scholars, participants in dual-degree program at NC State that produces top students grounded in the real world.

“That cohesion is still there,” said White, who was about to graduate with degrees in mechanical engineering and psychology. “Everybody’s just got a new story to tell.”

White and dozens of other past and present Ben Franklin Scholars gathered at NC State in late April for the program’s “Spring Feast and Banter” 20th anniversary celebration. The weekend featured a barbecue picnic, a student-alumni campus tour, and a reception and banquet that brought current students together with alumni.

The Ben Franklin Scholars are unique among NC State students. Participants in the program pursue dual degrees, one in the College of Engineering and one in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. This makes for a busy college career, but the program produces well-rounded professionals who are analytical problem solvers, ethical decision makers and effective communicators.
Scholars generally receive between $500 and $2,500 annually. These scholarships are funded through the NC State Engineering Foundation by donors such as Charles Branscomb, a Distinguished Engineering Alumnus who enjoyed a long and successful career with IBM.
“I view the Ben Franklin students coming out of school now as some of the most sophisticated problem solvers we’ll ever have,” Branscomb told the scholars at the banquet. Branscomb received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at NC State in mechanical engineering in 1949 and 1950, respectively.

Outside the classroom, Franklin Scholars events and activities are coordinated by the Franklin Scholars Council, which is comprised of nine student chairs and an assembly of representatives.  The Council hosts a wide variety of events throughout the year including academic advising, career development workshops, lectures, monthly service opportunities and social gatherings.

This past year, the scholars cut firewood for those in need at a “Warmth for Wake” service event, helped build a house for Habitat for Humanity and traveled to the North Carolina coast for a three-day spring retreat.

“It’s been a great program and it’s been very supportive,” said Jennifer Halweil, a senior who was graduating with degrees in electrical and computer engineering and media communications. “It encourages you to get involved on campus and in the community.”

An emotional highlight of the banquet came when Dr. Joe Herkert, who was the program’s advisor for many years before leaving NC State to join the faculty at Arizona State University, addressed the crowd. He talked about his favorite cohorts, or classes, of Ben Franklin Scholars, and students chuckled at his many jokes about their antics at NC State.

“Most of the best students I’ve known have been Ben Franklin Scholars,” Herkert said. “Most of the best people I’ve known have been Ben Franklin Scholars.”