As we close the chapter on another Fall semester we spoke with four new members of the Wolfpack. As they close their first semester in programs across campus, we asked them how things are going, and what does it mean to be part of the gradpack! They share what surprised them, how mentors and peers opened doors, and where coursework connected with real-world impact — in classrooms, studios and research spaces.

You’ll hear how they navigated challenges, built momentum through collaboration and found their voice in a university that all about Think and Do. It’s a look at the small wins, the big lessons and the paths they’re carving out. Read on to see how our first-years turned opportunity into outcomes— and how the Pack helped them do it.

David Nguyen

• Program: Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media
• College: College of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Fun fact about David: I had a “Top 100 Movie” scratch off poster and completed it this past year. I am also left handed!

How has your semester been thus far and is graduate school what you expected?
A Ph.D. semester is extremely different from a master’s degree semester. It was different because I came in not learning how to be a graduate student anymore; I was learning how to join scholarly conversations and finding out who I am within that scholarship. The semester has been hard, and it has involved a lot of reading and reflecting. Not only was I starting a new program, but I was starting a new chapter in my life. Being a first-generation graduate student—I kept feeling like I wasn’t supposed to be in certain spaces. Luckily, I had my community around me, people like professors and my cohort, my roommates who were also in graduate school and new found family I had in Raleigh. They helped support me and remind me that I do belong here.

Monse Hernandez

• Program: Master of Science in Analytics
• College: Institute for Advanced Analytics
• Fun fact about Monse: I recently had the incredible opportunity to visit Michoacán, Mexico, the region that inspired the Disney movie Coco. While there, I learned a good amount of the Purépecha dialect, and I plan on visiting again next year!

Tell us about your journey to graduate school.
As an NC State undergraduate, my experience as a research assistant for Dr. John Begeny at the HELPS Education Fund was pivotal. Collaborating with PhD students and seeing their academic growth gave me firsthand exposure to the opportunities in higher education. This, combined with conversations with past NC State graduate students, solidified my decision to return to NC State to pursue my advanced degree at the Institute for Advanced Analytics here at NC State.

Rachael Rice

• Program: Textile Chemistry
• College: Wilson College of Textiles
• Fun fact about Rachael: In my free time I love to go salsa dancing.

Tell us about your research experience.
My research experience has been with Dr. Bryan Ormond in TPACC. He originally brought me in as I have experience working with the instrumentation being used in the Lithium-Ion battery project. This project has been focused on testing firefighter turnout gear for contamination from Lithium ion battery fires through gear sent by fire stations and small scale live burns. The gear is acid digested and analyzed using ICP-MS and GC-MS instrumentation. This experience has been amazing as I have had the opportunity to collaborate with other members of the research group who have a lot of knowledge in personal protective clothing, while I bring my analytical skills to the table. I have already learned so much about this area of research in just a semester, while also forming a great community with other members of my group. I have also gotten to work with firefighters and hear their experiences which is even gives even more motivation behind why our research is important. i have always said that I want to do work that make an impact on our world, and I truly believe the research being done in TPACC is being done to help firefighters stay as safe as possible. We need work like this to be done, and I’m proud to be a part of it!

Rebecca Craps

• Program: Environmental Assessment
• College: College of Natural Resources
• Fun facts about Rebecca: I’ve eaten termites in the rainforest on two continents (North America and South America). Yes, they taste the same 🙂

What advice do you have for new or current graduate students?
Participating in a distance learning graduate program is not as scary as it seems! I’ve been both impressed and grateful at how well the Graduate School and my program have made me feel part of the Wolfpack family even though I’m not learning on campus. There are student associations and programs designed to include distance learning students so you feel like you are part of everything that is going on. It’s been very inclusive in the best way, and I even attended my first Wolfpack football game as a graduate student a couple of weeks ago.