North Carolina State University Athletics
PEELER: More TDs Raise Funds For Library
9/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 10, 2010
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH, N.C. - Every time NC State scores a touchdown this season could be a significant boost for the new James B. Hunt Library that is currently under construction on NC State's Centennial Campus.
Football coach Tom O'Brien is leading an effort by the Friends of the Library to raise $35,000 to name a high-profile large group study room in the distinctive new library in honor of all NC State student-athletes, past, present and future. The library is expected to be completed in the summer of 2012.
Funds for the new library, named for North Carolina's longest serving governor and a proud NC State alum, were provided by the General Assembly. But the Friends of the Library organization is raising $10 million to properly appoint the new facility and to enhance the library's endowment.
Several spaces are already in the process of being named by donors, but this is FOL's first effort in naming an area for a group of students at the university.
"The Library has always had a great relationship with athletics," said Doug Yopp, the director the Friends of the Library. "And Coach O'Brien has been great with his support. The partnership with athletics made sense because of how important academics are to our student-athletes and to our coaches."
O'Brien made the first donation for the student-athlete study room. Both men's basketball coach Sidney Lowe and women's basketball coach Kellie Harper have agreed to participate in the campaign as well, in eliciting donations for every 3-pointer their teams score this season. More information will be available near the beginning of basketball season.
The large group study room will be open to all students studying in the library.
"We hope everyone who has been a student-athlete or has enjoyed watching our student-athletes compete will support this drive," Yopp said. Fans are asked to make a pledge here. Fill out the form, pledge a dollar amount for each touchdown the Wolfpack scores this season and send to the Friends of the Library. At the end of the season, donors will receive an invoice to fulfill their pledges.
For point of reference, last year's Wolfpack squad scored 48 touchdowns, including an ACC-leading 31 scoring passes by quarterback Russell Wilson. O'Brien's team scored six touchdowns in last week's season-opening victory over Western Carolina and hopes to add to that total Saturday when it plays at Central Florida.
The fundraising drive is being advertised both in The Wolfpacker Express, a digital newsletter that is e-mailed weekly during football season to all members of the Wolfpack Club, and on the scoreboard at Carter-Finley Stadium prior to all home football games.
"The library is important to all our student-athletes," O'Brien said. "As coaches, we know how valuable a resource it is to everyone on campus. I was eager to be one of the first to make a pledge in support of the new library, and I hope others will follow."
You may contact Tim Peeler at here.
