Editor’s note: A photo of this year’s Watauga Medal recipients is available by contacting NC State News Services at (919) 515-3470 or newstips@ncsu.edu.

Media Contact:

Daniel Bunce, NC State News Services, 919/515-3470 or daniel_bunce@ncsu.edu

March 8, 2001

NC State University Presents Watauga Medals to Recognize Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

North Carolina State University presented Watauga Medals on Wednesday, March 7, to three individuals who have demonstrated distinguished service to the university. This year’s recipients were: Scott Ferebee of Charlotte, a former president and CEO of the FWA Architectural Group and retired major general in the U.S. Army Reserves; Darrell Menscer of Murrell’s Inlet, S.C., former president and chief operations officer of PSI Energy Inc.; and Edgar "Ed" Woolard Jr. of Wilmington, Del., retired chairman and chief executive officer of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company in Wilmington, Del.

The Watauga Medal is the highest nonacademic honor bestowed by the university. The awards were presented by NC State Chancellor Marye Anne Fox at the annual founders Day dinner marking marked the 114th anniversary of the university’s founding.

NC State is the state’s leading university for science, engineering and technology. It was founded on March 7, 1887, by the General Assembly to provide education and foster economic development in agriculture and engineering. The university has evolved into a well-rounded academic community with nationally ranked programs in disciplines as diverse as the life sciences, physical sciences, textiles, design and social sciences.

Biographical information on this year’s Watauga Medal recipients follows:

S. Scott Ferebee

Ferebee has long been active in his support of both NC State and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In 1942, he completed ROTC training at NC State and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army. After a distinguished career in the military during World War II, he returned to Raleigh and graduated from NC State in 1948 with a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering.

Ferebee was president of NC State’s Alumni Association from 1980 to 1981 and a member of its board of directors from 1975 to 1977. He was president of the Design Foundation from 1966 to 1968 and 1977 to 1978 and he served on its board of directors from 1965 to 1968 and 1976 to 1978. He also was instrumental in founding the College of Architecture at UNC-Charlotte.

He has served as president and vice president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA); council member of the International Union of Architects; member of the board of directors of the AIA Foundation; and president of the N.C. Chapter of AIA. He continued his military service as a member of the Army Reserves and retired with the rank of major general in 1976. A native of Detroit, Mich., Ferebee moved to North Carolina at an early age and graduated from Henderson High School in 1938.

Darrell Vance Menscer

Menscer was co-chair of the Campaign for NC State Students, which raised more than $124 million for student scholarships and fellowships. During the campaign, he endowed a John T. Caldwell Alumni Scholarship, the Darrell and Carolyn Westmoreland Menscer Endowment, in honor of his wife.

In 1997, the NC State Foundation created the Menscer Cup award to honor the couple for their exemplary leadership. The award is presented each year to the volunteer who best exemplifies the example set forth by Darrell and Carolyn Menscer in their advancement efforts at NC State.

Menscer received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from NC State in 1960. He is an active member of the NC State Alumni Association and the Student Aid Association, commonly known as the Wolfpack Club.

He worked for Carolina Power and Light Company from 1960 to 1980, until serving as president and CEO of PSI Energy (now known as Cinergy Corp.) from 1980 to 1990. He is a former director of both the National City Bank of Indiana and Merchants National Bank and Trust Co. A native of Statesville, Menscer served as a staff sergeant in the Air Force from 1952 to 1956.

Edgar "Ed" Woolard Jr.

Woolard was a leader of the Campaign for NC State Students’ Caldwell Alumni Scholarship Program, and is an active member of the university’s Alumni Association, Chancellor’s Circle, W.J. Peele Society and the R.S. Pullen Society.

He is a former member of the Board of Trustees and director of the Textile Foundation; a longtime supporter of the Engineering Foundation; and has served on the advisory council of the College of Engineering. He was named Distinguished Engineering Alumnus in 1998.

A native of Washington, N.C., Woolard graduated from NC State in 1956 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. He spent his entire career with E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, working his way through the ranks from industrial engineer to chairman and CEO. He also served on the boards of directors for the National Council on Economic Education, Seagram Company and Diamond State Telephone.

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