Student Legacy Spotlight: The Stocks Family

Each year, the College of Education welcomes freshman students who have made attending NC State a family tradition. In our new series, we’ll profile our freshman legacy students and their parent(s) who also attended NC State.

Lydia Stocks is a freshman studying elementary education. Her father, Michael Stocks, attended NC State and graduated with a degree in civil engineering in 1988. Her brother Andrew also attends NC State and is a senior.

Here’s what Lydia and Michael Stocks had to say about their decisions to attend NC State and their experiences at the university.

Why did you choose to attend NC State?

Lydia Stocks (LS): I chose NC State because of the incredible resources like Hunt Library and Talley Student Center. NC State comes with so many opportunities and space – there is always something going on that I can be involved in.

Michael Stocks (MS):  I grew up in Raleigh and followed the Pack my entire life. My father worked at NC State as a facilities manager for all the sports venues. One of my earliest memories is of Section 3, Row EE, Seats 5 and 6, where I (at age 6) and my brother watched the Wolfpack play football at Carter Finley Stadium. I was interested in engineering, so NC State was the only choice for me.

What was your reaction to your daughter attending NC State?

(MS): I was thrilled! Lydia had several college admissions to choose from, but we always knew she was a Wolfpacker at heart. The day she said no to blue school “over the hill” is a great memory!

What specifically drew you to the College of Education?

(LS): I knew that I wanted to go to school for elementary education, so I had to be in the College of Education. But in addition to that, the College of Education faculty and staff are wonderful. They are very personable and helpful and they made my transition into college much less scary.

Tell us about your first semester! What did you learn? What were your classes like? Did you join any clubs?

(LS): My first semester was great, I enjoyed it very much! My classes went well. The professors here at NC State are caring educators who want to get to know their students and who want their students to succeed. I have gotten involved with CRU on campus and that has provided me with some really great new friends.

Tell us about your time at NC State. What are your best memories? Were you active in any clubs, teams or groups?

(MS): I worked with the NC State Department of Athletics as a football and basketball videographer. For four basketball seasons and five football seasons, I was able to attend every home basketball and football game, which was fantastic.

What are you most excited to do in your next 3.5 years at NC State?

(LS): I am most excited to build upon what has already started during my first semester. I am looking forward to expanding my relationships with my peers, my knowledge of the field I am studying, and the opportunities that I can and will take advantage of.  

What was your biggest accomplishment during your time at NC State?

(MS): I spent a lot of time in the gym and on the field for work and for recreation which is where I established lifelong friendships. These relationships and my degree are two of the biggest accomplishments of my life.