By Raymond Jones<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some people are content to spend their lives in just one place. They derive a sense of security from being \u201crooted.\u201d At the other extreme are people who move so often they simply consider themselves \u201ccitizens of the world.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maureen Grasso, who retired from the Wilson College of Textiles<\/a> on Dec. 31, is one of these \u201cworld citizens.\u201d Her lengthy and productive academic career took her, literally, from one end of the country to the other. Even as an undergraduate she studied (by choice) at three different institutions \u2013 Winthrop University, Indiana University and Utah State University \u2013 while still managing to earn her degree in four years..<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grasso says the cultural differences among those particular academic communities were so pronounced that she learned early on \u201cto adapt.\u201d That life skill proved to be a blessing as she went on to earn a master\u2019s degree at Cornell University and a Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee, before accepting a tenure track teaching position at the University of Texas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her sense of wanderlust, however, didn\u2019t end while she was living and working in Austin. With a strong ambition to teach at the graduate level, she later accepted a position at UNC Greensboro. She enjoyed being in \u201ctextile country,\u201d but moved yet again after the University of Georgia recruited her to serve as dean of the Graduate School.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Georgia proved to be an ideal environment for Grasso, who was happiest working in large, complex university settings. It was no surprise then that she ultimately decided to finish out her career at an academic institution like NC State University.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best thing about the move to Raleigh, she says, was \u201cthe chance to finally be surrounded by students and colleagues who understood what I did!\u201d Her first love academically had always been textiles; so, when given the chance to serve at the Wilson College, she felt \u201chome at last.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grasso bought into the college\u2019s \u201cthink and do\u201d culture immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNone of my previous institutions,\u201d she says, \u201ccould match NC State for nurturing people who like to think up new ideas and find real-world solutions to real-world problems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While serving as dean of the Graduate School, Grasso took special pride in introducing the \u201cThree Minute Thesis\u201d or \u201c3MT\u201d program to NC State. 3MT<\/a> is an annual competition that challenges Ph.D. and master\u2019s students to present their research in just 180 seconds, without props or audio-visual aids, in a format that can be understood by a lay audience. This past year, three Wilson College graduate students were CMT finalists, and one won the competition\u2019s \u201cPeople\u2019s Choice Award<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grasso looks back fondly on her association with the Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management<\/a> (TATM). She says one of her proudest accomplishments was encouraging more TATM faculty members to publish their work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n None of my previous institutions could match NC State for nurturing people who like to think up new ideas and find real-world solutions to real-world problems.\u201d \u201cI saw that they were doing great research,\u201d she says, \u201cand I knew they were deserving of greater recognition and visibility.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n She\u2019s also proud of a \u201cresearch methods\u201d course she developed for graduate students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat course,\u201d she says, \u201cmade a significant difference in helping students who were working on a master\u2019s degree to get a good head start on their thesis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n One goal that she pursued throughout her career was enhancing Ph.D. completion rates for female scholars. When she first became a dean at Georgia, for example, Grasso was taken aback by the number of university policies that had a negative impact on female doctoral candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In response, she promoted a new \u201cstop the clock\u201d policy. It enabled female Ph.D. candidates to drop out if necessary (often to attend to family responsibilities) and come back at any time without sacrificing credits or status. Another big key to success for women, she says, is effective mentoring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lonny Carter, who teaches fashion and textile management at the college part time, fondly remembers the difference Grasso made for her while she was pursuing her doctorate at the Wilson College. Carter, who also earned bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees at NC State, says Grasso “was willing to mentor me, a stranger, with no teaching experience. We clicked immediately, and she quickly became the first person I wanted to call if something good \u2013 or bad \u2013 happened. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe owed me nothing, yet spent countless weekend hours teaching me how to create learning materials and effectively communicate with students. She believed in me in a way no one ever has, and I would not be where I am today without her guidance and encouragement. She is a pioneer in every sense of the word. Dr. Grasso is who I want to be when I grow up.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grasso enjoyed living in Raleigh; but, after being freed of daily responsibilities, decided to relocate to the western part of the state to be closer to family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe worst part of retirement has been losing daily contact with my students and faculty colleagues,\u201d she says. \u201cNonetheless, I\u2019m passionate about family connections and I didn\u2019t want to miss out on a chance to be close to my two grandsons during their early years. I want to spend time with them while they\u2019re still excited to see me!\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n By Raymond Jones<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people are content to spend their lives in just one place. They derive a sense of security from being \u201crooted.\u201d At the other extreme are people who move so often they simply consider themselves \u201ccitizens of the world.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Maureen Grasso, who retired from the Wilson College of Textiles<\/a> on Dec. 31, is one of these \u201cworld citizens.\u201d Her lengthy and productive academic career took her, literally, from one end of the country to the other. Even as an undergraduate she studied (by choice) at three different institutions \u2013 Winthrop University, Indiana University and Utah State University \u2013 while still managing to earn her degree in four years..<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grasso says the cultural differences among those particular academic communities were so pronounced that she learned early on \u201cto adapt.\u201d That life skill proved to be a blessing as she went on to earn a master\u2019s degree at Cornell University and a Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee, before accepting a tenure track teaching position at the University of Texas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her sense of wanderlust, however, didn\u2019t end while she was living and working in Austin. With a strong ambition to teach at the graduate level, she later accepted a position at UNC Greensboro. She enjoyed being in \u201ctextile country,\u201d but moved yet again after the University of Georgia recruited her to serve as dean of the Graduate School.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Georgia proved to be an ideal environment for Grasso, who was happiest working in large, complex university settings. It was no surprise then that she ultimately decided to finish out her career at an academic institution like NC State University.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best thing about the move to Raleigh, she says, was \u201cthe chance to finally be surrounded by students and colleagues who understood what I did!\u201d Her first love academically had always been textiles; so, when given the chance to serve at the Wilson College, she felt \u201chome at last.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grasso bought into the college\u2019s \u201cthink and do\u201d culture immediately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNone of my previous institutions,\u201d she says, \u201ccould match NC State for nurturing people who like to think up new ideas and find real-world solutions to real-world problems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While serving as dean of the Graduate School, Grasso took special pride in introducing the \u201cThree Minute Thesis\u201d or \u201c3MT\u201d program to NC State. 3MT<\/a> is an annual competition that challenges Ph.D. and master\u2019s students to present their research in just 180 seconds, without props or audio-visual aids, in a format that can be understood by a lay audience. This past year, three Wilson College graduate students were CMT finalists, and one won the competition\u2019s \u201cPeople\u2019s Choice Award<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nShe\u2019s always loved large, complex universities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Think and Do\u2019 culture sets NC State apart<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
– Professor Maureen Grasso<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nAdvancing Ph.D. completion rates for women<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Grasso remembered fondly by former student<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Family ties come first in retirement<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
She\u2019s always loved large, complex universities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Think and Do\u2019 culture sets NC State apart<\/h3>\n\n\n\n