… the Wolfpack is a community.

At NC State, giving back reflects a shared commitment to community — a reflection of pride, Pack spirit and purpose. Through I Give Because, we share the stories behind the Wolfpack’s devotion — the people whose generosity keeps this red-and-white heartbeat strong.

This installment features Kelly Hook ’11 — former student body president, alumna volunteer, NC State Alumni board of directors member and lifelong Wolfpack advocate. Even after moving to San Francisco, New York and Montana, she says NC State remains a constant for her. 

Q: Finish this sentence with no more than five words: “I give because … ”

A: I give because the Wolfpack is a community. 

Q: What’s important for readers to know about you and your connection to NC State?

A: NC State has been a constant in my life for 20 years. I first came to campus in high school to watch my brother’s theater performances. When I enrolled, opportunities followed quickly. I worked at the General Assembly,  found mentors who shaped how I think and served as student body president (the sixth woman and 90th overall).

Q: What inspired you to give back to NC State, and how have you chosen to do so?

A: I get energized when the NC State story reaches far and wide. Our alumni are incredible! I’m blown away every time the NC State magazine arrives and I see the innovation happening on campus. It’s easy to feel inspired to give back when you believe in NC State’s impact on the world.

I’d be remiss not to mention CHASS as a motivator. My education in Caldwell Hall taught me critical thinking, healthy debate and what it means to be a humanities student at an engineering-focused university. I’ve served on the NC State Alumni Board of Directors for five years and am currently chair of the Philanthropy Committee. When I donate, I typically give to the NC State Entrepreneurship Fund, the CHASS general fund, NC State Theatre and the Alumni Impact Fund on Day of Giving. My husband and I also donate together monthly.

Q: You’ve worn many hats at NC State, from former student body president to your current role as Philanthropy Committee Chair on the NC State Alumni board. How did those experiences shape your connection?

A: We have a running joke among former student body presidents: “Did we peak in college?” While I’ve experienced plenty of meaningful moments since, the feeling of campaigning with friends, believing deeply in our work and getting the chance to serve 36,000 students at age 20 was incredible. I think our student body administration truly contributed to NC State’s story.

My more recent involvement on the Alumni Board has been a gift — an opportunity to reconnect more deeply with NC State later in my career and to bring alumni together. When I was student body president, it was Chancellor Woodson’s first year. I watched him begin what became a 15-year journey leading the Wolfpack. A few months ago, I delivered a tribute speech at his farewell, and shortly afterward we welcomed Chancellor Howell. Through these transitions, it’s important for alumni to be a constant presence, supporting new leaders as they set their goals.

Q: Was there a particular experience that deepened your connection to the Wolfpack community?

A: There are too many to count. One that stands out involves former CHASS Dean Jeff Braden. He championed the arts and humanities within an engineering college with gusto, grace and humor, and I respected that. Once, he told me I should read “Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid” because he thought I’d appreciate the blend of math, art, music and stay a lifelong student in that space. It’s still on my shelf.

My older brother shaped my experience, too. I watched him earn his doctorate and earn accolades in the materials science department. I’m proud of him and having him on campus made NC State feel like home from day one.

Being in the state capital also mattered. I interned at the legislature for two years and was able to apply classroom ideas to real-world policy. It’s also where I met my best friend to this day.

I genuinely connect with NC State’s “Think and Do” motto. I see it in hands-on education and in the grounded, driven way students pursue their careers. Recently, I met with the Public Relations Student Society of America in CHASS, and that kind of engagement only deepens my connection. The students are sharp, focused and practical. Often, it feels like they have more to teach me than I have to teach them.

Q: When you think about the impact of your giving, what change do you most hope to see?

A: I want to see students chase their dreams while keeping a big-picture perspective. NC State is a place to cultivate your talents and turn your enthusiasm into action. When I give back, I’m hoping to sustain the spark I felt — and still feel — at NC State: the entrepreneurial spirit, the tenacity and, most of all, the kindness. I want it to persist in all of us.

Q: What would you say to fellow alumni or friends who are considering ways to give back?

A: We’re a community that extends well beyond our time on campus. Investing in its longevity by attending events, supporting causes you care about or helping even one other person strengthens the value of our degrees and lifts the entire Wolfpack.

Q: Would you share with us the top three to five roles you’ve held since leaving NC State that have meant a lot to you? How was NC State instrumental in gaining those roles?

A: During my final semester, I struggled with direction. One of my favorite “NC State helped me” stories began a year and a half into my job as marketing coordinator for Carolina Ballet. I started experimenting with a presentation tool called Prezi and soon realized an NC State alum, Drew Banks, was leading their marketing team in San Francisco. Prezi had an opening in PR, so I reached out. Banks took my call because of the NC State connection but turned me down — I simply wasn’t qualified. Convinced that communications was where I belonged, I asked him for an assignment to prove myself. Eventually, I moved to San Francisco and became their head of communications.

My career has spanned multiple cities and roles, and there are threads of NC State in nearly every job I’ve had. Today, I work at Stripe and take an entrepreneurial approach to building systems that improve internal communications. To me, NC State represents grit, integrity and blue-collar pride. It’s in my blood and gives me an entrepreneurial edge no matter where I am.

Q: Looking back on your journey from campus leader to entrepreneur, what Wolfpack values will continue to guide you on this path?

A: Resilience, positivity and family are definitely throughline Wolfpack values. If something doesn’t work out, you learn to pivot and find a new path. A positive outlook helps you see around life’s corners and focus on opportunities instead of a narrow pit of problems. Last, but probably most important, is family – both the found family of the Wolfpack and my parents and brother who continue to be very involved in my NC State experience. My parents regularly donate to the university and are very proud that both my brother, David, and I attended. As entrepreneurs themselves, they are the ones who instilled the core values that led us to the Wolfpack. NC State was, and will forever be, my second home. In other words, the strength of the wolf is the Pack!

“NC State was, and will forever be, my second home. In other words, the strength of the wolf is the Pack!”