Community and collaboration are key to Red and White Week, according to Avery Tuttle, University Program Specialist with Learning and Organizational Development in University Human Resources at NC State. 

With more than 60 events – including specific opportunities designed with faculty and staff as the focus –  it takes countless partners across the university to bring the week to life. “Whether employees are alumni or have just worked at the university, we love that they are able to also feel the fun of the week,” said Tuttle. Red and White Week takes place Oct. 25 to Nov. 1.

“We want the events of Red and White Fest to really highlight the appreciation that we have for the everyday things that the Wolfpack employees do,” said Tuttle. “This gives them a location to celebrate, show appreciation to each other and receive information from vendors about the multitudes of benefits that are available to them inside and outside of their work life.” 

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Faculty and Staff

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Start the Week by Giving Back

There’s no better way to start the week than by giving back to the community that gives so much to NC State. This is the perfect opportunity to get your team together for a day of service.

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That goal of giving employees space to celebrate drives the planning for Tuttle each year. Red and White Fest will feature vendor giveaways, music, Howling Cow ice cream and more. The first 1,000 employees attending will receive a free T-shirt.

Planning for each of the RWW events involves a multi-phase process, where the team develops ideas, implements them and then evaluates their effectiveness. The ideation process begins with the team assessing last year’s events, according to Chandler Oliver, Director of Engagement Experiences. She connects with peers across campus to identify opportunities and coordinates many of the central experiences for the week.

Conversations with campus partners begin as early as February and continue throughout the spring and summer. 

“It’s a collaborative process that gives us time to look at what resonated the year before, identify opportunities to try something new and work with campus partners like Avery. Whether we’re sharing resources across departments or collaboratively creating experiences that bring the Wolfpack together, those partnerships are an important part of Red and White Week,” said Oliver. 

Working together helps make the most of the week while also being thoughtful about how resources are shared.

Tuttle agrees. “With us having done this a few years now, we look at what we did that seemed like a positive and engaging part of the event and what might be left off or reimplemented for the next year. With it all, we care about the efficiency but also the effectiveness and positive impact that our event can make on the employees,” Tuttle said.

Once Red and White Fest events are finally planned, organizers coordinate with partners to implement the event. 

“So many people are asked to help in different ways for this event, whether it is the campus call for volunteers, our partnership with HowlFest that happens later in the day, dining that helps with food or the many people it takes for making sure the location is confirmed and ready for the day,” said Tuttle, noting that the community of Wolfpack employee volunteers is key. 

Tuttle said he’s proud of how the event builds connection for faculty and staff.

“We love how much we are able to bring not only to the planned parts of the event, but also the rekindling and connections that are seen at the events with employees across the campus community,” he said.

Tuttle hopes that employees will participate in the festivities, even if this is their first time attending Red and White Week celebrations. “We encourage this to be used as a time for teams to come together. Invite your work bestie, or even use it to meet a new employee while you play some of the games that are present together,” Tuttle said.

Red and White Week takes place from Oct. 25 to Nov. 1. Registration for most events closes Oct. 20.

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Red and White Week Event Highlights