When the NC State classes of the 1930s first reached their 50-year graduation anniversaries in the 1980s, a few alumni decided to get together and reminisce.

These documented reunions were considered to be the first of what is now officially known as NC State Alumni’s Golden Grads Forever Club (GGFC). Now, in 2026, the club is nearing its own 50th anniversary while alumnus Lawrence (Larry) Watson is gearing up for his class reunion of a lifetime, literally.

A Golden Era

It was 1972 when Watson first stepped foot on NC State’s campus as an 18-year-old straight out of high school, living in Owen Hall, now part of the Exploratory Studies Village. Owen used to be a notorious gathering site for many post-Wolfpack-win celebrations, and Watson remembered feeling the strongest connection to his alma mater in those moments. 

Watson and his friends refer to the sports period of the early to mid-’70s as the golden era for NC State Athletics under football coach Lou Holtz. NC State also went undefeated in basketball in 1972-1973, winning the NCAA championship in 1974 with David Thompson and Tommy Burleson leading the way.

Watson recalled, “The regional finals were held in Reynolds Coliseum, and, after the game, everybody piled into what was called the quad at that time, in between Tucker and Owen and in front of the three tall tower dorms. There were almost 13,000 people outside my window. It was a lot of fun.”

As a structural engineering major, Watson was faced with an incredibly broad field, and it was his hydraulics professor who advised him to take an introductory coastal engineering course. Later, Watson would go on to become the professor’s graduate research assistant and split his major between structural and ocean engineering, eventually finding a position with Phillips Petroleum Co. more than a thousand miles from home.

“I wouldn’t recommend this to anybody,” Watson joked, “but within a three-week time span, in the summer of ’78, I finished my master’s degree, defended and submitted my thesis, got married to a girl from Gardner-Webb University, went on my honeymoon and moved to Oklahoma to start my career.”

“Within a three-week time span, in the summer of ’78, I finished my master’s degree, defended and submitted my thesis, got married to a girl from Gardner-Webb University, went on my honeymoon and moved to Oklahoma to start my career.”

Watson spent 33 years with the same company, with his job taking him all over the world. “My family and I were moved to Houston, then San Francisco and back to Oklahoma before we were moved to Norway, where our two daughters grew up. With a few more places in between, finally we went to Singapore, where we lived for the last five years of my career. We like to refer to my career as an adventure.”

Philanthropy and Returning to NC State

During Watson’s time in Texas, he was the lay missions director for the United Methodist Church in the suburb of Sugar Land in Houston, Texas. While there, he met a man from Kenya who asked for his help forming a board of directors for a non-profit organization.

“I retired in 2011 so I could take on the new role of executive director for what came to be known as Providence Children’s Home,” he said. “The non-profit bought a 16-acre property that included buildings for a pre-K-12 school, an orphanage and a clinic. I served on that board from its inception until 2020, and it’s still in operation.”

Watson and his wife continue to give back in other ways, including staying connected to NC State.

“I make my largest donation to The Engineering Foundation, and I let them decide how to use it,” he explained. “We donate to the Student Emergency Fund as well, because, when I attended NC State, there were only 13,000 students, and now it has a lot more students, many with unexpected financial needs.”

Watson expressed excitement at the thought of reconnecting with old classmates during the upcoming 2026 GGFC Reunion. “I still remember their faces, but I doubt those faces will look the same! My hope is that enough people attend so I can reconnect, learn all about their backgrounds and the things that they’ve done.”

Golden Grads Forever Club Reunion Details

Any member of NC State’s class of 1976 is invited to attend the Reunion Weekend May 7-9 and have their lasting connection to NC State University recognized with a formal GGFC induction ceremony and commemorative medallion. 

Elizabeth Stone, Engagement Manager for Post-Career alumni, emphasized that “the reunion is designed to create moments that spark new collaborations, rekindle old friendships and ignite conversations with current students. GGFC members leave the reunion feeling a renewed pride in their alma mater, and their ongoing involvement continues to inspire both current and future generations, even decades after graduation.”