Karen Bullock’s journey at NC State began with an interest in a sorority and led to an NC State Alumni board of directors seat.

“I had long wanted to be a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) because of women who I saw in my community and I wanted to emulate. I think if they hadn’t told me that I needed to go to college in order to become a member of AKA, I probably wouldn’t have gone to college,” Bullock ’90 said with a smile.

“I’m a first-generation college student and very few people in my family and in my community went to college. They are people of noble professions with outstanding work ethics, but not college degrees.”

That interest led her to NC State, where she began a three-decades-long career in academia and a long list of contributions. 

More than thirty years after she first walked onto NC State’s campus, Bullock now serves as the Louise McMahon Ahearn Endowed Professor at the Boston College School of Social Work. She has also served on several national boards, including as past chair of the American Cancer Society Oncology Social Work Research Peer Review Committee and the vice-chair of the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network. 

Despite this, Bullock hasn’t left her roots at NC State behind. She currently serves on the NC State Alumni Association board of directors, where she gives back and is a role model for first-generation and rural students.

Her Journey at NC State

Bullock was guided to NC State by two teachers in her high school who had graduated from NC State and encouraged her to apply. This connection was particularly important for Bullock as a first-generation student from rural Warren County.

“I didn’t have a lot of models for how to go to college or what it would take to be successful in college, so I was very fortunate to have teachers who could guide my pathway, ” she said.

Bullock was accepted into NC State’s Department of Social Work in CHASS, where she’d meet her eventual mentor, social work Professor Emeritus Wilma Peebles-Wilkins. Bullock said her relationship with Peebles-Wilkins helped her adjust to college life.

She had a far more vast array of experiences, and in various professional realms, and things that, as a first-gen student, “I didn’t know how to navigate,” said Bullock.

Peebles-Wilkins would later encourage Bullock to pursue graduate studies. This led to Bullock becoming the first NC State social work student to join Columbia University’s Master of Social Work program. In 2023, Bullock would be invited to return to her alma mater as the commencement speaker. She later received her doctoral degree in sociology and social work from Boston University.

NC State Alumni Board of Directors

In the years that followed, Bullock served as a professor at several different universities, including NC State. 

Karen Bullock’s Professional Journey

Even when she was far away, Bullock never stopped supporting NC State. Bullock served on the Park Scholarships regional selection committee, which helps to identify scholarship applicants across the U.S. through outreach, application reviews and interviews. She has also co-led the NC State Boston Alumni Network and currently serves as one of the network’s volunteers. 

Bullock still wanted to do more, though, so when she was nominated — and later extended an offer to serve on the NC State Alumni Board — she immediately accepted. 

“Being invited to serve on the board was an opportunity for my reach to be even more expansive,” she shared.

Beyond her service, Bullock also sees herself as crucial representation for first-generation and rural students. “I reflect what’s possible,” she said. 

Bullock said she enjoys supporting students and creating opportunities for alumni to connect. She also serves on the Caldwell Fellows Committee and the Volunteer Engagement Committee through the board.

The Future

Bullock hopes to get even more involved with NC State Alumni this year, including participation in this year’s Red and White Week events. 

Her long-term goal, however, is to directly support students like herself. She wants to establish a scholarship for first-generation college students majoring in social work in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“It’s such an honor to be a member of NC State Alumni, and I hope that I can be even more engaged in the year ahead, and even years beyond. It’s nice to be able to give back,” Bullock said.