There is an old saying that goes, “Give until in hurts.” ISE professor Dr. Richard Bernhard couldn’t disagree more. “Give until it hurts. No, give until it feels good,” says Bernhard. “I had an amount to give and I gave double. Now that I see the good it is doing, I feel good. Give until it feels good. It really does feel good.”
Bernhard credits Susan Nutter, Vice Provost and Director of Libraries, for encouraging him to give to NC State. At the time, Bernhard was on the board of directors for Friends of the Library and with some of the money his parents left for him, he donated a thousand dollars to Susan for a party for her and her staff. But instead of a party, Susan put the money into an incubator endowment in his daughter Barbara’s name. With Barbara’s encouragement, Bernhard and his wife, Cynthia, have started two more endowments, one for each of their sons. Since then, Bernhard has had a group study room named in honor of his wife, Cynthia Peterson Bernhard, and a room in the faculty section in honor of his friend and colleague, James R. Wilson IV. Both rooms are in the new Hunt Library located on Centennial Campus, a great resource for ISE students and others.
Bernhard is also been an annual contributor to the ISE department. “You can really make a difference in the lives of students at NC State with the smallest donations,” says Bernhard. “And think of what an impact ten of my friends and I could have if we all gave a small amount. We really could make a splash.”
Dr. Paul Cohen, Edgar S. Woolard Distinguished Professor and Department Head, credits Bernhard and the many ISE alumni for their generosity in supporting the department. “The support of alumni and friends helps us to provide a high quality educational experience for our students.” notes Cohen.