Astronaut Christina Koch donned her blue NASA flight jacket and made a much-anticipated return to her alma mater to chat with Chancellor Randy Woodson and kick off Red and White Week. 

Koch, who will soon embark on a journey to be the first woman to circumnavigate the moon, earned her undergraduate degrees in physics and electrical engineering and her master’s in electrical engineering from NC State. 

Koch spoke with Woodson for the first live edition of Woodson’s “Red Chair Chats,” where he speaks with alumni, faculty and leaders about “their love of this great university.” 

A fog rolled across the Stewart Theatre stage and curtains unveiled a backdrop with twinkling starry lights before Koch stepped out to thunderous applause.

Koch told Woodson she chose to attend NC State for her college education because she loved taking theoretical ideas and implementing them hands-on.

“NC State just represented doers, places where entrepreneurship was valued, places where learning that theoretical side but also building upon it and contributing back to the world was important,” Koch told Woodson.

At NASA, Koch set the record for the longest female single space flight and participated in the first female spacewalk.

“When I think about some of those records and milestones, I always like to reflect back that it’s not an individual that does this,” Koch said. “These records and milestones aren’t about any one person. … I can’t wait for these milestones to become normal, for the records to be broken. ”

Koch said her support system at NC State allowed her to pursue her dream of becoming an astronaut.

“I had had this desire to explore this interest in exploration and science on the frontier,” Koch said. “I had pictures of the shuttle and Earthrise taken from the moon in my dorm room here at NC State. … There were counselors and professors that really believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself, and knowing that I owed it to them to give it my all and to go in the direction of those dreams was something that definitely can help me.”

Koch’s advice to NC State students deciding their career paths is to think about what they are most passionate about and find most fulfilling. 

“If you actually use what’s scaring you as a call to the direction to move toward, you might just find that not only do you reach your most fulfilled state because you’re contributing the most, but you’re giving the most back to the world as well,” Koch said. “You’ll be amazed at what comes out of that on the other end.” 

The Red Chair Chat was part of Woodson’s annual fall address. Woodson outlined milestones from the past year and recent accomplishments by alumni.

“NC State once again set a record for the number of applications to our university — 40,000 potential students applied to come to NC State,” Woodson said. “We continue to earn more applications from the state of North Carolina than any other university in the state, and a record number of new students joined us on campus last August.”

Woodson said in 2023, NC State faculty and staff earned $476 million in research grants, breaking last year’s record.

“Those dollars — as I say often when I’m talking about money — it’s not just the dollars, but it’s the impact of what those dollars do,” Woodson said. “Those dollars go on to create new knowledge, new technology, startups and more jobs across the state of North Carolina, and across the whole country.”

Woodson listed recognitions faculty and staff have received in the last year, which included three faculty members being named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, two history professors receiving national endowment for the humanities fellowships and Jason Bocarro receiving the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching.

“Go to any corner of our state, any county in this great state, in any community, and you will find the impact of NC State,” Woodson said. “From K-12 summer camps, to our community college collaborations, to NC State Extension to our industrial extension service. … It’s part of the bedrock of this state’s success.”

Woodson acknowledged the 2023 U.S. News & World Report, in which the University received its highest placement in history, ranking 60th among all national universities and 28th among public universities.

“This is actually a testament to the collective work and transformative power of everything you’re all doing for NC State — if you’re an alum and a donor, or for NC State as our faculty and staff, or for NC State as our phenomenal students,” Woodson said. “I began by saying that Red and White Week is a chance to look back, but I urge us all to also look forward.”