When twins Madison and Ansley Kreisler applied to college, they were fairly certain they wouldn\u2019t attend the same university, nor was North Carolina at the top of the list for the Georgia residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But as decision time rolled around and they thought back to the various colleges and universities they\u2019d visited, one stood out for both: North Carolina State University and the Poole College of Management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They enrolled, and while they went their separate ways to some extent \u2014 joining different sororities and initially living separately \u2014 it turned out to be the right decision for both women.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n\u201cIt felt like they were at a smaller college, being within Poole College.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou can get lost in those larger universities, but I never felt like they were at a big state university,\u201d their dad, Nevin Kreisler, says. \u201cIt felt like they were at a smaller college, being within Poole College.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, NC State offered the big school experiences, from Division I athletics to numerous internship and study abroad opportunities, says their mom, Amy Kreisler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Madison and Ansley graduated from Poole College in 2023, but the Kreisler family\u2019s passion and support for NC State and Poole College won\u2019t end there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recently, Amy and Nevin made a generous gift to establish a high-impact experience fund as well as a distinguished professorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
High impact experiences are a priority<\/a> for Poole College and Dean Frank Buckless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHigh-impact experiences are pivotal for today’s students, as they provide an unique opportunity to blend theoretical knowledge with practical application that ensures our graduates have the critical skills necessary to thrive in a complex, ever-evolving global marketplace,\u201d Buckless says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Part of the Kreislers\u2019 gift will fund the salary for Tyler Wiersma<\/a>, Poole\u2019s new director of high-impact experiences, who is tasked with developing and expanding high-impact experiences for Poole students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Supporting Poole From Early On<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ansley and Madison enrolled in 2019. The two selected Poole believing a business degree would provide a variety of job opportunities following graduation. They found that to be true, and today, Ansley works in Raleigh for Saint Mary\u2019s School, while Madison moved to Charleston, South Carolina, to work for a clothing company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The COVID pandemic impacted their college experience soon after they enrolled, sending students home from campus in spring 2020. By fall, however, they returned to campus to live in their sorority houses. Campus life and classes didn\u2019t fully return to normal until their junior year, Amy says, but the girls were happy to be back on campus with their peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From their home near Atlanta, Amy and Nevin found they were able to stay updated and informed, thanks to frequent communication from NC State and Poole College. They saw the girls form strong friendships with peers and strong relationships with professors on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amy and Nevin had the opportunity to meet campus leaders in the early days as well, including Chancellor Randy Woodson, Buckless and Brian Clark, Poole\u2019s executive director of philanthropy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their first gift to Poole came about through conversations with Buckless and Clark about Poole\u2019s greatest needs. Amy and Nevin made an initial gift when the girls were sophomores, designated to support faculty research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nevin noted they wanted their gift to go where college leaders felt it could do the most or be the most impactful. At the same time, Amy knew from serving on the board for their children\u2019s K-12 school in Georgia that faculty support is always a critical need in education.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\nProfessors regularly made the connection to real-world scenarios as they taught classes.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Amy also noted Madison and Ansley had positive experiences not just with tenured faculty but also with professors of practice who had worked in business and industry. Professors regularly made the connection to real-world scenarios as they taught classes, she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
High-Impact Experiences as Real-World Learning<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Further conversations with Poole leaders led to their latest gift. High-impact experiences simply fit with the Kreislers\u2019 own beliefs about higher education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese experiences are so important for students,\u201d Amy says. \u201cThey\u2019re getting real-world learning outside the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In their parent orientation at Poole, Amy remembers being impressed with talk of internships and the strong relationships Poole has built within the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n\u201cThey\u2019re getting real-world learning outside the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat really appealed to us as parents,\u201d she says. \u201cOur ultimate goal is to get them out in the world and working.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Madison and Ansley did not have quite as many of those high-impact experiences because of COVID, the Kreislers said, but they did study abroad in Italy for six weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being successful professionals themselves \u2014 Amy with a law degree and Nevin in the medical field \u2014 the two also talked about how they\u2019ve seen high-impact experiences play into the lives of young professionals today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn medicine, it provides that experience so you know what you\u2019re getting into,\u201d Nevin says. \u201cIt\u2019s a long road in the medical profession, and if they can get exposed to the work or shadow someone, it\u2019s very beneficial.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In some scenarios, high-impact experiences can be a recruiting tool, he noted, providing businesses the opportunity to see students in action and potentially extend a job offer upon graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Investing in the Future Leaders of Our Society\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Funding the distinguished professorship came back to the Kreislers\u2019 belief in the importance of faculty support. It was also a way to honor Amy\u2019s father, who passed away in 2020. The R. Randall Rollins Distinguished Professorship is named in his memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Giving back as Poole parents was important to the Kreislers, who see the education their daughters received as critical to who they are and who they\u2019ll become later in life. It\u2019s also a thank-you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a thank-you for taking care of our daughters for four years, and through a very difficult period with COVID, and setting them up for success in their lives,\u201d Amy says. \u201cThe relationships and experiences they had at NC State were very well-rounded, and we hope we can make it even stronger for the next group of students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Buckless says their generosity also reflects a deep understanding of the importance of hands-on learning and its impact on student success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBy funding both high-impact experiences and a distinguished professorship, they are not only enhancing the quality of education at Poole College but are also investing in the future leaders of our society,\u201d he says. \u201cTheir contribution goes beyond financial support \u2014 it is a powerful endorsement of our mission to Think and Do. We are immensely thankful to the Kreisler family for their support and for being a beacon of inspiration for others to follow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n“We are immensely thankful to the Kreisler family for their support and for being a beacon of inspiration for others to follow.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
And this may not be the end of the story for the Kreislers and NC State. The couple has a son who is a high school junior. As he gets into the thick of college searches, NC State is on his list. Of course Nevin and Amy want him to go wherever he finds the best fit, but \u201cwe would be thrilled,\u201d Amy says, if he picked NC State.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n
When twins Madison and Ansley Kreisler applied to college, they were fairly certain they wouldn\u2019t attend the same university, nor was North Carolina at the top of the list for the Georgia residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But as decision time rolled around and they thought back to the various colleges and universities they\u2019d visited, one stood out for both: North Carolina State University and the Poole College of Management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They enrolled, and while they went their separate ways to some extent \u2014 joining different sororities and initially living separately \u2014 it turned out to be the right decision for both women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It felt like they were at a smaller college, being within Poole College.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou can get lost in those larger universities, but I never felt like they were at a big state university,\u201d their dad, Nevin Kreisler, says. \u201cIt felt like they were at a smaller college, being within Poole College.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, NC State offered the big school experiences, from Division I athletics to numerous internship and study abroad opportunities, says their mom, Amy Kreisler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Madison and Ansley graduated from Poole College in 2023, but the Kreisler family\u2019s passion and support for NC State and Poole College won\u2019t end there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recently, Amy and Nevin made a generous gift to establish a high-impact experience fund as well as a distinguished professorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n