Lt. Cmdr. Eric A. Cranford (1992), 32, a native of Drexel, N.C., was killed in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Eric graduated from NC State with dual degrees in economics and political science. He was a midshipman in Navy ROTC and joined the U.S. Navy as a helicopter pilot after graduation. He was working at the Pentagon at the time of the attack.

Eric was a member of the NC State Alumni Association, the Capital Area NC State Alumni Club, and the Wolfpack Club. His wife, Emily Cozort Cranford (1991), also is an NC State alumnus. Our thoughts and prayers continue go out to Emily and to the Cranford and Cozort families.

To honor Eric's memory, Emily established a scholarship fund in his name. The merit-based scholarship is given annually to a student from Burke County, NC. The award is renewable annually as long as the recipient maintains a 3.2 GPA and resides in Burke County.

The first award of $700 was given in 2002 to Stephanie Batts, a pre-vet freshman from Morganton, NC. Batts was chosen from the pool of Park Scholar semifinalists from Burke County.

The NC State family has already given over $25,000 to the fund, which means the scholarship will be endowed in perpetuity. Diminished income due to low interest rates prevented the Alumni Association from making an award for the 2003-2004 school year, but Chancellor Marye Anne Fox approved a special allocation in 2004, making it possible for the association to make another award for the 2004-2005 school year.

You can still donate to the scholarship! To donate, please make your check payable to the NC State Alumni Association with the notation, "Eric Cranford Scholarship" on the check's memo line and send it to:

Joan DeBruin
Director of Gift Planning
NC State University
Campus Box 7501
Raleigh, NC 27695-7501

You can also download a donation form in Word format. All donations are fully tax-deductible if you itemize your tax deductions. The University will accept donations of all sizes -- large or small.

Matching gifts are an excellent way to leverage your contribution and increase the scholarship fund. Your donation also qualifies for matching gifts by employers. Send a signed matching gift from with your donation. Ask your HR office for a form.

For more information on this scholarship see the University's news release.