Cathy Sterling Papers 1966-1999 (bulk 1970-1972)

Summary
Contents
Names/subjects
Using these materials
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Creator
Sterling, Cathy
Size
2.55 linear feet (1 legal box, 1 flat folder, 1 oversize flat box)
Call number
MC 00398

The Cathy Sterling Papers include correspondence, texts of speeches, reports, clippings, photographs, and artifacts relating to Cathy Sterling's tenure, 1970-1971, as Student Body President at North Carolina State University. Many of the materials focus on Sterling's status as North Carolina State University's first female student body president, as well as her involvement in protest movements against the Vietnam War, which included organizing a campus Peace Retreat. The materials range in date from 1966 to 1999, with the bulk of the materials being from 1970 to 1972.

Cathy (now known as Kate) Sterling served as the first female student body president at North Carolina State University, 1970-1971. She conducted a successful write-in campaign with a platform that focused on students’ rights and the administration’s use of student fees. In the Spring of 1970, Sterling married Gene Messick, a graduate of the School (now College) of Design at NC State and director of the multimedia program at Stewart Theatre. Soon after, Messick accepted a teaching position at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and Sterling moved to Ithaca to join him after the conclusion of her term as Student Body President. However, Sterling remained active in NC State’s Student Government activities throughout the 1971-1972 academic year. Sterling later returned to NC State, where she graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in vocational industrial education.

Biographical/historical note

Cathy (now known as Kate) Sterling served as the first female student body president at North Carolina State University, 1970-1971. She conducted a successful write-in campaign with a platform that focused on students’ rights and the administration’s use of student fees. In the Spring of 1970, Sterling married Gene Messick, a graduate of the School (now College) of Design at NC State and director of the multimedia program at Stewart Theatre. Soon after, Messick accepted a teaching position at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and Sterling moved to Ithaca to join him after the conclusion of her term as Student Body President. However, Sterling remained active in NC State’s Student Government activities throughout the 1971-1972 academic year. Sterling later returned to NC State, where she graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in vocational industrial education.

Scope/content

The Cathy Sterling Papers include correspondence, texts of speeches, reports, clippings, photographs, and artifacts relating to Cathy Sterling's tenure, 1970-1971, as Student Body President at North Carolina State University. Many of the materials focus on Sterling's status as North Carolina State University's first female student body president, as well as her involvement in protest movements against the Vietnam War, which included organizing a campus Peace Retreat. The materials range in date from 1966 to 1999, with the bulk of the materials being from 1970 to 1972.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged by type of document.

Use of these materials

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Cathy Sterling Papers, MC 00398, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Related material

Source of acquisition

Gift of Cathy Sterling, 2010 (Accession 2010.0185)

Processing information

Processed by: Jonathan Holloway; machine-readable finding aid created by: Jonathan Holloway, November 2010.

Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Correspondence 1970-1972, undated

Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.

Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.

Speeches and Reports 1970-1972
Legal box 1, Folder 2
North Carolina State University Peace Retreat Information Pack 1970

Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.

Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.

Legal box 1, Folder 3
"Due to Circumstances Beyond Our Control...: A Report on Student Non-Academic Fees at N.C. State University" 1971
Legal box 1, Folder 4
Newspaper Clippings 1966, 1970-1971
Legal box 1, Folder 5
Newspaper and Magazine Clippings 1974-1999
Legal box 1, Folder 6
Photographs of Sterling undated
Legal box 1, Folder 7
"Pray for Peace" Button undated
Legal box 1, Folder 8
Student Body President Campaign Palm Cards [1970?]

Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.

Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.

Legal box 1, Folder 9
Student Body President Campaign Flyer [1970?]
Legal box 1, Folder 10
Poster Featuring Sterling's Sister Suzanne undated
Flat folder 1
Technician (bound) 1969-1971

The cover to this bound copy of the Technician student newspaper indicates the dates are 28 August 1970 to 5 May 1971, but the actual date span is 3 october 1969 to 5 May 1971 with the addition of the summer 1971 special new student edition. There are gaps, however, within the date range.

Oversize flat box 2
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.

Access to the collection

This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.

For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.

Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111

Phone: (919) 515-2273

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Cathy Sterling Papers, MC 00398, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Use of these materials

The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.