Jerry Collier

When he is asked why he supports NC State, Jerry Collier (Civil Engineering ‘67) always replies, "Because I’m a Wotfpacker". Collier now has been a Wotfpacker for more than 50 years, continually demonstrating that loyalty.

Collier was originally attracted to NC State because of the Civil Engineering program, and he enjoyed his student years. He has remarked that his engineering degree set him up for professional success. Immediately after graduation, Collier entered the U.S. Navy and served for four years that included a tour in Vietnam. He went home to Virginia’s Tidewater region and started to develop residential and commercial properties. In addition to his NC State education, Collier had already learned a great deal from working construction in the Navy and from his father and brothers. They left farming in North Carolina to build houses in Norfolk, Virginia, when Collier was young.

Collier is now a successful developer who divides his time between Norfolk, the Outer Banks and Savannah, Georgia. His wife, Pat, did her undergraduate and graduate studies in Georgia and still has family in the Savannah area. She recently retired after a long career with the Norfolk Public Schools. The Colliers are long-distance supporters of NC State athletics, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling and swimming. They also enjoy attending homecoming weekends where they regularly catch up with Jerry’s Lambda Chi fraternity brothers.

Through the years, Jerry has served on the boards of the Alumni Association and the Graduate School. The Colliers’ gifts have supported student-athletes, the Graduate School, the Alumni Association and the College of Engineering, including Jerry’s home department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering.