The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1516111
8 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ WOLFPACK CLUB NEWS Where did you grow up? I identify as a North Carolinian but also a New Jerseyan, and I was born on a naval base, so a little bit of everywhere. What college did you graduate from? NC State, class of 2009, and worked as Ms. Wuf. What is your responsibility with the Wolfpack Club? I manage special events within the marketing department. Anything related to our Red Wolf Society events, to caravans, to Pints With The Pack brewery tours, to smaller engagements with the team, to assisting with sports reunions, big park- ing lot events for bowls and the specialty games that we do for football, ACC Tournament events. … I also help out with graphic design for some of our invitations and media. What did you do before joining the Wolfpack Club? I was an event planner. I did conferences for HR professionals around the country and also helped out with graphic design as well. How did you get started at the Wolfpack Club? I got really lucky and found it on LinkedIn and applied. I graduated with a sport management degree at State, so I definitely felt like that helped, and then I had a very good base knowledge of the Wolfpack Club from being Ms. Wuf and going to caravans and helping out at events as Ms. Wuf. What's your favorite part of the job? Being able to talk about NC State Athletics. Whether it's the good, the bad, the ugly. Whether it's with my staff, whether it's with a donor, whether it's getting behind the scenes and just being ingrained in the athletics department — kind of like what you don't get to see from the front end and seeing how complex and challeng- ing it is to achieve what we have. Family: Husband, Joe Aspland, and a dog named Harken. What are your hobbies? We are season-ticket holders for the Hurricanes. … The dorky side of me, I love Marvel movies and Legos and crafting. Favorite TV show: "The Office," "Survivor" and anything Marvel. Favorite movie: If I'm going to go back to my roots, it's "A League of Their Own." Favorite musical artist: Foo Fighters. Favorite restaurant: Cloos' Coney Island. Favorite Wolfpack memory: One of my favorite Wolfpack memories was getting to do my first "run-out" as Ms. Wuf during our home opener football game versus Appalachian State in 2006. I think we had gotten our wires crossed on the game-day script, because when "NC State's Biggest Fans" were announced over the PA, Mr. Wuf and I were instructed to run to the 50-yard line, and at the same time, the Power Sound of the South started marching, too! It felt like a live-action version of Frogger to not get run over, but luckily, the adrena- line and the excitement of the day helped us make it safely to midfield to wave and cheer on the crowd. Fun fact: Laura and Joe's home is painted gray, black and red and is known as the "NC State house" in her neighborhood because of the color scheme. ■ Aspland and her husband, Joe, are devoted Wolfpack supporters and residents of a gray, black and red home known to neighbors as the "NC State house." PHOTO COURTESY LAURA ASPLAND WOLFPACK CLUB STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Laura Aspland, Assistant Director of Special Events