Joseph S. Colson, Jr.

Joseph S. Colson, Jr. earned his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University in 1968 and his master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1969.

He began his career with Bell Laboratories and served in numerous positions until becoming president of the AT&T Affiliates sales division.

He was one of the founding leaders of Lucent Technologies, ultimately serving as president of International Regions and Professional Services until his retirement in 1998. Under his leadership, Lucent became one of the leaders of the industry.

He has remained active in engineering at NC State and serves on the Board of Directors of the NC State Engineering Foundation. He made a significant contribution to the College by establishing the Dr. Joseph S. Colson Engineering Scholarship in his father’s memory. He has received numerous honors, including an honorary doctorate of humanities from North Carolina A&T State University and honors from Black Enterprise magazine and Black Engineer magazine for his professional achievements.