Alumni email account setup

Your new Alumni email account (Google Workspace)

Account setup – first time login

  • Required to change the default password at first login. 
  • Agree to Google’s Terms of Service for this account. You will be prompted by Google. 
  • Set up a recovery phone number and email address (not your @ncsu.edu address); contact the NC State Help Desk with any issues.
  • At first login you will be required to enroll in Google Two-Step Verification (G2SV) for stronger account security. 
  • Remember, this is a 2GB email only account; no other services available (e.g., calendar, Meet, Chat).

Google Two-Step Verification

  • When you activate G2SV, you will be required to log in with both your password and an additional security measure, such as one of these:
    • push (or pop-up) notification on your smartphone
    • code delivered via text, voice call or mobile app
    • USB security key
    • printed backup code
  • Be sure to add backup methods to G2SV such as printed backup codes in case your primary two-factor authentication method (e.g., smartphone) is unavailable.
  • If you ever get locked out of your account because of G2SV, you must contact the Help Desk for assistance.

Transition to your new alumni email account

Once your account is set up, 

  • Check your new email address often.
    • If you have another preferred email address consider setting email forwarding from your alumni account to that one.
      • You can “send-as” your alumni address from your preferred email.
  • Notify people that your email address is changing. 
    • Use a signature file in your NC State Google account that contains your new email address.
    • Consider a “vacation message” in your NC State Google account so that anyone emailing you receives a notification that your email address has changed. 
  • Perform a security review on your new Alumni email account and complete steps to secure your account. See https://myaccount.google.com for more information.
  • Review all your other online services and if necessary change your email address if your student @ncsu.edu address was initially used.  See our FAQ’s for additional information. 
  • Remember, this is an email account only, so no calendar, Meet, or any other services available.

Copy content to a personal Google account

  • Students should plan on downloading files they wish to keep. Use the Drive interface to locate and download important files or use Google Takeout (takeout.google.com) to create an export of various file types from Google (Gmail, Contacts, photo albums in Google Photos, etc). 
  • OIT does not recommend moving email to your Alumni account since it is an email only account with a 2GB storage quota.
  • Only student work or personal files created while a student can be copied to a personal Google account.
    • All university, work-related data should be left with your faculty member or supervisor if applicable.
    • Current employees should be sure to keep student / personal data separate from university data.

See our frequently asked questions as you shift to a new email address / account.