From the Dean

By Susan Fandel

Friends,

As I have shared in previous columns, connectedness is one of the six core values our College staff and faculty established in 2015. We define it in our College Strategic Plan as “engaging with our present while honoring our past to ensure a successful future by continuously strengthening partnerships to advance education, research and the textile industry”.

Over the next weeks and months, there will be a multitude of ways for Wilson College of Textiles alumni and friends to connect. I invite you to join us for one or all of these exciting events.

This Saturday, Feb. 16, Hemline for Hearts returns to Crabtree Valley Mall. Six Wilson College student designers will create dresses made of red paper hearts in a live “Project Runway” style competition from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Judging takes place from 3 to 4 p.m. In its third year, this design competition and service learning project benefits the American Heart Association-Triangle (AHA) and calls attention to the organization’s Go Red for Women campaign, a national movement to end heart disease and strokes in women.

From Feb. 26-28 we welcome Techtextil NA to Raleigh for the first time. As the first official academic partner for the show, which is dedicated to the technical textiles and nonwovens industry, Wilson College will be participating in a number of ways over the course of three days.

• The show, held at the Raleigh Convention Center downtown, will feature several panels moderated by Wilson College of Textiles professors; daily mini sessions hosted by the Nonwovens Institute; and a Student Research Poster Program featuring presentations and discussions of research from undergraduate and graduate students from the Wilson College of Textiles.
• TPACC will kick off their 25th anniversary celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 26 with a reception in the Wilson College booth at the show.
• We will open our doors to Techtextil NA attendees on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. Join us at Wilson College on Centennial Campus for a reception and lab tours.
• Finally, representatives from visiting and exhibiting companies and NC State students have an extraordinary opportunity to connect as Techtextil draws to a close. The Wilson College of Textiles will host its 2019 Spring Career Fair on Thursday, February 28, from 1-5 p.m.
• Learn more about all of these events on the Techtextil website.

The TAGS Research Open House will be held Friday, April 5 at the Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center. This free, one-day event provides an opportunity for our graduate students to share textiles-related research with industry professionals. Organized by the Textile Association of Graduate Students with support provided by The VF Foundation, the event presents a wonderful opportunity to connect and establish networks with those involved in textiles and related industries. Students will discuss their advancements in all segments of the textiles industry with topics of interest including innovative designs, protective textiles, wearable technology, medical textiles, nonwovens, color chemistry, global markets, manufacturing innovation and more.

Our FTD Emerging Designers Showcase returns May 1-3 at Talley Student Union. Make plans now to join us as we celebrate the talent, creativity and innovation of our Fashion and Textile Design (FTD) seniors. Visit the FTD: Emerging Designers Showcase website to learn about the 20 extraordinary designers and their inspiration and sign up to receive an email reminder when tickets go on sale to the general public.

If you’re not able to join us in person for any of these events, I invite you to join us online March 27 as NC State celebrates its first university-wide Day of Giving. For 24 hours, alumni and friends can participate in fun challenges and a little college-vs.-college competition while learning about the tangible ways your support helps Wilson College students, faculty and staff Think and Do the Extraordinary! Keep an eye out for details in the coming weeks.

I hope to have the chance to connect with you this spring. Go Pack!

David Hinks, Ph.D.

Dean, Wilson College of Textiles

Cone Mills Distinguished Professor of Textile Chemistry