Another Extraordinary Year of #GivingPack to the Wilson College on Day of Giving
Highlighting the college’s success on NC State’s fifth annual Day of Giving, made possible through generous donor support from our Wilson Wolfpack
There is no limit to what can be accomplished in 24 hours.
Records have been set for the farthest an individual has run, the most pull-ups completed and the number of restaurants visited, all within 1,440 minutes.
On March 22, those 24 hours were used for a vital purpose: investing in the next generation of textile leaders on NC State’s fifth annual Day of Giving. This university-wide fundraising event, which began in 2019, directly impacts the Wilson College of Textiles because donations made are amplified through the power of the entire Wolfpack.
“The extraordinary generosity shown on Day of Giving and beyond is a high-impact illustration of our community’s passion for a long-lasting and deep connection to our college. It is Wilson for Life in action,” says David Hinks, dean of the Wilson College of Textiles. “It is inspiring and humbling to see so many of our alumni, friends, students and colleagues supporting our Wilson College in building a brighter future for our students, our programs and the industry we serve.”
With support from committed members of the Wilson College of Textiles community, $1,317,631 was raised on Day of Giving — all within 24 hours — from 562 gifts.
This is the fourth consecutive year that the Wilson College of Textiles raised over $1 million on Day of Giving through gifts to the college by way of the North Carolina Textile Foundation (NCTF). As the philanthropic arm of the college, the NCTF uses donor support to make the college’s groundbreaking, industry-leading work possible.
“Your gift is a direct investment in the future of textiles and the next generation of textile leaders,” says Michael Ward, executive director of the NCTF. “What our students are learning today will allow them to go out into this world and tackle our society’s greatest challenges.”
Unlocking exceptional opportunities for students
Scholarships were a key focus during Day of Giving this year for the university and the Wilson College of Textiles. For many students, scholarship support is a critical bridge that makes attending NC State possible.
One exceptional example of this is the college’s robust and impactful Centennial Scholarship program.
Established in 1999 to honor the college’s 100th anniversary, this scholarship program alleviates the financial burden on our students’ lives, families and futures. Scholars are provided with a minimum of $15,000 per year for four years and $7,500 in enrichment grants to be used for studying abroad, attending leadership programs, and exploring career opportunities.
“As I reflect on my academic journey, I am filled with gratitude for the one-of-a-kind experiences this scholarship has provided me,” says Sarah Jarrell ’22, who was awarded a Centennial Scholarship in 2019. “Not only has this scholarship helped ease the economic stress of tuition, but it has also allowed me to combine cutting-edge technology with design, send my creations down a runway, and participate in research as a fashion design major.”
The incredible benefits provided to Jarrell through her scholarship have also changed the lives of the nearly 200 current and former Centennial Scholars.
On Day of Giving this year, donors made 162 gifts to the Centennial Scholarship program — totaling more than $620,000 in new funding.
This effort was invigorated through a challenge set forth by Wilson College alumna Nancy Webster ’75, who serves as vice president of the NCTF’s board of directors. After the college received 100 gifts to the NCTF Centennial Scholarship Endowment, Webster generously donated an additional $40,000 to support the Centennial Scholarship program.
“Throughout my career, I’ve hired and mentored many college graduates who possessed a strong passion for achievement,” Webster explains. “I believe the enrichment segment of the Centennial Scholarship program truly benefits our scholars exponentially and sets them apart when compared to their peers both professionally and personally.”
Webster’s reason for creating the impactful challenge was simple: “We need to fund our Centennial Scholarship program’s corpus completely to impact even more students. Our goal is to increase support so we can fully fund 40 scholarships each year — 10 per class.”
“It was important for Day of Giving gifts to help close this critical gap,” she says. “This challenge encouraged active participation and allowed many people to contribute any amount to this essential program.”
Seeing Webster’s passion encouraged Jarrell to make her first Day of Giving gift, which benefited the scholarship program that has given her so much.
“I am deeply grateful for the generosity of everyone who supports the Centennial Scholarship program and the North Carolina Textile Foundation,” Jarrell says. “I look forward to paying it forward by positively impacting my community.”
Double tapping and posting to show love for the Wilson College
Support came in a variety of ways on Day of Giving. Alumni, students and friends of the Wilson College of Textiles wrote, shared and pinned more than 200 posts to encourage their audiences to get involved and give back.
On March 22, four supporters helped our college raise an additional $1,900 for the Dean’s Textiles Innovation Fund by winning three Day of Giving social media challenges. This critical fund allows the dean to provide financial assistance to the college’s areas of greatest need as quickly as possible.
Pack Pets Challenge
Winner: Lola B. Boston and Oz E. Griff
Why I Give Challenge
Winner: Karina Bhatia, a Class of 2024 Centennial Scholar majoring in textile technology
Where’s the Wuf? Scavenger Hunt Challenge
Winner: Sydney Lucas, who is majoring in polymer and color chemistry
Day of Giving successes in 2023
Thanks to the commitment of generous supporters on NC State’s fifth annual Day of Giving, the Wilson College of Textiles reached several key milestones.
- $280,842 was raised from 100 gifts to support the Dean’s Textiles Innovation Fund, which allows the dean to provide financial assistance to areas with the most critical need as quickly as possible.
- $6,050 was raised from 27 gifts to support the Wilson College of Textiles Alumni Scholarship, which empowers textile students to change the world, without being weighed down by student loan debt.
- $4,625 was raised from 32 gifts to benefit the Textiles Diversity and Inclusion Fund, which supports programs like the DEI mini grant program and other equity programming for the Wilson College community.
- Nearly $20,000 was raised to support the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science (TECS) Enhancement Fund and the Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management (TATM) Enhancement Fund. These funds allow each department head to support innovative teaching, recruit talented new faculty and provide program support.
- All members of the North Carolina Textile Foundation Board of Directors and the Dean’s Young Alumni Leadership Council gave to the Wilson College on Day of Giving — leading to 100% giving participation.
- A more than 10% increase in dollars raised on Day of Giving in 2023 over 2022.
If you’d like to support the Wilson College of Textiles, we invite you to make a gift or contact the North Carolina Textile Foundation team to learn how to make an even more significant impact.
“To the donors who have chosen to support the Wilson College of Textiles continuously, thank you for helping our college lead the way in improving quality of life and sustainability through textiles,” Dean Hinks says. “Most importantly, your support is transforming the lives of our students and empowering them to become the future leaders and innovators of the resurgent United States textiles industry. Their futures are brighter because of you.”
