The Wilson College of Textiles recently added two new awards and awarded the first winner for each. These awards recognize faculty and staff members who uphold Wilson College’s core values and mission.
The Wilson Values Faculty Award
The Wilson Values Faculty Award is given monthly in recognition of a faculty member who has made an integral and sustained contribution to upholding the core values of the Wilson College. Award recipients will be given a $150 discretionary disbursement for operating funds as well as communications recognition.
The inaugural winner of the Wilson Values Faculty award, Professor Abdel-Fattah Seyam, was nominated by Dean David Hinks himself. Its awarding marks Seyam’s return to faculty after an impressive run as head of the Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management (TATM).
“Dr. Seyam has been an impactful service leader, mentor and tireless collaborator during his years as department head. His sustained commitment to the success of the Wilson College has enabled students, alumni, staff and faculty to be at their best,” Dean Hinks says. “His commitment to our core values, mentoring and passion for excellence has been an inspiration to me and many in the college. His leadership has helped shape TATM into the impactful department it is today.”
Raised in the Egyptian textile industry, Seyam has a passion for collaboration with those at the Wilson College, the university and around the globe. His time at the Wilson College began 33 years ago.
“I believed in collaboration from day one when I joined the college in 1991, and I collaborated with internal colleagues in my department, across the college, other departments across the university and also internationally,” Seyam says. “With collaboration comes innovation across different research areas to create new knowledge for the betterment of peoples’ lives. Sustainability is an area that requires interdisciplinary research collaboration and should be practiced in every moment of our lives.”
The Wilson for Life Service Award
The Wilson for Life Service Award is given on rare occasions to colleagues who have given a significant contribution of their service, education and efforts to the Wilson College of Textiles. It recognizes someone for a momentous impact on the legacy of our college or the continuation of the Culture Charter. The recipient is awarded $2,000 in funds allocated for travel/professional development.
The inaugural winner of the Wilson for Life Service Award is Zeis Textiles Extension Associate Director Melissa Sharp. Dean David Hinks nominated Sharp for her work landing two major grant projects that dramatically further the college’s mission, the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engines and USAID Hilando Oportunidades. Sharp was integral in the team that helped land an NSF Engines grant for industry partner The Industrial Commons. The engine marks a $15 million investment in the technical and circular textile economy, with the potential to unlock a total of $160 million over 10 years. Wilson College will play a major part in the research and development arm of the project.
“Melissa would be the first to say that these grants were a team effort, but her service leadership on the team has paved the way for enabling even greater success of the Wilson College and, in fact, the U.S. textile industry as a whole. Remarkably, she achieves impactful outcomes while maintaining her commitment to her own education as a Ph.D. candidate in fiber and polymer science here at the college!” Dean Hinks says. “Her commitment to sustainability, collaboration and lifelong learning make her an exemplary role model for what we envision for our Wilson for Life philosophy. Melissa is a perfect candidate for this award.”
Sharp manages the college’s workforce development programs and several of the major strategic grant programs.
“My favorite thing is the people. I love working with so many of our faculty and being able to interact with all different sorts of people here at Wilson. It’s just a really wonderful kind of atmosphere where you get to know folks that become a community of peers and a very supportive group of people,” Sharp says.
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