Jordan Everett ’25 Starts Her Career in Activewear

Over the course of her interview on Centennial Campus, Jordan Everett is greeted by more than half a dozen classmates. A few days later, she gives the commencement address to hundreds of people during the Wilson College of Textiles’ ceremony in Reynolds Coliseum. 

She has to pause in the middle for a standing ovation. Post-graduation pictures with family and friends are steadily interrupted by strangers who want to congratulate Everett for delivering a moving speech. 

This portrayal of Jordan Everett is in stark contrast to how she openly describes her first-year self: “a shy kid from Fayetteville.” 

Her four years at NC State have been, as she told the crowd at Reynolds, “a catalyst for transformation.”

Everett says a big factor in this transformation was saying yes to opportunities on campus. 

“I didn’t expect myself to be involved as much as I was during my four years. I was kind of a low-key type of person. To push that boundary and be more involved really inspired me. It made me realize that I can do even more,” the new textile technology graduate says.

Case in point, becoming president of the African American Textile Society (AATS). When she found out nobody planned to run for president her sophomore year, Everett felt called to step up.

On top of the typical duties of a student organization president, Everett was tasked with organizing NC State’s longest-running fashion show: the AATS Fashion Exposé. Challenges abounded, and the learning curve proved steep.

In the process, however, she found new confidence.

“It pushed me to take on the challenges that I didn’t think I was capable of and grow as a person. To put on the whole show as a person who really has nothing to do with fashion was completely life changing – stressful. But I got to meet so many cool people and even mentors that I still have today.” 

She used that momentum to dive head-first into any opportunity that came her way: joining the Textile Technology and Engineering Society, studying abroad, conducting undergraduate research in two different labs, and interning at the headquarters for Kohl’s and Elevate Textiles. 

“Looking at things from a more statistical standpoint of how retail stores work was really interesting,” she says of her time as an inventory analyst for Kohl’s. “My internships allowed me to push and understand, ‘I’m able to be here. I’m able to hold myself accountable. I’m able to do different things in my career that I hadn’t thought I’d be able to do.’”

Next, she’s headed to Portland, Oregon, for a material sourcing internship with Columbia Sportswear. In doing so, she’s accomplishing her dream of working in the sports apparel industry. 

What has your most meaningful experience been at NC State?

Studying abroad. To be able to go to Italy was just such an eye opener. I realized how much I love to travel.  

It made me feel really good about how the college is pushing me past boundaries that I didn’t think about.

When you get those experiences, you become, in a sense, that environment. I liked how an environment can really change you. It allowed me to change my impact and make new friends. I got to experience a new life there. So I thought that was pretty dope as a college student to do that.

What has been your favorite class?

Knitting was one of those experiences that made me realize, “Okay, I actually really enjoy learning.” It was something that I found myself really wanting to learn more about, and I got to do that with prototyping for my Senior Design project. 

Tell us more about your research with the Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center (TPACC)!

I was assisting master’s students with their research. We were looking at the amount of PFAS and chemicals that come off a firefighter’s suit when it’s washed. We actually measured the water from those laundry cycles in the Dyeing and Finishing Lab to see how much this affects our water system as well. 

They’re so ahead of the game, and I didn’t realize how much they actually do. I was able to go to a site where they actually lit a building on fire and really got to see the firefighters at work. That was really crazy. 

It was really cool to see how much our research can help in the real world. 

What advice would you give your first-year self?

Take it one day at a time. I feel like when I came here, I didn’t know what I wanted, but then sophomore year I was like, “I need to strive for this and this and this.” And, you know, you strive for perfection and you know you can never achieve it.

I think one of the things that I realized is that I need to give myself grace. So I would tell her to enjoy the ride.