Wilson College Alumna Launches Her Academic Career as Appalachian State University Faculty

Now teaching at a higher elevation in Boone, North Carolina, Assistant Professor Nimet Degirmencioglu’s teaching roots started at the Wilson College of Textiles. However, the Western Carolina mountains aren’t the first time in her career that she has worked at great heights. 

The Empire State Building housed her office during her 12 years in the New York textile industry, which led her to want to teach about sustainable textiles. After receiving her Ph.D. in textile technology management (TTM) from the Wilson College in 2020, Degirmencioglu began teaching at Appalachian State University in 2021 as assistant professor of apparel design and merchandising within the Department of Applied Design.

Industry professional passionate about teaching

Originally from Turkey, Degirmencioglu completed her undergraduate degree in textile engineering there and worked in a weaving mill before moving to New York in 2014. She spent over 12 years working in fabric design and production, with a specific interest in sustainable and fair trade brands. 

“In New York, I was working with various mills, mostly from Turkey and India, to develop and sell fabrics to converter companies. We were developing their designs, and then once the production was complete, we would bring them to their warehouses,” Degirmencioglu says.

While working in production, she completed a master’s degree in global fashion management at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Her degree piqued her interest in social innovation, leading her to start an all artisan made fashion collection with her classmate. She says because it takes so much energy to establish a brand, she was essentially working two full-time jobs. 

“To promote the business, I would go to universities to talk at either student events or symposiums to promote fair trade. Through that experience, I really loved working with the students,” Degirmencioglu says.

Her growing passion for teaching the importance of sustainability in textile production led her to the TTM program at the Wilson College. She already had a desire to move out of the city, and was drawn to the program’s emphasis on sustainability and teaching opportunities.

Building lifelong community

Transitioning from an industry professional to assistant professor, Degirmencioglu is most thankful for her teaching experience during her time at NC State.

Coming from industry, she lacked teaching experience, but the Wilson College provided her with a lot of opportunities to teach, including a chance to be the instructor on record for a merchandising course and a teaching assistant for marketing and global supply chain courses.

“These roles not only provided me with experience in observing course delivery and assisting with grading, but also helped me develop strong communication skills and a deeper understanding of student needs by closely observing and supporting faculty,” Degirmencioglu says.

The Wilson College is housed in four interconnected buildings that form a unified campus, which she says helped create a strong sense of community in her program and also led to lasting friendships with her fellow Ph.D. students. She worked closely with faculty on various research projects as well as her dissertation, which focused on fair trade. She felt that her professors’ approachability and support were crucial during her experience.

“They really tried to understand the needs of the students – something that I’m now trying to practice myself,” Degirmencioglu says. “Now that I’m a faculty member, I realized, ‘I’m actually busier than I thought,’ but taking time to talk with the students is very important to me.”

Despite working across the state, she still maintains many of these important relationships built during her time at the college. 

 “We take photos together every year at the conferences, and they are always responsive if I ever reach out; I really enjoy seeing them when I get to,” Degirmencioglu says.