A Day In The Life of an NC State Student: Penny Kudlak
Textile technology student Penny Kudlak offers advice to prospective students and reflects on her research and work experience with the Wilson College of Textiles.
- Hometown: Cary, North Carolina
- Intended Graduation Year: 2028
- Program: B.S. Textile Technology (concentration: Supply Chain Operations)
- Minor: Business Administration
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10:15-11:30 a.m. | TE 201 – Fiber Science (LECTURE) |
| 11:45-2:45 p.m. | Lunch and homework break at Hunt Library |
| 3-4:30 p.m. | TE 201 – Fiber Science (LAB) |
| 5-7 p.m. | Sustainability Stewards Mending Workshop |
Between classes, student organizations and hobbies, sophomore textile technology student Penny Kudlak keeps her calendar full.
Incoming students should keep their minds open to the unexpected, she says, because studying textiles is unlike anything else. Keep reading and watch Kudlak’s vlog (above) to learn more about her time at NC State promoting sustainability, taking classes in Zeis Textiles Extension labs and enjoying campus life.
What led you to be passionate or interested in your area of study?
I was originally looking into mechanical engineering at NC State because that’s what my dad does. I found textile engineering and thought it sounded really cool, because all my life I’ve been really into fashion and crocheting.
When I went to the Wilson College of Textiles Open House, I loved the campus. It was super inviting. I got that little Wilson College of Textiles bag that they hand out, and I loved it.
I looked more into all the majors and I figured out that textile technology was more hands-on than textile engineering. I love to work with my hands, and now I get a lot of experience in the labs. So, it ended up being a really good fit for me based on my interests. I’m really happy I went to Open House because if I hadn’t, I don’t know if I would have made the leap from mechanical engineering to textile technology.
What lab work have you done at the Wilson College?
I did the Research Experience for Undergraduates, and that was really interesting because I was actually in one of the biomedical textiles labs. There, I used a process called electrospinning, which is a nonwoven textile process. I worked on building medical scaffolds that they are using for future research. So that was one lab that I got experience in for 10 weeks over this past summer, which was really cool.
In my yarn production and properties class this past fall, I got to go down to the Spinning Lab, which is where a lot of the beginning production processes for yarns happen. So I definitely have gotten a lot of experience in the labs, and I’m really looking forward to getting more. I am taking a dyeing and finishing class this spring semester, so I’ll be in the Dyeing and Finishing Lab, which looks really cool.
Do you have any extracurriculars/clubs you participate in?
I’m part of a student group called Sustainability Stewards because one thing I’m really interested in is textile sustainability. We do a lot of workshops and encourage students to learn about sustainable practices and also how to implement those practices in their daily lives. I recently co-led a mending workshop to teach students simple skills to help them repair their own clothes and prevent waste.
I am also part of the textile fraternity, Phi Psi .I actually joined this fall, and I was voted vice president. That’s another way that I’ve been able to get to know a lot of people outside of my major, and I really love it. I encourage all Textiles students to give it a try.
How do you get to class?
I commute to my classes. I live about an eight minute drive away from Centennial Campus, and I park behind the Textiles Complex. It’s just a really pretty five minute walk over this bridge behind Textiles, which I really like.
How big are your classes?
In my Textiles classes, the maximum number of people is 30 to 35, and I really like it that way. It’s definitely more intimate. The professors actually know my name. I felt that it was a good balance between huge lectures and small classes.
What on-campus wellness resources do you use?
I go to the gym almost every day. I mostly lift weights or do cardio exercises. I work there, too. It’s not a huge commitment because I only work two shifts a week, and they are always at the same time, so it’s very convenient with classes.
What’s your favorite place to study on campus?
The Hunt Library is my favorite spot to go to do any work or hang out with my friends. I really like the third floor because there’s always a lot of people on it, which is good for me because silence stresses me out. I like a little chatter when I’m working. And there’s this little balcony that overlooks the second floor of Hunt that I think is super cute.
What’s the coolest opportunity you’ve had on campus?
I worked as a social media intern for the Wilson College of Textiles during my fall 2025 semester, which was a really cool opportunity. In textile technology, I don’t have that many opportunities to do marketing and stuff in that field. So as soon as I heard about it, I jumped on the opportunity because I’m really looking to expand my areas of experience. That way, if in the future I want to pursue marketing, even if my degree doesn’t explicitly say so, I still have experience to back that up.
It was a super fun job. I got to collaborate with a lot of students, which was really cool, and I came up with my own ideas for posts to teach people about the textile engineering, chemistry and science part of the Wilson College. Not a lot of people know what textiles entails, especially on the STEM side, so that’s one really cool opportunity.
What would you say to incoming students interested in textile technology?
I would tell them to be open minded, because a lot of the stuff that you’re going to learn in Textiles is almost like nothing you learned before. I don’t know of many high schools or early colleges that teach about textiles. So, be open-minded, be willing to work on yourself and just have fun, because it is really interesting. It can be challenging, but I just think it’s super fun.
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