On March 25, the Wilson College of Textiles community showed up, showed out and led the way on NC State Day of Giving.

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of alumni, students, staff, faculty, parents, industry partners and friends, the college raised $8,709,476 from 549 gifts. That total earned the Wilson College the top spot on the university’s Day of Giving leaderboard, marking an historic win.

But this story goes far beyond the numbers.

These gifts will empower Textiles students to say yes to a world-class education because scholarship support is within reach. Graduate students and faculty members will have greater access to research and professional development. And the donations reflect a community that believes deeply in the power of textiles and in the next generation of leaders who will shape the industry’s future.

“This is a huge achievement for our college,” says David Hinks, the newly named Prakash Chand Kochhar Dean of the Wilson College of Textiles. “While we take great pride in these numbers, it is the transformational future impact of these funds on Wilson College students that we will ultimately celebrate. Finishing at the top of the leaderboard for the first time reflects the extraordinary generosity of our Wilson for Life community. I am deeply grateful to all who contributed on our 8th annual Day of Giving and look forward to showing the impact in the years ahead, particularly of our new Wilson For Life Endowment that has the goal of making Wilson College affordable for all.”

As in previous years, Day of Giving once again showed what is possible when the college’s community rallies together around a shared purpose.

The momentum behind this year’s success was powered by the North Carolina Textile Foundation (NCTF), the philanthropic arm of the Wilson College of Textiles. The NCTF Board of Directors and the foundation’s staff connect donor generosity with the people, programs and priorities that move the college forward. 

“Day of Giving is about much more than a single day of fundraising,” says Michael Ward, executive director of the NCTF. “It is about education, awareness and the meaningful role this college has played in so many lives. Each gift is a powerful expression of belief in our students and in the future of textiles.”

In total, Day of Giving 2026 saw donors make their mark on NC State by raising $43,656,421 from 18,028 gifts to create a lasting impact for generations of the Wolfpack to come.

Historic generosity creates a lasting impact

Several standout gifts on the eighth annual Day of Giving will leave a lasting mark on the Wilson College of Textiles and its students, staff, faculty and programs.

A transformative gift from Anil and Marilyn Kochhar will create three funds in memory of Anil’s father, Prakash Chand Kochhar ’50, ’52, to honor his extraordinary legacy while strengthening the college’s future:

• The Prakash Chand Kochhar Endowed Deanship will support the dean and provide strategic resources for the college.
  
• The Prakash Chand Kochhar Endowed Faculty fund will enable the dean to appoint the first named assistant or associate professor in the Wilson College of Textiles, with funds that enable the new Kochhar Professor to strengthen their research impact through investments such as student stipend support, research supplies, conference travel and professional development.
  
• The Prakash Chand Kochhar Graduate Support Endowment will support graduate students in the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science by funding research impact, including stipends, travel and conference participation.

Another remarkable act of generosity came from Doug and Laura Pickett, whose estate gift will establish the Doug and Laura Pickett Textile Pioneer Scholarship. This scholarship will empower talented students with financial need to transform their own lives at the top college in the world dedicated to textiles.

Rick and Tamara Pasin also made an extraordinary impact by creating two funds: the Pasin Family Textile Pioneer Endowment and the Pasin Family Wilson for Life Endowment. Their gifts will provide high-impact experiences for students with financial need while also creating opportunities that will ripple outward for years to come.

The brand-new Wilson for Life Endowment, established by Dean David Hinks, also gained meaningful support on Day of Giving. Created to support undergraduate Textiles students from low- or middle-income households, the fund provides flexible resources for scholarships, study abroad, enrichment activities and other high-impact experiences.

“In the years ahead, we aim to make the Wilson College of Textiles affordable for all outstanding students with the drive and talent to succeed here,” Hinks says. “Philanthropic support plays an essential role in helping students from all walks of life graduate with zero or low debt. It gives them the confidence and freedom to pursue a life of impact wherever their journey takes them.”

That vision resonated deeply with donors on Day of Giving, and it reflects the college’s Wilson for Life promise: a family-like community that supports students and alumni throughout their lives.

Four priority funds have one powerful outcome

This year, the Wilson College of Textiles highlighted four priority funds on Day of Giving, each one designed to meet strategic needs, strengthen world-class academic programs and expand opportunities for students.

• The Dean’s Textiles Innovation Fund supports the college’s most pressing needs, including free tutoring support, graduate stipend support, mental health counseling, the renovation of spaces for innovation and collaboration, faculty and staff recruitment and development, and facility enhancements.
  
• The TATM Enhancement Fund supports the Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management in recruiting staff and faculty, providing academic and research program support, and continuing to prepare students for success as future leaders in the textile, apparel, fashion, home, furniture and retail industries.
  
• The TECS Enhancement Fund empowers the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science to support student success via strengthening its innovative teaching and research programs in the chemistry, engineering and technology of textiles and related areas.
  
• The Wilson for Life Endowment will expand scholarships and high-impact experiences for students with financial need.

Together, these four funds and the amounts raised reflect the true power of community support.

Challenge wins add to the momentum

Every gift made on Day of Giving helps strengthen the Wilson College of Textiles in long-lasting ways. That support also helped the college earn several wins for university-wide challenges on March 25.

Those four challenge wins include the:

• My Wolfpack Challenge
• Largest Gift Online at 12 p.m. Challenge
• Pack Pets Challenge 
• Where’s the Wuf Challenge 

Together, they brought an additional $3,500 to the college.

And by finishing at the top of NC State’s Day of Giving leaderboard as the university’s winning unit, the Wilson College of Textiles earned an additional $5,490 in funding from the university. 

In total, those challenge wins and leaderboard awards generated $8,990 in extra support for the Dean’s Textiles Innovation Fund, which provides immediate funding to address the college’s areas of greatest need.

That achievement is worth celebrating.

But even more worth celebrating are the lives that will be changed because 549 donors chose to make their mark.

“Every gift represents someone who believes in our students and in the future of textiles,” Ward says. “That belief turns into scholarships and exceptional experiences. We are proud of what this community accomplished on Day of Giving, and we’re even more excited about what it will make possible in the future.”