This year\u2019s class of scholars have all worked hard to get where they are, and every one of them hopes to make the world a better place. Join us in welcoming them to the Wilson College of Textiles family.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Centennial Scholarship program was established by the <\/span>North Carolina Textile Foundation (NCTF)<\/span><\/a> in 1999 as a part of the <\/span>Wilson College of Textiles<\/span><\/a>\u2019 Centennial Celebration. The Centennial Scholarship provides each student a minimum of $15,000 per year for four years. These scholarships are awarded to incoming freshmen in both the <\/span>Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management<\/span><\/a> (TATM) and the <\/span>Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science<\/span><\/a> (TECS) on the basis of academic achievement in high school, proven and potential leadership qualities, extracurricular activities and unique life experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The scholarship also provides $7,500 as a special enrichment fund that may be used for study abroad, leadership programs, career explorations or other approved enrichment activities.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Wilson College of Textiles is proud to say we have the largest per-student college-based scholarship program at <\/span>NC State<\/span><\/a>. Learn more about the Centennial Scholarship program and <\/span>all of our scholarship opportunities<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n Reagan Dunnam<\/b> Reagan Dunnam is from Florence, South Carolina, where she attended <\/span>West Florence High School. She has been awarded the Dickson Centennial Scholarship. She plans to study<\/span> Fashion and Textile Management<\/span><\/a> (FTM), because the major combines her interest in business and marketing with her passion for fashion.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/span>My mom was a graduate of the Wilson College of Textiles, so it has always played a part in my life.<\/span> I love NC State as a whole, but what drew me to the Wilson College of Textiles was the variety of options in one college, so I have options if I want to change my path<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n She was also drawn to the family feel of the college.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI already feel included after attending the <\/span>Summer Textile Exploration Program<\/span><\/a> [STEP] and Centennial Weekend,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In high school, Dunnam was involved in both sports and civics. She was a starter on the varsity tennis team for six seasons, ran track for two seasons and served as chair of the Student Facilities Committee, which was created her junior year to help the Florence One School Board create cleaner and safer learning environments.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn presenting to the [school board] and seeing the changes that my group and I brought about, I learned that what I say matters,\u201d she said. \u201cI have the confidence to speak up for what is important to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n After graduating with her bachelor\u2019s degree, Dunnam plans to pursue her master\u2019s degree in Luxury Brand Management. She hopes to remain in the state, working to give back to NCTF, the Wilson College of Textiles and NC State.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReceiving the Centennial Scholarship made NC State and the Wilson College of Textiles accessible to me,” she said. “I qualify for the top lottery scholarship in my home state of South Carolina, which made it difficult to look at out of state schools. However, I am so grateful for this opportunity that made it possible for me to attend NC State!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n Eelya Sefat<\/b> <\/span> Eelya Sefat is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and graduated from <\/span>Marvin Ridge High School<\/span>. He has been awarded the <\/span>ITT Roger Milliken Centennial Scholarship<\/span> and is pursuing a degree in <\/span>Polymer and Color Chemistry<\/span><\/a> (PCC) with a concentration in Medical Sciences.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe college contains many very knowledgeable professors and students performing cutting-edge research that will be of significance to the world — and I want to be a part of that,\u201d he said. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n After graduation, he hopes to attend medical school or work on research in the hopes of benefiting humanity.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am pursuing my major because I wish to make a difference in this world,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel like I can make the biggest difference by helping others…The most appealing aspect of my major is the amazing applications of all the information included in PCC. You can branch out into numerous fields and research [many] different ideas with the diverse nature of the degree.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In high school, Sefat played varsity football and was a member of the wrestling team.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese sports taught me the true definition of hard work and taught me to always appreciate any opportunity I receive and to make the most of it,\u201d he said. \u201cThey taught me what teamwork involves and the true benefits of a team working in unison.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n He also volunteered weekly at a retirement home.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSpending one to two hours a week with the folks who reside there gave me a true appreciation for life and a desire to make a difference,\u201d he said. \u201cHearing the life stories of all the individuals and what they did with their lives inspires me everyday to want to do something with my own life and positively impact the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sefat believes that the Centennial Scholarship is the first step on his journey to effect positive change in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am beyond grateful for receiving such an honor and am truly humbled,\u201d he said. \u201c<\/span>The scholarship provides me an opportunity to pursue what I love and to learn something new every day without the worry of finances. It also means there are people in the Wilson College of Textiles that believe in me and my ability so much that they are willing to invest in my future so that I can help others and become a force of good in this world. <\/span>The opportunities provided to me by this scholarship — and the support and trust that comes with it — are the things that make me truly grateful and this gratitude can not be done justice with mere words.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n Sarah Jarrell<\/b> Sarah Jarrell is from Kernersville, North Carolina, where she attended the North Carolina School of Science and Math. She has been awarded a Park Centennial Scholarship and plans to study <\/span>Fashion and Textile Design<\/span><\/a> (FTD) with a concentration in <\/span>Fashion Design<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n She found out about the Wilson College of Textiles when researching summer programs during her junior year<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI had been interested in fashion design since competing in a reusable materials event in Technology Student Association in ninth grade, but was never able to follow up on that passion,\u201d she said. \u201cThe STEP program gave me the opportunity to do so…Additionally, I was accepted into the mentorship program at my high school and reached out to Wilson College of Textiles professor <\/span>Dr. Cynthia Istook<\/span><\/a> and asked her to be my mentor. Because of these two, non-related occurrences, I fell in love with the Wilson College of Textiles.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jarell has a strong STEM base, and admits that making the choice to pursue a career in fashion was not an easy one. However, her experiences here cemented her decision to attend the Wilson College of Textiles.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe STEP program opened my eyes to a future where I was not a traditional engineer, but instead an engineer of design, creativity, and fashion,\u201d she said. \u201cI was further exposed to this understanding when I delved into research in fashion at the Wilson College of Textiles during my senior year mentorship experience…I went through the Centennial Scholarship interviews and knew that this is where I wanted to study. STEM had always been a huge part of my life and is something that I am still fascinated with. However, I also know that fashion is my passion and is something I could do for hours on end. Every person I talked to during my interviews encouraged me to look into combining a fashion design major with another STEM major at the Wilson College of Textiles. The support and advice I received from the faculty members, even before I was a student, made me want to be a student.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n For Jarrell, fashion goes far beyond clothes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo an overweight, acne-ridden middle school girl, fashion was a means of self-empowerment and confidence,\u201d she said. \u201cUniversally, fashion reflects culture, ideas, thoughts, and feelings. It instills a sense of worth and allows us to paint a picture of ourselves for others to see. By majoring in fashion design, I strive to make a mark on the world by instilling that sense of confidence in that girl that was me. I love how fashion gives people the confidence they need to secure the partnership, run the marathon, or even survive their daily lives. <\/span>The process of making people feel good through what they are wearing combines everything I have ever been interested in: psychology, technology, math, science, design and creativity. Truly amazing things can be accomplished in the fashion industry and I want to be part of it.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout middle school and high school, she participated in the <\/span>Technology Student Association<\/span><\/a>, a national organization for students engaged in STEM.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt exposed me to fields, such as fashion design, that I would have never considered otherwise,\u201d she said. \u201cThrough my involvement in the club, I realized that I was good at engineering, but passionate about design. This organization made me the person I am today and encouraged me to dream of a future where I designed for a living. It also exposed me to various leadership roles and enabled me to grow as a leader as I fulfilled the duties each position required of me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n After graduation, Jarrell hopes to utilize STEM to \u201cdesign clothing that will make a difference\u201d in some way. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhether that difference is on the environment, dedicated to people with unique bodies, or instilling confidence in that one girl, I will make a difference,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jacob Haddock<\/b> He discovered the Wilson College of Textiles through the <\/span>Summer Textile Exploration Program<\/span><\/a> (STEP), and is proud to attend \u201cthe best school for textiles in the nation at the best university in the nation.\u201d He is pursuing a degree in TE because the field is wide and ever-evolving, with myriad applications.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n His interest in engineering was sparked by his participation in the <\/span>Science Olympiad<\/span><\/a> while in high school. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt showed me my love for engineering, and it helped make me a confident person who doesn\u2019t fear doing things in different and unorthodox ways,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n He describes himself as outgoing and charismatic, and is a team player who enjoys connecting with other people. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to being a representative of the Wilson College of Textiles and promoting all of the amazing programs and accomplishments of the college,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Haddock believes that receiving the Centennial Scholarship is his greatest achievement so far.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt rewards my hard work in high school and it helps my family get my sister and I through college with little to no stress,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n After graduation, he plans to make E-textiles more useful and accessible to the general public.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI see myself with a job that helps me do my part in improving the world for the better,\u201d he said.<\/span> \u201c<\/b>I hope to work with E-textiles and assist in growing the field and its products to a point where they are a helpful commonality in the everyday lives of most people<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kallie Stevens<\/b> \u201cThe first words that come to mind when I think of receiving the Centennial Scholarship is appreciation and gratitude,\u201d she said. \u201cThis scholarship will afford me the opportunity to blossom through retreats, networking with industry partners, professional development initiatives and study abroad. I am thankful to be taking on this distinguished responsibility. I hope to serve my community and act as an honorable leader. Within the fashion and textile industries, I aspire to create solutions and develop innovations that will assist the environment, human working conditions, and transition communities. The Centennial Scholarship is giving me a platform that will launch my future success!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n She plans to study <\/span>Fashion and Textile Management<\/span><\/a> (FTM) and complete <\/span>the <\/span>Accelerated Bachelor’s Master’s Program<\/span><\/a> (ABM), which she said would both fulfill her educational goals and jumpstart her career.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Fashion and Textile Management major fuels my interest because it combines visionary expression with global business opportunities,\u201d she said. \u201cThrough interdisciplinary studies, the major pieces together intention and innovation, allowing students to thrive in a progressive atmosphere that is both supportive yet creatively and academically stimulating. The major appeals to me, as I hope to find more sustainable solutions to textile byproducts, as well as open my own clothing company.<\/span> I want to be the beginning of a change that has no end and I feel that this major will give me the tools I need to make this contribution to society<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In high school, Stevens served as <\/span>National Honor Society<\/span><\/a> president, editor-in-chief of the yearbook and co-founder and co-president of the Equality and Empowerment Club. She wrote and secured a government grant and became head coordinator for the Dental Project, which educates underprivileged elementary school students on the importance of oral hygiene. She also served as her school’s liaison for Project 150, which serves homeless high school students in Nevada, and she was awarded 320 community service hours after working as a volunteer counselor at Camp Alonim. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese activities taught me invaluable lessons about thoughtful leadership, responsibility, organization and putting others before myself,\u201d she said. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Stevens did a lot of research before choosing the Wilson College of Textiles. She began her search online and followed up with an in-person visit to get a feel for the college.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cImportant factors in my college decision-making process included performing undergraduate research, studying abroad and assuming leadership positions in educational and extracurricular activities,\u201d she said. \u201cMy initial visit to the Wilson College of Textiles exceeded all my expectations as I felt invited into a \u2018family\u2019 that would provide me with a platform for growth and engaged learning that [would make] the world my classroom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n After graduation, she hopes to launch her own company with the skills she developed at the Wilson College of Textiles.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI intend to establish my own entrepreneurial venture of a young professional clothing company using sustainable textiles,\u201d she said. \u201cMy store will be free of prejudice and represent a diverse accumulation of models wearing clothing that makes them feel at the peak of their confidence and authenticity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reid Barnett<\/b> He knew about the Wilson College of Textiles through his aunt, an alumna of the college, and his interest grew after attending both STEP and <\/span>Polymer Camp<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI found the environment to be inclusive [and] conducive to innovation, and I am extremely interested in the interdisciplinary nature of the college,\u201d said Barnett. \u201cI am pursuing a textile engineering degree because <\/span>I have always wanted to become an inventor, and I believe that the interdisciplinary nature of the major will allow me to follow diverse paths and improve my problem solving skills<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n For Barnett, receiving the Centennial Scholarship felt like a vote of confidence.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis scholarship means so much to me because it helps to ease the financial burden on my parents and me, and perhaps more importantly it shows that someone believes in what I can accomplish,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Barnett was active in a mix of extracurricular activities throughout high school, and believes the knowledge and skills he obtained along the way will help him in college — and beyond.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAchieving the rank of Eagle Scout taught me honor, integrity, and ingenuity,\u201d he said. \u201cFootball taught me perseverance, grit, and strategy. Quiz Bowl challenged me academically and [helped me] gain confidence. Golf taught me independence and control.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Reagan](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101308\/Reagan-Dunnam-1-1024x683-1.jpg\")
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Jacob Haddock is from New Bern, North Carolina, and he attended The<\/span> Epiphany School of Global Studies. He has been awarded the CC Lee Centennial Scholarship and plans to study <\/span>Textile Engineering<\/span><\/a> (TE).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Kallie](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101307\/Kallie-Stevens-1-1024x683-1.jpg\")
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Kallie Stevens is from Las Vegas, Nevada, where she attended<\/span> Palo Verde High School. She has been awarded the Vincent Fang Centennial Scholarship.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Reid](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101307\/Reid-Barnett-1-1024x682-1.jpg\")
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Reid Barnett is from Newton Grove, North Carolina, and attended <\/span>the Wayne School of Engineering in Mount Olive, North Carolina. He has been awarded the Brawley Centennial Scholarship, and intends to study Textile Engineering.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Madi](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101306\/Madi-Jenkins-1-1024x683-1.jpg\")
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