The new award recognizes Wilson College young alumni under 40 years old for professional achievement; reflection of Wilson College\u00a0<\/span>core values<\/span><\/a>; service to industry; community and public service; and entrepreneurship.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur alumni have amazing stories, and we wanted to add to Ritika\u2019s and Jessica\u2019s to make the announcement of their Distinguished Young Alumni Award recognition as memorable as possible,\u201d said Hicks. \u201cIt was a fun way to share the news and also learn more about their <\/span>Wilson College of Textiles<\/span><\/a> experience to share with students and alumni.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Making a Difference<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n After graduating with Bachelor of Science (Home Science and Human Ecology) and Master of Science (Textile and Clothing) degrees from Delhi University, Ritika Burman made her way to the Wilson College of Textiles to pursue her passion. She earned a doctorate in\u00a0<\/span>Textile Technology Management<\/span><\/a> in 2015 with a focus on sustainability in the textile, apparel and footwear industry.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Burman found the Wilson College attractive for its reputation as the best textiles institution in the U.S., the diversity of the students and a comprehensive and rigorous curriculum.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI had a diverse cohort \u2013 out of seven, only two were American students; five others were from around the world,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was an amazing experience to spend time with people from different backgrounds, learning about their lives, culture and thought process.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n Yet, Burman also learned something else about the Wilson College: the deep commitment from faculty to help students succeed.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI started in fall 2012 and was very interested to pursue research in the field of sustainability and social responsibility, which at that time was considered more of a fad and not the necessity that it is now,\u201d Burman said. \u201cI discussed my interest with my committee chair, Dr.<\/span> Yingjiao Xu<\/span><\/a>, who completely supported me even though it was a new area. We worked together on the topic and she provided me with all the resources and guidance to succeed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Through all the research she conducted, Burman was able to move forward in her career. She joined <\/span>SGS<\/span><\/a> \u2013 a global inspection, verification, testing and certification company \u2013 as a corporate responsibility associate, helping clients implement social sustainability strategies and develop innovative ways to address issues including child labor, modern slavery, and health and safety. Most recently, she served as manager of Responsible Business Services before pausing her career to take care of her pre-school child during the pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s been five years since I graduated and Dr. Xu and I still keep in touch,\u201d Burman noted. \u201cIt shows me that the Wilson College values students and I feel very fortunate to receive the Distinguished Young Alumni Award. It is an honor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflecting on her own journey, Burman recalls her childhood in India, where her mother taught high school and also volunteered teaching underprivileged children who came to their home. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI grew up watching these children, and later, saw conditions of workers during tours of textile and clothing factories during my master\u2019s program, that\u2019s when I felt that there needs to be a focus on improving lives and safety of everyone around us,\u201d she explained.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking back, Burman also sees how seemingly random experiences in her life have shaped her thinking. From encountering intense heat in a dying and printing factory to completing projects on ethical sourcing and natural dyes to volunteering with underprivileged children just as her mother \u2013 \u201cone way or another, these things have impacted my thought process.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n For Wilson College students, Burman offers this advice:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFollow your dream. Pursue what you really want to do \u2013 because the Wilson College faculty will guide you and help you achieve your dreams.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n No Looking Back<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n As often the case, a chance encounter changed Jessica Singleton\u2019s life. She started at NC State as a zoology major only to realize her true passion was art.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n But in the midst of exploring options with the College of Design \u2013 life happened.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n While riding the NC State Wolfline bus, Singleton bumped into a friend who steered her to the Wilson College of Textiles \u2013 and the rest is history.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Singleton graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in <\/span>Textile and Apparel Management<\/span><\/a> with a concentration in Fashion Development and Product Management. She went on to earn an MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) where her thesis collection was featured in Teen Vogue and Women\u2019s Wear Daily.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, she serves as technical designer and mask expert for US Men\u2019s Domestics at <\/span>HanesBrands Inc<\/span><\/a>. In this role, she <\/span>creates the tech packs and patterns, and conducts product fitting for each seasonal collection for men\u2019s inner wear.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n She also is the founder and owner of her own business, <\/span>Lach\u00e9 Supply & Company<\/span><\/a>, which specializes in menswear design.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeing recognized with the Distinguished Young Alumni Award means everything to me,\u201d said Singleton, who attributes her Wilson College experience as the foundation of her success.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe knowledge to learn the entire industry and not just the field you major in \u2013 that was the game changer at Wilson,\u201d she affirmed. \u201cWe started with classes on fiber science and learned the full process before moving up to create a fashion show.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n To that point, Singleton recalls how her professors at SCAD called her a quadruple threat \u201cbecause I could design a full collection, design textiles and prints, create technical packs and patterns, and sew the final garments with precision.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Her Wilson professors made that possible, and the hands-on learning has been a career advantage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe opportunity to work with professors on pattern-making programs like Gerber Accumark as well as various machines proved to be more beneficial than anything I\u2019ve ever experienced,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n That was especially evident during a trip to Vietnam, when Singleton had a Eureka moment in a factory.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was really cool to see the machines and know their uses \u2026 I was like, \u2018Wow, I\u2019ve seen this before!\u2019 she recalled. \u201cThere\u2019s just no other college innovative that way like Wilson where you actually get to see what it\u2019s like in the industry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Active as a student in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the African American Textile Society and its Fashion Expos\u00e9 fashion show, and other organizations, Singleton has stayed involved with the college to share her talents with others.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy advice to students from what I\u2018ve learned at Wilson College and NC State is to try to remember everything because you\u2019ll definitely use it in your job,\u201d she shared. \u201cI\u2019ve used every single thing that I\u2019ve learned in textiles. Even if you retain just a little bit of that knowledge, it\u2019s going to help you in your career.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n By Tim Creedon<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ritika Burman \u201915 and Jessica Singleton \u201909 thought that they were participating in their final interviews as nominees for the inaugural Wilson College of Textiles <\/span>Distinguished Young Alumni Award<\/span><\/a>. Until, that is, Andrew Hicks \u201910 and \u201911, Awards Committee chair on the <\/span>Dean\u2019s Young Alumni Leadership Council<\/span><\/a>, and Tim Creedon, development coordinator for the<\/span> North Carolina Textile Foundation<\/span><\/a>, broke the news \u2013 announcing their selection as the first recipients \u2013 leaving both awardees momentarily speechless.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The new award recognizes Wilson College young alumni under 40 years old for professional achievement; reflection of Wilson College\u00a0<\/span>core values<\/span><\/a>; service to industry; community and public service; and entrepreneurship.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur alumni have amazing stories, and we wanted to add to Ritika\u2019s and Jessica\u2019s to make the announcement of their Distinguished Young Alumni Award recognition as memorable as possible,\u201d said Hicks. \u201cIt was a fun way to share the news and also learn more about their <\/span>Wilson College of Textiles<\/span><\/a> experience to share with students and alumni.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Making a Difference<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n After graduating with Bachelor of Science (Home Science and Human Ecology) and Master of Science (Textile and Clothing) degrees from Delhi University, Ritika Burman made her way to the Wilson College of Textiles to pursue her passion. She earned a doctorate in\u00a0<\/span>Textile Technology Management<\/span><\/a> in 2015 with a focus on sustainability in the textile, apparel and footwear industry.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Burman found the Wilson College attractive for its reputation as the best textiles institution in the U.S., the diversity of the students and a comprehensive and rigorous curriculum.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI had a diverse cohort \u2013 out of seven, only two were American students; five others were from around the world,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was an amazing experience to spend time with people from different backgrounds, learning about their lives, culture and thought process.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, Burman also learned something else about the Wilson College: the deep commitment from faculty to help students succeed.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI started in fall 2012 and was very interested to pursue research in the field of sustainability and social responsibility, which at that time was considered more of a fad and not the necessity that it is now,\u201d Burman said. \u201cI discussed my interest with my committee chair, Dr.<\/span> Yingjiao Xu<\/span><\/a>, who completely supported me even though it was a new area. We worked together on the topic and she provided me with all the resources and guidance to succeed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Through all the research she conducted, Burman was able to move forward in her career. She joined <\/span>SGS<\/span><\/a> \u2013 a global inspection, verification, testing and certification company \u2013 as a corporate responsibility associate, helping clients implement social sustainability strategies and develop innovative ways to address issues including child labor, modern slavery, and health and safety. Most recently, she served as manager of Responsible Business Services before pausing her career to take care of her pre-school child during the pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s been five years since I graduated and Dr. Xu and I still keep in touch,\u201d Burman noted. \u201cIt shows me that the Wilson College values students and I feel very fortunate to receive the Distinguished Young Alumni Award. It is an honor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflecting on her own journey, Burman recalls her childhood in India, where her mother taught high school and also volunteered teaching underprivileged children who came to their home. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI grew up watching these children, and later, saw conditions of workers during tours of textile and clothing factories during my master\u2019s program, that\u2019s when I felt that there needs to be a focus on improving lives and safety of everyone around us,\u201d she explained.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking back, Burman also sees how seemingly random experiences in her life have shaped her thinking. From encountering intense heat in a dying and printing factory to completing projects on ethical sourcing and natural dyes to volunteering with underprivileged children just as her mother \u2013 \u201cone way or another, these things have impacted my thought process.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n For Wilson College students, Burman offers this advice:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFollow your dream. Pursue what you really want to do \u2013 because the Wilson College faculty will guide you and help you achieve your dreams.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n No Looking Back<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n As often the case, a chance encounter changed Jessica Singleton\u2019s life. She started at NC State as a zoology major only to realize her true passion was art.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n But in the midst of exploring options with the College of Design \u2013 life happened.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n While riding the NC State Wolfline bus, Singleton bumped into a friend who steered her to the Wilson College of Textiles \u2013 and the rest is history.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Singleton graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in <\/span>Textile and Apparel Management<\/span><\/a> with a concentration in Fashion Development and Product Management. She went on to earn an MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) where her thesis collection was featured in Teen Vogue and Women\u2019s Wear Daily.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, she serves as technical designer and mask expert for US Men\u2019s Domestics at <\/span>HanesBrands Inc<\/span><\/a>. In this role, she <\/span>creates the tech packs and patterns, and conducts product fitting for each seasonal collection for men\u2019s inner wear.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Ritika](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101343\/Ritika-and-Dr.-Xu-smaller-300x225-1.png\")
![\"Jessica](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101343\/IMG_6187-3-225x300-1.jpg\")