Wilson College of Textiles History

1899

Encouraged by trustee Daniel A. Tompkins, Legislator Heriot Clarkson introduced a bill to the General Assembly to create a textile school in the state

$Robert Heriot Clarkson$

1899

Trustees of the college voted to create a textile program at North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (N.C. A&M)

1899

First textile courses began taught by George Franks Ivey

1901

Construction began on the first textile building

$TompkinsHall$

1901

The first graduate of the textiles program, William O. Bennett

1906

Thomas Nelson becomes professor and head of Textile Industry Department

$Thomas Nelson$

1914

At 2:30 am a fire stated and destroyed the Textile Building and all the equipment inside

$Tompkins Hall Fire$

1915

Professional degree “Textile Engineer” granted to Lovic R. Gilbert

1917

Building renamed in honor of D. A. Tompkins, who died October 18, 1914

$Tompkins Daniel Augustus$

1919

Degree changed to Bachelor of Engineering in Textile Engineering

1920

Textile Chemistry and Dyeing degree added

1922

First Master of Science degree in Textile Manufacturing granted to Shang Wu Jen

1924

Eta chapter of Phi Psi created, a national textile fraternity

1925

The Textiles Department was removed from the School of Engineering and established as a school

1925

Thomas Nelson is named dean

1925

First Master of Science degree in Textile Chemistry awarded to Wen Pei Chen

1925

The School of Textiles hosted the inaugural Textile Exposition and Style Show

$Styleshow$

1926

First dyeing and finishing pilot plant installed

1932

Three graduates receive the new Bachelor of science in Yarn Manufacturing degree

1932

Lillian Tyler Jones, the first woman to earn a graduate degree in textiles

1936

New Master of Science in Textiles degree awarded to Tarik M. Ismet

1936

the first female undergraduates received their Bachelor of Science degrees in Weaving and Designing, Eleanor Mae Greene and Virginia Lee Reinheimer

$the first female undergraduates received their Bachelor of Science degrees in Weaving and Designing, Eleanor Mae Greene and Virginia Lee Reinheimer$

1937

Five recipients are granted the new bachelor of Science in Textile Management degree

1942

The North Carolina Textile Foundation was created

1943

Malcolm E. Campbell was hired as dean

$Malcolm E Campbell$

1944

The Textiles Library is established

$Textile Library$

1945

A knitting department was established

$woman knitting$

1948

Textile Research Department created

1948

Establishment of new degree options under the Bachelor of Science in Textile Manufacturing program: General Textiles, Synthetics, Yarn Manufacturing, Textile Management, Knitting, or Weaving and Designing

1948

The oldest national textile fraternity, Delta kappa Phi, organized the Kappa chapter at N.C. State

1949

Bachelor of Science in Textile Manufacturing degree changed to Bachelor of Science in Textiles

1951

Tompkins Textile Student Council established

1951

Professor Thomas R. Hart publishes a history of the school, The School of Textiles, N.C. State College – Its Past and Present

$Thomas R Hart$

1954

Textile Building named Nelson Building in honor of Thomas Nelson

$Nelson Hall$

1955

Knitted Orlon aorta developed by Professor Ed Shinn on a necktie machine

$Shinn$

1959

Textile bookmark calendar tradition began

1961

Textile Technology Department Created

1963

Name becomes North Carolina State University

1963

Francess Massey, first female instructor in Textile Technology

$Frances Massey Open House 1971$

1964

Textile Foundation awards first scholarships

1965

Professor John Bogdan developed a lint-free washcloth that was used on the Gemini and Apollo space flights

$John Bogdan$

1967

David W. Chaney becomes Dean of Textiles

$David Chaney$

1967

Ph.D. degree established in Fiber and Polymer Science

1970

Textile classes in Nelson classrooms via closed circuit television – course taught by Professors Porter, Mohamed, Brown, and Klibbe

1971

James “Jim” Rucker becomes the first African American student to graduate from the College of Textiles, receiving a BS in textile chemistry

1971

First Ph.D. in fiber and Polymer Science degree awarded to Joel Williams

1971

School of Textiles established a “prestige” scholarship program

1973

Byssinosis research became the largest integrated research program in the School of Textiles

1973

Cooperative education and the summer intern programs begin

1974

the School of Textiles and the School of Design form a new Textile Design program

1976

Textile Off-Campus Televised Education (TOTE) program was developed

1977

Apparel Manufacturing option created within Textile Technology

1981

Dame S. Hamby became Dean of the School of Textiles

1981

The first four North Carolina Textile Foundation Merit Scholars entered the school

1982

Pamela Banks-Lee becomes the college’s first Black female faculty member.

$Pamela Banks$

1986

The Bachelor of Science in Textile Engineering was approved by the Curriculum Committee and the Provost

1986

A master plan for Centennial Campus was approved which included a new building for the College of Textiles

1987

Robert A. Barnhardt becomes Dean

$Robert Barnhardt$

1988

Groundbreaking on Centennial Campus Textile building

$Centennial Groundbreaking$

1989

The Departments of Textile Chemistry and Textile Engineering and Science are combined into the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry, and Science with Charles D. Livengood as head

1989

Textile Management and Technology renamed Textile and Apparel Management. Gordon A. Berkstresser named head

1989

Mars Mission Research Center funded by NASA as a joint program between NCSU and N.C. A&T University

1990

Eli Whitney Scholars program begins with ten scholarships

1991

The new College of Textiles Building on Centennial Campus is opened

$The new College of Textiles Building on Centennial Campus is opened$

1991

College of Textile moves to Centennial Campus and is Dedicated

1991

Ph.D. program established in Textile Technology and Management

1991

Subhash K. Batra, Thomas F. Gilmore, and Arthur Bullerwell organized a Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC) at the Textile College

1991

Master of Science degree in Textile Engineering approved

1992

National Textile Center (NTC) funded by U.S. Department of Commerce

1992

First Ph.D. degree in Textile Technology and Management awarded to Jin-Feng Hwang

1992

Pyro-Man installed in comfort and thermal production laboratory

$pyroman$

1992

Nonwovens Coorperative Research Center created

1992

Solomon P. Hersh named recipient of NCSU’s first Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence

1993

A new Master of Science degree in Textile Engineering was created

1993

Textile Engineering program receives full ABET accreditation for 6 years

1994

Center for Research on Textile Protection and Comfort (T-PACC) formally approved with Roger L. Barker as head

1994

Coorperative agreement signed between School of Design and College of Textiles to offer minor degrees

1995

Susan Hope Ross and Tina Renee Taylor are the first graduates to complete Eli Whitney Scholars Program

1995

Biodegradable wound dressing work based on Chitosan reported by researchers at College of Textiles

1996

Consortium on Supercritical CO2 research initiated

1997

Textile and Apparel Technology and Management Department created

1997

Coppelius sweating mannequin installed

1999

Textile Foundation approves Centennial Scholars Program

2000

A. Blanton Godfrey becomes Dean

$Godfrey$

2001

Gary Mock wrote A Century of Progress: The Textile Program, North Carolina State University, 1899-1999

2003

Polymer Color Chemistry degree program launched

2009

Wilson’s first 3+X program (with Donghua University) is signed

2010

Wilson’s first 3+X program (with Donghua University) is launched

2010

Fashion and Textile Design program is launched

2010

Cynthia Istook became the first woman appointed full professor in the College of Textiles

$Dr Cynthia Istook$

2014

David Hinks became Interim Dean

2016

David Hinks is named dean of the College of Textiles

$David Hinks$

2017

Ellen Rohde becomes the first female president of the North Carolina Textile Foundation Board of Directors

$Ellen Rhode$

2018

Naming of Wilson College of Textiles

$wilson family with chancelor$