College of Textiles Category
05.04.2012
Alan Thomas Dickson, a 1953 NC State graduate who helped build a Fortune 500 company that included Harris Teeter Supermarkets, died on Thursday after a fight with small-cell lung cancer. He was 81.
Dickson studied textiles at NC State, and maintained his connection to the university throughout his life. Dickson served on the NC State Board of Trustees and as president of the North Carolina Textile Foundation. In 1993, Dickson was recognized as the College of Textiles Distinguished Alumnus and, in 1996, NC State awarded Dickson the Watauga Medal, its highest nonacademic award. In 2001, Dickson was awarded an honorary degree from NC State.
“Alan Dickson was a great friend to NC State all of his adult life,” said Bob Barnhardt, president of the Alumni Association and former dean of the College of Textiles.
Barnhardt said everyone listened when Dickson asked questions during meetings of the Textile Foundation board. “Everybody admired his abilities and his strategic way of thinking,” Barnhardt said. “They wanted to hear what he had to say.”
After earning an MBA degree from Harvard University, Dickson served for two years in the U.S. Army. He then returned to his home of Charlotte to work for American & Efird Mills. In 1968, Dickson and his brother Stuart founded Ruddick Corporation, which evolved into a holding company that owned Harris Teeter Supermarkets, American & Efird Mills and other companies. Ruddick Corporation changed its named to Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc. earlier this year after selling American & Efird.
Barnhardt said Dickson was a savvy reader of financial sheets, and knew when to buy and sell companies. He said Dickson was among the first in the textiles industry to sell thread overseas when manufacturing started to shift out of the United States.
“He was overseas selling yarn many years before anyone else,” Barnhardt said.
Dickson was the first president of the American Yarn Spinners Association and served as a director of the Combed Yarn Spinners Association and the N.C. Textile Manufacturers Association.
But for all his business prowess — he was elected to the N.C. Business Hall of Fame in 2002 — Dickson never forgot the good times he had as a student at NC State. Barnhardt recalled Dickson once telling a story of his days in a fraternity, and his assignment as a pledge to steal a suckling pig.
“He assured us he got it back to the mother,” Barnhardt said.
Dickson was active in community affairs in Charlotte, serving in volunteer leaderships positions for groups such as Central Piedmont Community College, the Mint Museum of Art and Presbyterian Hospital. He helped lead the effort to establish and fund the U.S. National Whitewater Center on the Catawba River.
Dickson is survived by his wife, Mary Anne Dickson; stepdaughter, Chase Avery Wood and her husband, Hubie, and their children, Catie and Hubert; stepson Chris Avery and his wife, Beth, and their children, Meg and O’Neal; a brother and two sisters. Dickson was preceded in death by his wife, Lindsay Morehead Dickson.
A memorial service will be held at Christ Episcopal Church, 1412 Providence Road, Charlotte, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, followed by a reception in All Saints Hall.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to The Linville Foundation, P.O. Box 99, Linville, N.C., 28646, or to the Leadership Scholarship Program, U.S. National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, N.C. 28214.
04.24.2012
The Alumni Association is honoring 21 NC State professors for their excellent work in the classroom, the laboratory and the field. The professors will be recognized at a reception at the Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center on May 3.
The winners of the 2012 Faculty Awards are:
Alumni Association Distinguished Undergraduate Professors
- D. Barry Croom | Department of Agricultural and Extension Education | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Jeffrey A. Joines | Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science | College of Textiles
- John R. Meyer | Department of Entomology | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Craig M. Newmark | Department of Economics | College of Management
- Maria Oliver-Hoyo | Department of Chemistry | College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
- John K. Townsend | Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | College of Engineering
Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Professors
- Y. Richard Kim | Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering | College of Engineering
- Hiller A. Spires | Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Counselor Education | College of Education
Alumni Association Outstanding Research Awards
- Edward Bealmear Breitschwerdt | Department of Clinical Sciences | College of Veterinary Medicine
- Jon-Paul Maria| Department of Material Science Engineering | College of Engineering
- Ann Helen Ross| Department of Sociology and Anthropology | College Humanities and Social Sciences
Alumni Association Outstanding Extension and Outreach Awards
- Jay F. Levine | Department of Population Health and Pathobiology | College of Veterinary Medicine
- Donald E. Thrall | Department of Molecular Biomedical Science| College of Veterinary Medicine
- Grady L. Miller |Department of Crop Science | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Awards
- Jennifer L. Campbell | Department of Biology | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Martha L. Crowley | Department of Sociology and Anthropology | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Jessica T. DeCuir-Gunby | Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Counselor Education | College of Education
- Michael D. Dickey | Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering | College of Engineering
- Scott M. Ferguson | Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering | College of Engineering
- David W.W. Jones | Department of Agricultural and Extension Education | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Shevaun Neupert | Department of Psychology | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
01.30.2012
The Alumni Association recognized some of NC State’s greatest stars this weekend, honoring 18 alumni and friends of the university for their professional and personal accomplishments and their continuing support of NC State, the Alumni Association and the Wolfpack Club.
“Their light, ignited by their NC State education and fueled by their own successes, reflects upon their alma mater, enhancing NC State’s reputation around the world,” Chancellor Randy Woodson said during the “Evening of Stars” at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary. “They unequivocally add value to an NC State degree.
“These are alumni who have made impacts around the globe; through television broadcasts and comprehensive websites, on Main Street and Wall Street; through rhyme and reason; in factories, laboratories, classrooms and boardrooms.”
The honorees at the 8th Annual NC State Evening of Stars were:
COLLEGE DISTINGUISHED AWARD RECIPIENTS
S. Elizabeth George ‘81 MS, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: As director of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Directorate for the U.S. Department of Defense, George is recognized as one of the nation’s leading authorities on chemical and biological warfare.
H. Connor Kennett Jr. ‘54, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Kennett was the longtime director of the poultry division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture before he retired in 1988. He was the first North Carolinian inducted into the National Poultry Hall of Fame.
David W. Evans ‘84, College of Design: Evans is an award-winning creative director, photographer and filmmaker who has worked for clients such as the National Geographic Society, Discovery Channel, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Nations Foundation.
Carl E. Harris ‘98 EDD, College of Education: A former superintendent of Durham (N.C.) Public Schools, Harris was named in 2010 as deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. He also served as superintendent of the Franklin County (N.C.) Public School System.
Marshall D. Brain ‘89 MS, College of Engineering: Brain founded HowStuffWorks.com, an award-winning website that offers easy-to-understand explanations of how the world around us functions. Discovery Communications purchased the site for $250 million in 2007.
William H. “Bill” Dean ‘88, College of Engineering: Dean is president and CEO of M.C. Dean Inc., a company founded in 1949 by his grandfather. The company is the nation’s premier electrical design-build and systems integration firm, with 3,300 employees and clients that include Fortune I000 corporations, universities, high-tech companies and government agencies.
Robert R. Womack ‘59, College of Engineering: After working as a partner at McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, Womack went on to serve as chairman, chief executive officer or president of four New York Stock Exchange companies.
Nora H. Shepard ‘05 MFA, College of Humanities and Social Sciences: Shepard is an award-winning poet who teaches creative writing and poetry at NC State. A longtime advocate of the arts, Shepard was the founding president of Arts Together, Raleigh’s only nonprofit multi-arts school.
Jon W. Bartley ‘69, Poole College of Management: Bartley is a professor of accounting at NC State who served as associate dean of the college from the time it was founded in 1993 until 1998, when he became dean. He served as dean until 2004, when he returned to the faculty.
Ed Leigh McMillan II ‘62, College of Natural Resources: McMillan is the managing trustee of the D.W. McMillan Trust and the D.W. McMillan Foundation, managing 40,000 acres of timber in Alabama and Florida, as well as the mineral rights and drilling sites for newly discovered oil reserves associated with the property.
David B. Montgomery, ‘68, ‘81 PhD, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences: Montgomery worked for 30 years as a plasma physicist at Becton, Dickinson and Company (now known as BD), developing new technology that resulted in 15 U.S. and five European patents.
F. Dale Hayes ‘78, College of Textiles: Hayes is vice president of global public relations for UPS, and was responsible for developing the company’s award-winning, memorable slogan about what “brown can do for you,” and redesigned its iconic brand mark to give UPS one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
Dr. David E. Anderson ‘88 BS, ‘90 DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine: Anderson is a professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University, where he is head of agriculture practices in the Department of Clinical Sciences. He is the founding director of the International Camelid Institute at The Ohio State University and the International Academy of Farm Animal Surgeons.
WOLFPACK CLUB AWARD
E.J. Poindexter ‘58, Ronnie Shavlick Award: Poindexter worked for more than 40 years for Barnhill Contracting Co., where he eventually became the company’s first vice president. Poindexter has been devoted to NC State athletics for more than 55 years, never taking a vacation that didn’t revolve around an NC State sporting event.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS
Dennis G. Howard ‘67, Meritorious Service Award: Howard served for 14 years on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, serving on every board committee and providing leadership as the board’s president during a critical year of transition for the Alumni Association and its Caldwell Fellows program.
David S. Jolley ‘70 and Celia G. Jolley ‘83 MS, Meritorious Service Award: David, vice president of commercial lending at C&F Bank in Williamsburg, Va., was a founding member of the NC State Board of Visitors and has served on the NC State University Foundation and its endowment board. David and Celia, a retired educator, are members of the C.W. Dabney Lifetime Giving Society and the R.S. Pullen Society.
Ada B. Dalla Pozza, Award of Merit: As a NC State extension agent, faculty member, mentor and volunteer for more than 70 years, Ms. Ada (as she is known) provided leadership to improve the quality of life for families and helped create leadership institutes for rural women, many of whom became elected officials.
Daniel C. Gunter III ‘00, Outstanding Young Alumnus: Gunter, an associate attorney with DLA Piper, serves on the Alumni Association’s Young Alumni Council and is a member of the association’s board of directors as a representative of the Council on Athletics.
01.02.2012
For the upcoming winter issue of NC State magazine, we talked to researchers across campus who are teaming up to advance work in the area of forensic science. From studying blow flies to mapping skulls to developing a database of fabric dyes, these scientists are using their specialized knowledge to help solve crimes.
But while we enjoyed talking with them about the very serious work they’re doing, we couldn’t resist asking them for their thoughts about the plethora of crime shows on television these days:
Wes Watson, professor of entomology: I used to watch CSI for entertainment. I really enjoy finding flaws in the biology. I remember one time they incorrectly ID’d a type of beetle on remains. (Watson uses the life cycle of the blow fly to estimate the time of death.)
Ann Ross, professor of anthropology: Bones? Can’t stand it. Too unrealistic. Law & Order, love it, all of them. I love those shows. You get the police work and the prosecution side in the courtroom, and it’s a nice marrying of the two. CSI—they always work in the dark. It bothers me. Turn some lights on, people! (Ross has developed computer software to help investigators determine the ethnic origin of skeletal remains.)
Billy Oliver, archeologist and teaching associate: Some are better than others. My wife loves Dexter. I watch CSI and Castle and things that involve a twist. CSI: New York is a little out there. (Oliver helps teach classes on how to excavate bodies and document evidence; he has been called on to help investigate numerous crimes.)
Tim Buie ’88 ’98 MS, assistant professor of industrial design: I hate some of the stuff. They’ll have a video from an ATM and they’ll enhance it. Suddenly it’s super high-res and you can read the guy’s driver’s license from 300 feet [something that couldn’t happen in real life]. (Buie and a colleague from the College of Engineering are developing a system to help investigators virtually recreate crime scenes in 3-D.)
– Sylvia Adcock
12.08.2011
NC State broke ground last week on Centennial Campus for a new student housing project slated to open in fall 2013.
Centennial Campus Apartments, located across from Hunt Library, is a $129-million, 550,446 square-foot facility that will house sophomores, juniors and seniors. Students will live in apartments with one to four private bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen. The capacity will be 1,195 students. There will also be a bookstore, an array of dining options and three different courtyards.
The project will also include 30 lofts that will accommodate graduate students. (Click the Centennial Campus Apartments link above to access three webcams documenting the project’s construction.)
The project arose from a 2002 task force that looked at the direction of student housing on NC State’s campus. One of the recommendations was that with the College of Engineering and the College of Textiles relocating there, Centennial Campus needed student housing. “The belief was that if it was going to be a true college campus where students could live and learn, it needed to have some basic elements,” says Tim Luckadoo, associate vice chancellor for student affairs.
Luckadoo says no state appropriations and no private money went to the project. Instead, he says housing borrowed for the project, and will pay back the loan with receipts from the apartments’ housing, dining and bookstore.
One of the major amenities at Centennial Campus Apartments will be a new living and learning village. Entrepreneurial Village will enable students to work together on developing ideas and getting them to market.
“You might get an engineering student with a marketing student with a communications student,” says Luckadoo. “They become a team. They will have activities geared toward them that deal with how you grow from an idea to a successful corporation.”
That village will join a movement already afoot at NC State — there are currently nine living and learning villages — in developing more learning communities. Luckadoo says that is a goal in Chancellor Randy Woodson’s strategic plan and that it is based on research that such communities help shape a positive learning experience.
“Students who live in the villages, their grades are better,” Luckadoo says. “Their retention is better. They have more awareness about the world.”
11.29.2011
As the last week of the semester winds down on campus, come out and enjoy one of the many events going on before the holidays!
Get in the spirit of the season with the NC State choirs and jazz band by attending their holiday concert. Or attend NC State’s College of Textiles annual fashion show. The bookstore will host author Bethany Bradsher, who wrote a book on the history of the Dixie Classic.
Wednesday, Nov. 30 — Wells Fargo Executive Leadership Series
Join John G. Stumpf, chairman and CEO of Wells Fargo, for a talk about his leadership role in the company. The talk is free and open to the public; it will be held in room 3400 of Nelson Hall at 4:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 30 — Iraqi Women Under Dictatorship and Occupation
Hosted by the Middle Eastern Studies Program, Nadje Al-Ali, director of the gender studies program at the University of London, will speak on the nature of women’s conditions in Iraq during the dictatorial rule and subsequent occupation in the last decade. The event is free and open to the public; the talk will be held in room 129 of Winston Hall at noon.
Thursday, Dec. 1 — NCSU Cotton Couture
NC State’s College of Textiles will hold its annual Cotton Couture on Thursday at Fletcher Opera Hall in downtown Raleigh. The show features NC State undergraduate and graduate students’ designs. This year, all profits will benefit Interact of Wake County. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 2 — Meet the Author: Bethany Bradsher, author of The Classic
Author Bethany Bradsher will be at NC State Bookstores in Harrelson Hall from 5-9 p.m. Friday promoting her book, The Classic: How Everett Case and His Tournament Brought Big-Time Basketball to the South. The book details the history of the Dixie Classic tournament, initiated by former NC State basketball coach Everett Case, including the scandal behind its end. During this event, her book will be 10% off.
Friday, Dec. 2 — Choral and Jazz Combo Holiday Concert
This Friday from 7-9 p.m., the NC State jazz band will join NC State choirs to perform holiday classics in Stewart Theatre. Tickets are $10 for the general public, $8 for senior citizens, NC State faculty and staff, and $5 for NC State students. Children 12 and younger are admitted free of charge. Tickets can be purchased from Ticket Central.
Thursday, Dec. 6 — Documentary on Sharks
Campus Cinema will air the documentary, SharkWater, examining the role sharks play in the world’s oceans and why they should be conserved. Admission to this compelling documentary is free, but $1 donations are encouraged. The movie will show in Witherspoon Theater at 7 p.m.
– Jeannene Lang
11.22.2011
Kyle Blakely ’07 graduated with a degree in textile and apparel management, springing him into a career with Under Armour in Maryland. Since graduating, he has participated in many projects, engineering fabrics for athletes and teams, including the University of Maryland, our opponent on Saturday for our last game of the season. As an alumnus doing interesting work in the area, we spoke to him about his job, NC State’s prospects for a bowl bid, a season-ending win, the opponent, and of course, how Blakely’s experiences at State have affected his life today.
What do you do for a living? I am a Materials Development Manager at Under Armour… the athletic sportswear brand. I engineer, source and develop textiles for UA apparel. I work on everything from underwear, baselayer and jackets you find in the store to the uniforms that all of our colleges wear. In fact, I’ve engineered a lot of the fabrics worn by Under Amour schools (particularly basketball and football) including Maryland’s fabrics.
What brought you to the area? I moved to Maryland so I could work for Under Armour. It was a rare opportunity that I had to take – the UA headquarters are located at Tide Point in downtown Baltimore. It’s an incredible company –I’m very fortunate to be here and glad NCSU helped prepare me to be successful.
Do you ever go to Maryland games? What’s the campus like? What are the fans like? I go to Maryland games all the time (it’s only a short drive)–basketball, football and baseball. I typically just attend the games when they are playing NCSU. The campus is similar to NCSU in that it is fairly sprawled… It seems to be pretty nice although in recent years there has been a lot of renovation going on, especially at the football complex. …The fans seem to be engaged but the tailgating scene is nothing like the Fairgrounds, and people usually don’t start showing up until two hours before the game.
Is it tough to be an NC State graduate in that area? It’s actually not too bad being an NCSU graduate here because of the network of NCSU alum. We have 15 NCSU graduates that work at Under Armour alone and the Baltimore alums always get together for game watches, etc. In many instances at work, I feel like we really outnumber the Maryland people, although there are quite a few alums from MD here as well – including our CEO. Typically, since neither university is particularly excelling at football, we kind of have a unique bond – it’s not very contentious – we understand each other I would say.
This is the last game of the season - do you think we’ll get a bowl bid? Well, if I was to analyze the trends I would be very nervous this week… We blank UNC and then lose to a lack-luster Boston College team… we torch #7 Clemson – the pattern speaks for itself. But I think being at home will help and O’Brien always seems to get just enough done when people start whispering about this job, so I am optimistic about this week. I will say, selfishly, I’m hoping we do get a bowl bid in Washington, DC – the drive is a little easier! Last year’s trek down to Florida from Maryland was pretty brutal (but worth it!).
Who do you think will win - State or Maryland? Score? I’ll predict a win, but it will be ugly. 24 to 17, NCSU squeaks it out.
Do you ever interact with NC State through Under Armour? I do, quite a bit actually. The NCSU College of Textiles is a world-class textile program with world-class resources, and we try to utilize those resources as much as we can. The faculty and staff are very open and helpful – I’m very proud to be interacting professionally with the college I graduated from.
Can you tell me about a favorite football memory? I have so many, but I would have to say beyond the countless tailgates, it has to be Philip Rivers’ last game in Carter-Finley–even though we lost (to who else, but Maryland) the atmosphere and the way the fans reacted and appreciated him for everything he did–I couldn’t have been prouder in that moment to be a part of the Wolfpack.
–Jeanenne Lang
08.26.2011
Dr. David Hinks addresses the crowd.
Chancellor Randy Woodson hosted a group of NC State alumni in Greensboro last night for a dessert reception and a presentation on how textiles continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of society.
Woodson talked to the group about the new freshman class at NC State and other bits of news from campus. The reception, held at the Greensboro Woman’s Club, was the latest in a series of events with alumni that Woodson and the Alumni Association have hosted in North Carolina, across the country and internationally.
The Greensboro alumni also heard a presentation from Dr. David Hinks, Cone Mills Professor of Textile Chemistry at NC State. He talked to the group about how NC State is using textiles to, among other things, advance forensic science, increase battery energy efficiency and protect first responders and members of the armed services.
05.05.2011
NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson and Benny Suggs, executive director of the Alumni Association, present the 2011 Faculty Awards during a ceremony at the Park Alumni Center.
The Alumni Association honored 18 NC State professors this evening for their exemplary work as teachers, researchers and scholars.
NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson, Alumni Association President Judi Grainger, and Benny Suggs, executive director of the Alumni Association, presented the 2011 Faculty Awards during a ceremony and reception at the Park Alumni Center on Centennial Campus.
“These are faculty who encourage and inspire with enthusiasm and dedication,” Grainger said. “They ignite the curiosity of students, feed their thirst for knowledge and teach the value of cooperation and collaboration
“These are faculty who empower students to reach beyond rote learning, to think independently and expansively, and believe in themselves.”
Woodson described the faculty as “intellectual catalysts” and “the cornerstone of this university.”
Chad Jordan, undergraduate programs coordinator for the Department of Plant Biology, was one of four recipients of the Alumni Association Outstanding Teaching Award. He said the recognition had special meaning because students were involved in the selection process.
“That’s the highest honor a teacher can receive, when your students recognize you,” Jordan said. “That’s thrilling.”
Alexander Deiters, an associate professor of bio-organic chemistry, was one of three professors recognized with Alumni Association Outstanding Research Awards.
“It’s nice that NC State recognizes young professors and their research before they become established,” Deiters said. “That’s a nice touch. You don’t see that very often.”
The winners of the 2011 Faculty Awards are:
Alumni Association Distinguished Undergraduate Professors
- Medwick Byrd | Department of Forest Biomaterials | College of Natural Resources
- Cynthia L. Istook | Department of Textiles and Apparel, Technology and Management | College of Textiles
- Bong-Il Jin | Department of Graphic Design and Industrial Design | College of Design
- Russell E. King | E.P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering | College of Engineering
- James A. Knopp | Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Janet F. Spears | Department of Crop Science | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Professors
- Hugh A. Devine | Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management | Department of Natural Resources
- John J. Seater | Department of Economics | Poole College of Management
Alumni Association Outstanding Research Awards
- Alexander Deiters | Department of Chemistry | College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
- Tony K. Stewart | Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Orlin D. Velev | Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | College of Engineering
Alumni Association Outstanding Extension and Outreach Awards
- John C. Begeny | Department of Psychology | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- David Hinks | Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science | College of Textiles
- Lukasz M. Mazur | Business Development | Industrial Extension Service
Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Awards
- Kofi Boone | Department of Landscape Architecture | College of Design
- Christopher J. Crosbie | Department of English | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Chad V. Jordan | Department of Plant Biology | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Dudley M. Marchi | Department of Foreign Languages and Literature | College of Humanities and Social Sciences
To view photos from the event, visit our Flickr page.
04.22.2011
The Polynesia culture of the Hawaiian islands. The charm and style of Audrey Hepburn. Glam and chic resort wear.
These may seem like disjointed themes, but on April 28 these ideas and more will come together in a colorful, creative culmination of the work done by seniors in the College of Textiles.
Nearly 20 student designers will display the skills and techniques they have learned as fashion and textile management majors at the “Threads” Senior Collection Fashion Show. Each student will be showcasing an industry quality line of their own creation.
The show is at 7 p.m. on “The Square” adjacent to the College of Textiles on Centennial Campus. Tickets are $10 for high school and college students with ID and $15 for the public. Tickets can be purchased online until April 26, and then will be available at the event.
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