Getting to know our new Centennial Scholars
by Emily Parker, Director of College Relations

On Sunday, August 11th I drove to Asheboro, NC for the Centennial Scholar Retreat. A new crop of Wolfpackers were meeting each other and getting ready to learn more about the new world that they would be embarking upon. I was invited to participate in their team building exercises for the next couple of days. I recalled how I felt about a week before I came to NC State in the late summer of 1991. I remember feeling excited, nervous, scared, happy, a little intimidated, but oh so ready to be on my own. As I walked into the room at Camp Carraway, I saw very young faces, but I saw faces of our future. You see, these students are the Centennial Scholars for the College of Textiles. They are a group of students who came in January 2002 to interview for scholarships at the college.

These students receive $12,500 per year plus a $7,500 enrichment fund. This is equivalent to the Park Scholarship with the university. This money is raised through the Textile Foundation with individual donations and company donations. Dr. Lennie Barton is the new Executive Director of the Textile Foundation and Director of Development for the college and he makes it one of his priorities to raise this money each year.

These students are the cream of the crop and believe me, you see that when you are interviewing them. I interviewed these students in January. I am amazed by the way they handle themselves, the GPA’s and SAT’s they hold, and the extra curricular activities they participate in while in high school. All of the 40 some students that are asked to come to the college to interview are an exceptional group of students. And even if they do not receive a Centennial Scholarship, most of them come to the college regardless.

What I am trying to say is these students are the future for the textile industry and they show exceptional promise. They are learning about all sides of the textile industry from traditional to high tech and they are quickly deciding what area they want to pursue. These are the types of students that we need and want to have here at the College of Textiles.

The next day, I completed a low ropes course with them at Hornwood Inc. in Wadesboro, NC. Chuck Horne, a 1973 graduate from the college, has ropes training at his plant for all of his new employees. Each year he invites the new Centennial Scholars to participate. I saw the eleven new Centennials bond that day and I thought to myself how great it will be for them to start classes in a week and know some of their peers. On Tuesday I completed the high ropes course with the 2001 Centennial Scholars and I saw how just one year makes a difference in these students life. The Centennial Scholars truly hold a bond with each other and they prove to be the leaders for the college.

2001 Centennial Scholars

From left to right: Jeremy Cronrath, Chelsea Davis, Carrie Cornelius, Megan Brown, Naomi DeBord, Isaac Tripp (lying down), Jennifer Trotter, Philip Bradford, LaCrystal Strong (standing); Not Pictured: Celeste Moore

We would like to thank the donors to our NC Textile Foundation that sponsor our Centennial Scholars. These companies and individuals make it possible to support these outstanding students.