“We are extremely excited to partner with the North Carolina Textile Foundation and the College of Textiles in support of the Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management department,” said Kenneth T. Kunberger, president & CEO of ITG and Burlington Foundation Trustee. “The college has recruited many of the best and brightest students and ITG and Burlington have benefited greatly from our relationship with both the students and the faculty. We believe that through this investment we have the ability to strengthen and expand the visibility of the TATM program within the industry and further enhance the skills and career readiness of its students to compete as future leaders and employees.”
Dr. Nancy L. Cassill, professor and interim department head, TATM, characterized the gift as a game-changer.
“As a department and a College, we are committed to providing students with opportunities that develop the skills they need to succeed and be positive forces in the industry as soon as they begin their careers,” she said. “The Model Internship program will allow for the creation of more of those chances and the extension of existing ones. It speaks to the ‘Think and Do’ philosophy that is N.C. State.”
The gift is indicative of the robust partnership that has existed between industry and the College of Textiles for decades, said Dr. David Hinks, interim dean.
“With more than $14 million in grants from more than 160 separate companies throughout the U.S. and the world, the College of Textiles is focused on assisting the textiles industry not only with providing future leaders, but also in aiding economic prosperity through textiles discovery and innovation,” he said. “We are proud of our longstanding and close relationship with our innovative North Carolina partner, ITG, and we are especially grateful to Ken Kunberger and his team for providing this very generous gift. It will enable our fashion and textile management and design programs to move to the next level through enriching experiences that will help ensure our primary goal is achieved: student success.”
Source: N.C. State University
Kenneth T. Kunberger, president & CEO of International Textile Group (ITG) and a Burlington Foundation Trustee (center), speaks with N.C. State College of Textiles students. Burlington's $500,000 gift will enhance existing and create new internship opportunities for students in the College's Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management department.
Posted November 2, 2015
RALEIGH, N.C. – There may be no better preparation for post-commencement employment than the kind of real-world experience delivered on the job through undergraduate internships. A gift made to the N.C. State College of Textiles ensures that those valuable opportunities are expanded and enhanced in coming years so that the textiles industry’s next generation of leaders are ready to succeed even before they receive their diplomas.
The Burlington Foundation has gifted $500,000 to the North Carolina Textile Foundation to support the College’s department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management (TATM) at the request of Greensboro, N.C.-based International Textile Group, Inc. (ITG), a provider of textile solutions across apparel, uniform, commercial, specialty and automotive markets. A portion of the funds will be available to support programs, faculty and students, while an endowment will provide for long-term growth of the department. In particular, the gift provides for the development of a “model internship program.”
The internship program will include a two-prong approach which includes:
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Outreach to targeted global textile organizations to build brand awareness of the Fashion and Textile Design and Fashion and Textile Management programs. These efforts would include the creation of new partnerships and opportunities for internship, education and research collaborations.
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Enriched professional development through experiential learning to provide further preparation for industry leadership.
A ‘GAME CHANGER’
Burlington Foundation’s gives $500,000 to N.C. Textile Foundation
