Celebrating the Triumphs of the Wilson Textile College: A Look Back at Their Victories
In the spring of 1959, a significant milestone was marked at the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. The college's bookmark program was born, with Willie Bowen, a student from Rhine, Georgia, designing the first bookmark.
Bowen, who was raised in a mill village in Rockingham, North Carolina, had already made a name for himself at NC State. He was not only an exceptional student but also worked part-time, managing to graduate in just three years. His dedication and hard work earned him a place at the top of his class, and after graduation, he was offered multiple job opportunities. However, he chose to work for the Tennessee Eastman Company, a division of the Eastman Kodak Company.
The Wilson College of Textiles bookmark program has since produced over 60 woven keepsakes, each showcasing various aspects of the college's research, history, and educational information about textiles. The themes on these bookmarks have been diverse, ranging from celebrating the North Carolina Textile Foundation to recognizing the Textile Protection and Comfort Center's 25th Anniversary, and from emphasizing sustainability to acknowledging 50 years of the Wilson College's doctoral programs.
The 2023 bookmark design competition will be centred around the theme "Wilson for Life." This tradition of student involvement continues, with Lilly Barozzini, a Centennial Scholar and a fashion and textile design student, being honoured to have her design grace the 2022 bookmark.
Bowen's legacy lives on through the Willie C. Bowen Family Scholarship Endowment, which he established through his estate in 2022. This scholarship aims to help deserving students who are in need of financial aid, and Bowen foresees it as a springboard for Wilson College of Textiles students to achieve their own level of success.
The origin and evolution of the Wilson College of Textiles' bookmark program remain an interesting chapter in the college's history. While detailed, verified history may not be readily available, it is believed that such programs typically originate as library or college outreach tools to raise awareness about research or resources, and over time evolve through student and faculty involvement, contests, and collaborations with university libraries.
For a comprehensive and authoritative account of the Wilson College of Textiles' bookmark program's history, it is recommended to check the Wilson College of Textiles official website, their library or archives, or contact representatives from the college directly.
- Willie Bowen, a graduate of the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University, designed the first bookmark for the college's bookmark program in 1959.
- The bookmark program at the Wilson College of Textiles has produced over 60 woven keepsakes, each highlighting various aspects of the college's research, history, and textiles education.
- Lilly Barozzini, a fashion and textile design student at the Wilson College of Textiles, was honoured to have her design grace the 2022 bookmark.
- The Willie C. Bowen Family Scholarship Endowment, established by Bowen in 2022, aims to help deserving students who are in need of financial aid at the Wilson College of Textiles.
- From the celebration of the North Carolina Textile Foundation to recognizing the Textile Protection and Comfort Center's 25th Anniversary, the themes on these bookmarks have been diverse and broad, emphasizing sustainability, educational information about textiles, and the college's history.
- Student involvement, contests, and collaborations with university libraries have contributed to the evolution of the bookmark program over time, making it a tool for raising awareness about the college's research and resources.
- For a detailed and accurate account of the Wilson College of Textiles' bookmark program's history, visit the Wilson College of Textiles' official website, their library or archives, or contact representatives from the college directly.
