Student Kat Charrier '26 Journeys to Australia Utilizing School's Enrichment Grants
NC State Fashion Student's Life-Changing Study Abroad Experience
Kat Charrier, a fashion and textile management student at NC State University, has embarked on a transformative journey thanks to the Centennial Scholarship Program offered by the North Carolina Textile Foundation (NCTF).
Based at the Wilson College of Textiles, the Centennial Scholarship Program provides students with up to $22,000 in scholarship funding each year, along with an additional $7,500 in enrichment funds. Charrier, with a concentration in fashion development and product management, was one of the fortunate recipients of this scholarship.
Charrier used her enrichment funding to study fashion and textiles at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Melbourne, Australia. This life-changing experience has allowed her to explore the local art scene, connect with local textile brands, and gain a broader perspective on the textile industry.
Living with students from various cultures and countries during her enrichment experience has been exciting and eye-opening for Charrier. Her roommates hail from the United States, Australia, Egypt, Malaysia, and China. Through her interactions with them, Charrier has discovered new pathways in the textile industry.
One of Charrier's most memorable experiences at RMIT was a dinner with a professor at an authentic Chinese restaurant. The conversation was enlightening, providing her with insights into the textile industry from a different perspective.
Charrier also had a conversation with a company that uses Jacquard weaving machines to produce custom jackets. This interaction helped her understand how to evaluate businesses more critically.
Living in Melbourne has not only expanded Charrier's academic horizons but also her personal ones. She has developed connections with professors and fellow students that have opened her eyes to a new world within her education and personal life.
Charrier is grateful to the donor who made her enrichment experience possible. She reflects on her personal growth since arriving in Australia, expressing her gratitude for the opportunities that the Centennial Scholarship has provided her.
The NCTF, a university foundation that supports NC State University's Wilson College of Textiles, focuses on providing scholarships, funding research, purchasing equipment, and faculty development. With an impact of over $50 million funded and more than 100 annual scholarships awarded, the foundation is making a significant impact on the lives of students like Charrier.
Charrier's study abroad experience at RMIT has been a turning point in her academic journey. She returned to NC State with a renewed passion for her studies and a broader understanding of the textile industry. With her sights set on a successful career in fashion development and product management, Charrier is well on her way to achieving her goals.
- The transformative journey of Kat Charrier, an undergraduate fashion and textile management student at NC State University, was funded by the Centennial Scholarship Program offered by the North Carolina Textile Foundation (NCTF).
- Charrier, with a concentration in fashion development and product management, used her enrichment funds from the Centennial Scholarship to study fashion and textiles at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Melbourne, Australia.
- During her study abroad experience, Charrier gained a broader perspective on the textile industry by exploring the local art scene and connecting with local textile brands, including a conversation with a company using Jacquard weaving machines.
- Charrier's living arrangements during her enrichment experience were enlightening, as she lived with students from various cultures and countries, such as the United States, Australia, Egypt, Malaysia, and China.
- Through her interactions with her roommates and professors at RMIT, Charrier discovered new pathways in the textile industry and developed personal connections that broadened her academic and personal horizons.
- Charrier is focused on a successful career in fashion development and product management, having returned to NC State with renewed passion for her studies, and she attributes her growth to the opportunities provided by the Centennial Scholarship.
- The NCTF, through scholarships, research funding, equipment purchases, and faculty development, is having a significant impact on the lives of students like Charrier, with an impact of over $50 million funded and more than 100 annual scholarships awarded.
