Centennial Scholar Kat Charrier '26 Utilized Her Enrichment Grants for a Trip to Australia
Kat Charrier, a fashion and textile management student at North Carolina State University (NC State), has had a transformative journey thanks to the North Carolina Textile Foundation (NCTF) and the Centennial Scholarship Program.
Charrier's study abroad experience at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Melbourne, Australia, was made possible by her Centennial Scholarship. This scholarship, which provides up to $22,000 in funding each year, has been instrumental in her personal and professional growth within the textile industry.
During her time in Australia, Charrier was invited to an authentic Chinese restaurant by one of her professors. This experience sharpened her ability to distinguish between ethical and misleading practices, a skill that has proven invaluable in her studies.
Exploring the local textile scene, Charrier discovered new pathways in the industry. She encountered local brands that employ community-centered approaches, such as using local seamstresses to sew their products. Another brand uses Jacquard weaving machines to produce custom jackets but mass-produces their items overseas.
Charrier's study abroad experience also opened her eyes to a new world within her education and personal life. She lived with roommates from various countries, including the United States, Australia, Egypt, Malaysia, and China. This multicultural environment enriched her understanding of different perspectives and broadened her horizons.
One of the most significant impacts of Charrier's study abroad experience was the development of connections with professors and fellow students. These relationships have contributed to her growth, both academically and personally.
The Centennial Scholarship Program, offered by the NCTF, is just one of the scholarship initiatives that provide financial support to students pursuing textile-related education and careers. The NCTF is a university foundation that supports NC State's Wilson College of Textiles, primarily focusing on scholarships, research, equipment, and faculty development for the college. Over the years, it has provided over $50 million in funding and offers more than 100 scholarships annually to students.
Charrier considers her Centennial Scholarship as a means through which she has grown into a more confident, knowledgeable, and culturally aware individual, both personally and professionally, within the textile industry. Her experience at RMIT has been life-changing, with professors who genuinely care about their students and are passionate about teaching.
Today, Charrier is back at NC State, ready to apply the lessons she's learned to her future career. She is grateful for the opportunity to study abroad and the support she received from the North Carolina Textile Foundation. As she continues her journey, Charrier's roommate now enjoys peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a culinary delight she introduced from her time in the United States.
- Kat Charrier, an undergraduate student majoring in fashion and textile management at North Carolina State University (NC State), has benefited significantly from the North Carolina Textile Foundation (NCTF) and the Centennial Scholarship Program.
- In Melbourne, Australia, Charrier's Centennial Scholarship funded her study abroad experience at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).
- The Centennial Scholarship, offering up to $22,000 annually, has played a crucial role in Charrier's personal and professional growth within the textile industry.
- During her time in Australia, Charrier learned to discern ethical practices from misleading ones, a skill she attributes to an invitation from a professor to an authentic Chinese restaurant.
- Charrier found novel paths in the textile industry while exploring local brands, from those using community-centered approaches to brands employing modern technology like Jacquard weaving machines.
- Living with roommates from several countries, Charrier experienced a multicultural environment that expanded her understanding of diverse perspectives and broadened her horizons.
- Charrier's relationships with professors and fellow students during her study abroad experience have been key to her academic and personal growth.
- The NCTF offers scholarship initiatives, including the Centennial Scholarship Program, to students pursuing textile-related education and careers.
- The NCTF supports NC State's Wilson College of Textiles, focusing on scholarships, research, equipment, and faculty development.
- Beyond scholarships, the NCTF has provided over $50 million in funding to the college and offers more than 100 scholarships yearly to students.
- Post-RMIT, Charrier, now back at NC State, is eager to apply her newfound knowledge to her future career in the fashion and textile industry, all while introducing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches—a US culinary delight—to her travel-inspired roommate.
