Grant from J.E. Sirrine Textile Foundation to Fund 10
Scholarships, Will Support Development of Web-Based Courses

CONTACT: JIM WILSON, EXT. 2283

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4/22/2002

PENDLETON --- A $67,644 grant from the J. E. Sirrine Textile Foundation will fund 10 Textile Management Technology scholarships at Tri-County Technical College beginning this fall and will support the continuing development of the College's web-based textile courses.

Specifically, $27,000 is earmarked for the 10 two-year scholarships and the remaining $40,644 will be used to fund the development of two more textile courses: TEX 102, Yarn Manufacturing, and TEX 201 Textile Manufacturing and Synthetic Fibers. These Internet courses will accommodate students who work non-traditional shifts and would like to attend college but cannot do so due to distance and time constraints. Eventually, Tri-County Technical College will offer all of the courses required for the Textile Management Technology degree over the Internet.

"The Textile Management Technology program at Tri-County Technical College has the same mission as the J. E. Sirrine Textile Foundation -- to promote and elevate textile education," said Department Head Jim Wilson. "The continued support of the J. E. Sirrine Textile Foundation is enabling us to do things we only dreamed of in the past."

'The need for qualified textile management personnel continues. These funds enable us to offer scholarships that pay for the student's entire tuition, plus up to $500 in book costs. These 10 new scholarships will be available this fall to students who are either employed in the textile industry or want to enter the textile industry at a first-line supervisor level," Wilson added.

With 12 students graduating from the program this year, some additional scholarships will be available. If you are interested in applying for one of these scholarships for fall semester, contact Jim Wilson at Ext. 2283 at the College today. The fall semester begins August 19.

More than 60 students are typically enrolled in the Textile Management Technology program at Tri-County. The degree enables the students to enhance further their capability of getting a first-line supervisory job. The majority of the students enrolled are already employed in a production or supervisory capacity with area textile firms.

"The degree allows a better chance for promotions, added Wilson. In many companies a degree is a necessity to advance into management level positions, he said.

"Firms show their dedication to these students (their employees) by furnishing scholarships annually. The support of the area textile firms helped to make Tri-County's program the strongest at any two-year college," said Tri-County President Don C. Garrison. "We are grateful to these textile companies for their generous support of our department." Since the program's inception in 1973, companies have donated nearly $2 million for scholarships.

"Today's domestic textile industry is faced with tougher competition than ever; and to compete, every company has to do a better job tomorrow than it did today," said Wilson. "We help companies achieve increased productivity and quality by providing knowledgeable, new leadership through education," said Wilson. "Our textile scholarships provide the means for 98% of our textile students to achieve a two-year degree."

"Another exciting aspect of our program is the relationship we have with Clemson University," said Wilson. Qualifying students who graduate from the Textile Management Technology program at Tri-County can get a scholarship in Clemson's textile program beginning with their first semester, he said. "Financial barriers are no longer an issue. After completing a two-year degree in the textile management program at Tri-County, anyone can reasonably expect to go on to Clemson University to complete a 4-year degree. Lisa Harrison of Seneca is attending Clemson right now as our first student to take advantage of this opportunity," he said.

"This is not the same textile industry of 30 years ago that grandmas and grandpas talk about," explained Wilson. "Today's textile industry is high-tech and computerized. To deal with changing economies, new technology, and stiffer competition, textile education is more important now than ever. As an industry, we have to be better at what we do than anyone else in the world. Truly, the world is now our competition. To achieve the greater part of the market share of the world, it will take new leadership and innovation Education can make the difference. In America, we have the best people, the best manufacturing facilities, and right here in the Tri-County area we have the educational opportunity to be the best in the world," he said.
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