I will graduate May 22, 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Textile Sciences and a minor in Business Administration. I was first enrolled in the Textile program in fall of 1999. During my sophomore year I attempted to change my major and began a new course of study, but after one semester I decided to continue my general Textile studies. I had my ups and downs at UMASS almost dropping out several times due to financial and personal reasons. Thanks to several mentors (Greer Gordon, Ross Grace, Raymond Barrows, and especially Diane Williams, my mom) I stayed and finished my studies.
The Textile Science department was a small department so I got the opportunity to get to know everyone very well. This was good for study groups and the professors were also very supportive. I still contact my professors for their advice. The Textile department gave me a wonderful opportunity to attend a textile University in Terrassa, Spain for one semester. It was an unforgettable experience and I am very grateful. The time I spent abroad made me even more open-minded than I already was and made me realize the world has much more to offer than just the US or MA. The trip began my love for travel!
Aziza WilliamsQuality Assurance Director
Fifield Inc
Class 2003
I graduated from the Textile Department at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in Textile Chemistry. My education helped me land a great job in the industry immediately after graduating. I had an outstanding four years at UMass. The campus was great, the class sizes reasonable and the professors were exceptional. They were always available to answer questions about lesson plans and to explain the course work if you couldn't quite grasp it in the classroom. I had attended a couple of different schools and studied various majors before deciding upon UMass. I just couldn't find a program that I enjoyed. I wish that I would have decided on the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth sooner. I don't think that I could have asked for a better experience in the Textile Department at UMass Dartmouth.
Melynda PerruzziTextile Chemist
Battelle Memorial Institute
Natick Operations
Class 2002
I'm not sure how I decided on an education in Textile Sciences but I am very glad I did because it has been such a positive experience both while in college and in my career. I can't think of a more interesting field to work in! In 2002 I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Textile Sciences and a minor in Business Administration and could apply the skills I learned to many materials and textile related positions across a broad range of industries such as: automotive, apparel, paper, etc. Because the class size is usually small, there is a high level of interaction between professors and students and because of that I feel I got much more out of each Textile course. The capstone Senior Project was a great opportunity because it exposed me to a specialized area of study outside the normal undergraduate curriculum and allowed me to gain hands on experience. The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is probably the best school in New England for Textiles and upon graduation I had multiple job offers with local textile companies and immediately landed a job. I credit this fact to the professors in the Textile Sciences Department who are extremely knowledgeable and really care about whether or not their students get a quality education. To this day I still contact the professors to take advantage of their expertise!
Christine DiSantoTextile Technologist
U.S. Army Natick Soldier Center
