Marjorie Norton, professor of apparel, housing, and resource management in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and professor of agricultural and applied economics in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of professor emerita by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The emeritus title may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive an emeritus certificate from the university.

A member of the university community since 1980, Norton made significant contributions to the understanding of clothing and textiles through research on economic and trade policies, consumer economics, manufacturing, and merchandising. She frequently worked with textile and apparel companies and provided expert testimony on apparel safety.

In addition, Norton was an editorial board member of the Clothing and Textiles Research Journal and Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, and she also served as a frequent reviewer for other national and international journals and conferences.

At Virginia Tech, Norton taught both undergraduate and graduate courses on consumer economics of apparel and textiles, global trade policies in clothing and textiles, and international sourcing of apparel and textiles. She was the advisor to 18 doctoral students, 14 master's degree students, and several hundred undergraduate students. Her work in the classroom was recognized with the university’s William E. Wine Award for Teaching Excellence.

Norton is a Fellow of the International Textile and Apparel Association and was a member of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and of the American Council on Consumer Interests.

Norton received her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

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