Development
A Strong Partnership
When Ian Hardin agreed to meet representatives of the Georgia Soft Goods Education Foundation for lunch in 2003 he had no idea their conversation would lead to an eight-year partnership with the Department of Textiles, Merchandising, and Interiors. The GSGEF, a non-profit organization of apparel and soft goods industry professionals, knew of the quality of the TMI programs and was looking for graduates who could operate successfully in the international business environment that is today's reality.
GSGEF supports a variety of initiatives in TMI: funding of faculty to teach new courses in global sourcing and apparel manufacturing; graduate assistantships; travel awards for the study abroad program in China; and, in 2006, establishing the Georgia Soft Goods Education Foundation Distinguished Professorship.
With GSGEF funding supplementing contributions by the Family and Consumer Sciences Fund for Excellence, Emily Blalock's class created one of the most visible signs of the partnership on campus: Couture a la cart. This movable kiosk store sells clothing and accessories on consignment by fashion merchandising classes and other UGA students, as well as necklaces made by children in a Ugandan orphanage. Blalock's students learn how hard it is to successfully run a business. From managing the schedule, to inventory, pricing, advertising, and visual merchandising, it takes a lot of time, determination, and creativity to make a successful retail venture.
"The most important life skill the students learn from running Couture a la cart, is that failure or challenges are a part of life," Blalock says. "It is OK to fail as long as you learn from your mistakes. I encourage the students to think big and think entrepreneurially, even if the end result isn't grand."
Alecia Brooks, whose salary is offset by GSGEF gifts, brings industry experience with computer-aided design software and technology to students through her "CAD for Apparel Design and Production" class. The course provides an overview for students of a variety of software used for preproduction in the clothing industry. These software programs take a garment from the design concept through all of the steps necessary for production.
Leah Gautreaux, a senior fashion merchandising major from Athens who hopes to pursue a career in sales or buying, says the course has helped her gain an understanding of these CAD programs. "I didn't remotely realize what went into garment making," she says. "Employers like seeing a diverse background and this will be another technology I'm familiar with. Also, it's always helpful to have some understanding of what the people in production are going through."
When asked about the effect of the Soft Goods gifts on the department, Patricia Hunt-Hurst, TMI department head, first exclaimed "Wow!" then added, "the impact has been adding a real international component to our fashion merchandising curriculum especially global sourcing and logistics. They are helping us prepare students to go out into the global industry."
Leslie Buchanan is one of many FACS students and alumni to benefit from the Georgia Soft Goods Foundation.
Leslie Buchanan, (BSFCS '09, Fashion Merchandising) is co-owner of a private women's clothing label named Ben that is carried in boutiques in St. Simons and Atlanta and regularly travels to Milan and Paris to purchase luxury fabrics for her collections. She echoes Hunt-Hurst's sentiments, saying her classes gave her understanding and insight into working in a global industry. "I would argue that fashion is one of the most global reaching industries there is," Buchanan says. "On any given day, I might order fabric from India, buy snaps from China, and talk to a rep from Belgium. I feel that my education in UGA classrooms and abroad (I took a Maymester abroad to China, which I very much recommend!) has helped set me up for success in the global fashion industry."
From a simple lunch to a strong partnership, GSGEF is a true friend of FACS. The Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors stands stronger and students have more opportunities due to GSGEF support.
| Suzanne Griffeth is a Development Officer for the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. For more information on how to give a current
or deferred gift,
please contact Suzanne at 706-542-4881, by email at suzanne@fcs.uga.edu, or write to her at FACS, 224 Dawson Hall, UGA, Athens, GA 30602. |
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