Transcription
H B C UF A S H I O NOur StoryEdited by: Bridgett Clinton-Scott
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H B C UF A S H I O NOur StoryA Collection of EssaysEdited by: Bridgett Clinton-Scott
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T A B L EO FC O N T E N T SINTRODUCTIONUNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE (UMES)FASHION STUDENTSUNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE (UMES)FASHION ALUMNI
I N T R O D U C T I O NWhat is your purpose in life? How often have youheard this question posed to you or heard someoneattempt to answer it? When I was a young child Ialways knew I’d do something related to fashion. Iloved getting dressed up as a child and stylingmyself. I would change my clothes at least twice aday as a child and when coloring images in mycoloring books I’d always color rainbows and createmy own patterns on the images. It was the creativityand the ability to express myself that I loved somuch about fashion. As I’ve continued down thepath of life, fashion has always been there to inspireme and motivate me to live out my purpose.In pursuit of my purpose I attended an HBCUearning a Bachelor’s degree in Human Ecology witha concentration in Fashion Merchandising. My timein college earning my undergraduate degree was anecessary step on my path to purpose. Myexperience at an HBCU, specifically the Universityof Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) ignited newdesires in me that I didn’t know existed. In takingthe first step of many steps toward pursing my loveof fashion, I also found my love for learning andteaching.In this book I hope to inspire everyone whoperuses its pages to make up in your mind todaythat you will live a life of purpose, and everydaychoose to pursue purpose, and DO IT! The processis not precise, in fact you will be challenged, youwill experience setbacks, fear, and doubt. This isprecisely why you must first have a made-upmind and develop an attitude of resilience,resolving to keep going after your purpose nomatter what the cost. You may be thinking toyourself, “what does this have to do with HBCUfashion?” My answer to you is, EVERYTHING.The stories you will read in this book are alltestimonies of individuals who have realized bitsand pieces of their purpose, which happen to beconnected to their experiences as college studentsstudying fashion. While their path to purpose isbeginning with their love of fashion, much like mystory, you must determine where your pathbegins. My hope is for this book to motivate you toseek out your purpose just like the students andalumni in this book did. Know that you can andwill realize your life’s purpose . all you have todo is keep seeking and it will find you.
P R O F E S S O RO FA L LT H I N G SF A S H I O NI always knew I would have a career in a fashion-related field and growingup with family members who attended Historically Black Colleges (HBCU) Iknew I wanted the same college experience. As life would have it, I not onlyattended an HBCU as an undergraduate student I have made teaching at anHBCU my life’s work.As a former student at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), itwas my college professors who opened my eyes to all of life’s possibilities(pursing a dual degree and attending graduate school) and encouraged me tobe great. Although I am often tired, I love what I do, I love teaching, I lovemy students, and I will continue teaching, advising, mentoring, helping, andexposing my students to every opportunity that comes my way. I do thisbecause it is my life’s calling. I am fulfilling my life’s purpose and I knowthat at the end of my career my greatest reward will be having helped everystudent who crossed my path to get one step closer to achieving their goals.The students, alumni, and I are building togethering in GREATNESS!Dr. Bridgett Clinton-ScottAssociate ProfessorUMES Alumna c/o 2002
UMESFashionStudents"Through fashion, I pushed myself to limits I never knew I was capable of achieving"-Tamber Jackson
Writing this essay and being pushed to do somethinggreater with no limits, reminds me of the passion I have fordesigning and fashion. I came to an HBCU initially becauseI had been inspired by my sister to do so. She attended anHBCU, but not for very long. I figured, with herexperiences, I could utilize them by making them my own.I wanted to experience campus life and studentorganizations for the both of us. I had also been inspired byanother fashion major from my hometown of Baltimore, topursue fashion at UMES.I saw all the great things that were being done within theprogram and believed that I too could achieve great thingsat UMES. Four years ago when I arrived at UMES, I hadhigh hopes of what I thought college would be like. Iexpected college to just bring me the good experienceswithout realizing that much like anything in life, anexperience is all that you make it. I would have to describemy experience here as rocky. At times much like now, I lostmyself, but the beauty of it is that with class projectsrelated to designing garments, creating my brand andtextile designs, I found myself all over again. College hasbeen an experience of many deaths and rebirths. I lostmyself and found myself over and over again, plenty oftimes.Through fashion, I pushed myself to limits I never knew Iwas capable of achieving. Here at UMES, I learned how tosew and make many of my small accomplishments come tolife. I have created things for other people, sold products,and even watched my designs take shape, in front of a liveaudience. Being in the fashion program has led me to mypurpose because it has simply given me the courage not togive up on my dreams. It has taught me that there areendless possibilities.Tamber JacksonSeniorFashion Merchandising MajorMany of the mentors, have told stories of how theyhave struggled, cried, laughed, smiled, conquered,and succeeded, but most importantly they nevergave up on their goal. From this program, I havehonestly learned a lot of positive things to help mewith my mental health as a creative person.We see people and believe that they have gotten totheir greatest heights without a struggle, but fromthis program and from my interaction with otheralumni mentors, I have learned that this belief is notalways true. Determination, persevering and oftenstruggling are keys to success. This lets me knowthat when I fail I must redirect myself for whateverthe challenge requires, and keep on going. Thefashion program in short, has taught me that I havethe creative ability and determination to fulfill mygoals!
When I was in elementary school teacherswould always ask the question, “What do youwant to be when you grow up?” My answer wasalways a fashion designer. That was the onething about which I was consistently sure. Attimes I would have doubts and think aboutother occupations like dermatology or teaching,but those careers never really appealed to me.Growing up I had always felt out of place. I grewup in a predominantly black school, but I didn’treally feel comfortable. I always knew that I wasdifferent and my environment made that clearto me. In elementary and middle school, I gotbullied a lot and fashion design was my escapefrom everyday life.I loved watching RuPaul’s Drag Race andAmerica’s Next Top Model. It amazed mewatching all these beautiful people of color ontelevision.Sadani Percy-ByrdJuniorFashion Merchandising MajorWhen I began searching for colleges to attend, Iwanted to go to Parsons or FIT, but growing up I wasput into sports and fell in love with volleyball. Thisstimulated my desire to play on a college level.Unfortunately, major fashion schools don’t offersports, so I started searching for fashion programsand came across UMES.I was so excited to go to UMES and now that I amhere, I was initially shocked to meet so many peoplelike me people that love to express their creativityand not let anyone tell them differently. One of thereasons why I chose UMES is because my mom wentto an HBCU and I wanted to follow in her footsteps.UMES and HBCUs, in general, have taught me thateveryone is different, and even though we have thingsin common with one another everyone is allowed tobe their best individual selves.Since being at UMES my college experience has beenan interesting experience. I have learned that itdoesn’t matter where you come from or how yougrew up there will always be a place for everyone inthis world. UMES has helped shape me into theconfident and creative person that I am today.
In my senior year of high school, I decided I wantedto attend college at a Historically Black College orUniversity (HBCU). Being an African Americanwoman in today's society I wanted to be somewhereI felt comfortable and supported. Now that I amactually at an HBCU, I definitely feel the supportamongst the students who are just trying to seeeach other succeed.My HBCU college experience has definitely beenamazing! I have truly learned so much just beinghere. Outside of classes, I think I really learned a lotabout communication and networking. I alsoovercame my terrible procrastination problem. Ithink I am now someone who can definitely handlemany tasks at once and work under pressure.My purpose was to be creative and step out of mycomfort zone. I do think that my experiences haveled me to my purpose. I am grateful for havingaccess to so many opportunities throughout myjourney. I have had so many hands-on experiencesfrom studying abroad in Italy to earning myAssociates degree in the dual degree programfrom the Fashion Institute of Technology. I can'twait to see what the future holds for me and mycareer!A life lesson that I learned from college is to alwaysshow up for yourself. There were so many times Idecided to have fun with friends instead of figuringout what I needed to do for myself. It was makingme have a really hard time keeping up with classes. Ilearned to really put myself first and make mystudies a priority before anything else. I believethese new abilities can truly shape my future as I goforth to discover more opportunities. Attending anHBCU and also being a part of the fashion programhas shaped me into a true fashionista.Aleecia JoofSeniorDual Degree Fashion Merchandising Major
I chose to attend an HBCU because I came from apredominantly white high school where I didn't haveteachers or many students who were AfricanAmerican. I come from a small town where fashion isnot as accessible or even taken seriously as a career.Coming to an HBCU has given me the opportunity tobe able to have professors who share the sameethnicity and backgrounds, and also peers who helpme succeed not only in the classroom, but also in life.Seeing the fashion and styles at an HBCU was aculture shock for me. I was so used to everyonedressing the same, having such an acceptable andsimple style where I’m from. Looking at otherstudents and studying the way they dress, I noticeda uniqueness about each different individual andtheir confidence. The way they dressed representedtheir personality. Seeing so many students wholooked like me and who weren’t afraid to show theirconfidence in the way they dressed inspired me tofind my own style and become more confident in mylooks.I would describe my HBCU experience as memorableand something that I will carry with me for the restof my life. I’ve met professors and friends withwhom I have been able to network and I plan to usethese connections in my career after graduating. Myexperience in the fashion program allowed me tostart my own streetwear brand, build a networkamong my peers and alumni and it has given meknowledge that I will carry with me for a lifetime.Tianna CunninghamJuniorFashion Merchandising Major
Vante ThomasSeniorFashion Merchandising MajorAttending an HBCU was my ultimate goal whenseeking out a college because I wanted to bepart of a community that supports diversity andinclusiveness. Going to a university where blackculture is celebrated and not suppressed wasalso motivation for me to attend University ofMaryland Eastern Shore. Since I've always beenpassionate about fashion, choosing fashionmerchandising as a major was a no-brainer.During my time in the fashion program I havegained valuable knowledge to fully prepare mefor my future career. Also the benefit ofreceiving my education at an HBCU has enabledme to grasp the amazing black collegeexperience.This experience included being introduced tomany different cultures and being exposed tolike-minded creative individuals that positivelyinfluenced me. Having instructors and advisorsthat take pride in preparing me for successbeyond the curriculum is something for whichI am grateful. The Fashion Merchandisingprogram not only taught many things about thefashion industry, but also it prepared andinspired me to be an amazing fashionprofessional. Choosing to major in fashion hasencouraged me to be creative and it has taughtme to look beyond the now and look into thefuture to forecast what’s next. The fashionprogram also provided me with many greatopportunities. Thanks to the fashion program Iwas able to appear in two magazines for theprogram and I also served as Mr. Human Ecology,representing the Human Ecology Club. Going toan HBCU has also taught me to be open-mindedand being open to new ideas, cultures, andindividuals of different perspectives. Currently Iam taking the knowledge that I’ve gained incollege and applying it in my retail position atNordstrom. I am also conceptualizing my ownbrand. These are two things from which I havegained much fulfillment and I’m looking forwardto my future with these endeavors! UOUCOMING SOON!
My life at UMES has been a rollercoaster ride. Lets goback to when it all started. As a young girl, I was alwaysfascinated with fashion and being creative as far as mysense of style. In middle school, I was accepted into anall-girls after school program where we learned aboutbeing young women. This program taught me manypersonal skills and helped me to come out of myintrovertive shell. I was then accepted into a vocationaltech high school where I took courses in cosmetology. Iwas never interested in doing hair or anything related toit, but I knew that it was similar to the fashion field.My high school was predominantly white and there wasnot much diversity among the students or staff. Duringmy 9th grade year my parents separated after a 14 yearmarriage and I struggled with my academics. My schoollacked guidance counselors for me to talk to so I usedfashion as an outlet to get away from my circumstances.I started creating outfits using an app called Polyvore. Inmoments where I felt the need to just find some peacethat is what I did. Fast forward to my senior year of highschool, it was time to apply to colleges. My ideal goal wasto attend an HBCU, however; with the lack of guidance, Ihad to complete college applications on my own. Myguidance counselor never pushed me to attend auniversity. Instead she recommended that I attend acommunity college, but I knew I was not settling forthat. After being denied by other schools, UMES was theonly school to reach out to me about potentialacceptance if I participated in their summer bridgeprogram. It was as if they saw potential in me.Fashion is my therapy and I find peace creatingart. I have been through some rough patchesdealing with very traumatic situations in my life,but I have found "the light at the end of everytunnel." Being in this program, I have met someamazing creative persons like myself who havetaught me how to relate interpersonally withothers. Dr. Clinton, has made a huge impact in mylast years of being here at UMES.The Fashion Entrepreneur Program was a greataddition to our program, and I will never regrethaving joined. Having the ability to learn so muchand network with so many great individuals andalumni is breathtaking. I can definitely say thatthis program has brought the best out of me as acreative person and I have been able to work onmy brands in a more efficient and effective way. Iam truly grateful and blessed to have the fashionmajor professors and classmates that I do.Donzhane LyonsJuniorFashion Merchandising Major
The history and wealth behind Historically BlackColleges and Universities (HBCU) are whatmotivated me to attend one. With a long history ofeducating African American and Hispanic students,UMES offered a unique opportunity for me to bepart of our nation’s rich cultural history and to be apart of something bigger than myself. My time atUMES has molded me into a new person and forgeda path for me to further understand what I amwanting to achieve. Not only have I createdmemorable experiences at UMES, but I also havegained a wealth of knowledge through thecommunity that surrounds me. I have gotten achance to be on a team, be a leader, and learn skillsthat will take me throughout my life.While in college I have gone through so many lifechanges, things I never thought I could bear.However, if it is one thing that I have learned it isthat I am stronger than I thought I was. Being onmy own, learning to navigate life, as well asproviding for myself has allowed me to become acultured man with a fundamental mission to helphumanity. In whatever career I have I want to beremembered for bringing communities togetherand being a good person. I believe in equality for allso that generations after mine can elevatethemselves. A life lesson that I learned while incollege is to be the change I want to see in theworld, it is the best way to ensure increasing effortsfor positive changes within the world. In myconcentration (fashion merchandising) we havelearned about the business side of the fashionindustry as well as humanitarianism withinNathan DanceSeniorFashion Merchandising Majorhuman ecology and economics. Overall, Ihave never been the ideal student. SometimesI do not do things on time, or I mayprocrastinate. However, the fashion programhas taught me how to sew, run a store, andcreate in a visionary way. Throughout theprogram I have gained the knowledge tosucceed in a fashion career.I am learning the creative process and how topay attention to detail. In summary, thefashion program has led me to my purpose bygiving me an understanding of a career andhow I can use it to make an impact within mycommunity.
Growing up as a military child I had theopportunity to travel to and live in severalcountries including Italy, Japan, South Korea,and Cuba. Being exposed to the cultures of somany countries gave me a new perspective onfashion. I have always found fashion veryinteresting, especially being able to see howdifferent countries dress based on backgroundand culture. Having this kind of exposure soyoung helped me to realize how much I lovedfashion and my experiences confirmed for methat fashion is the career path I want to pursue.I wanted to be around people that looked like mesince I have never been in that type ofenvironment. I felt as if it was necessary to havethat kind of exposure. Attending UMES and being apart of the fashion program has opened my eyes,completely, giving me a new perspective on somany different things. I am happy that I was ableto attend an HBCU because it made me the personI am today.Kassidy LanghamSeniorDual Degree Fashion Merchandising MajorWhen I began my college search, initially noneof them seemed to be the right fit for me. So Idecided to attend a college fair in my city andUMES happened to be there. The recruiterinformed me of the NYC fashion exchangeprogram and immediately I was sold. New YorkCity was a place that I have always dreamed ofand being able to find an HBCU that could helpme achieve that goal was enlightening. To add,both of my parents attended HBCUs, so it feelsnice to be able to continue that legacy. Thus far,my experiences at UMES has been amazing.I have been able to participate in fashion showsand meet lots of kind and like minded people.When I was in high school there wasn’t anyonethat I could talk to about fashion; it seemed likeno one cared about it besides me. In that sense itmade me feel slightly out of place because Icouldn’t find people that had the same interestin fashion.
As I approached the end of my last year of HighSchool, I always wanted to attend an HBCU.Attending a predominantly black school, I felt mostcomfortable seeing faces of my ethnicity. A handfulof my family members have all attended profoundHBCUs. I wanted to follow the same footsteps. Ibelieve I made this decision because I imaginedmyself helping the black community. I have seenmultiple occasions where there are limited optionsfor black people, in terms of styles that look good.Coming to an HBCU, my experience has been filledby this desire to strengthen the black community.was in academics from professors/teachers andmy parents. Having spent four years at UMES, issecond nature to interact with an unfamiliar face.In most cases, I end up learning more about thatperson as I move forward. Being at an HBCUtaught me a lot.My time spent at an HBCU has taught me thatyour community can be your greatest ally.Everyone connects through social media, findingways to help one another. Everyday I see studentshelping each other in class, offering tutoring, andeven keeping each other company in class. GroupsMy experience at an HBCU, UMES specifically, has on campus give us a chance to relax and offerbeen filled with a sense of "fitting in while standing companionship through organizations, socialfellowships, and Greek life. Even those in theout." When roaming the campus, I meet peoplefrom all over. Being a fashion merchandising major, fashion program help guide me towards mypurpose.I can’t help but to admire the different styles I seeevery day. The number of styles I see all have aWhile in the fashion program, I had my eyesrunning theme, and it seems almost coordinated.openedto the raw talent for coordination andBesides fashion, I see young people finding newstyling. My first class in the fashion program was aways to help each other. This took some gettingvery inspiring experience. I remember stressingused to because the only times I received helpover an assignment to the point where it wassubmitted on the last day. Once I receivedfeedback, I was shocked by how well it pleased myprofessor. Along with an in-class assignmentrequiring a color story, it touched my heart to hearthat the same professor, Dr. Jacob, wanted todisplay my work as a template for other classes.Because of this talent, Dr. Jacob approached meabout collaborating on a project. My love forJustin "JD" Harrisonstyling grew ten times because of him. I plan toJuniorspend the rest of my time in the fashion programFashion Merchandising Majorto strengthen my skills, knowledge, and talent tobecome a great stylist.
Darienne PennSophomoreimagined it would be, however I’m still gratefulfor the experiences I’ve had. As a sophomore incollege I can say things seem almost back tonormal with precautions in place. I’ve made alot of new friends, especially in the fashiondepartment. Being in a unique major, classes aresmaller and it is easy to build close relationshipswith teachers and classmates. Through takingdifferent courses and having virtual fashiontours I was able to learn about different careerpaths that I can pursue including fashionforecasting, retail buying, and even interiordesign.Fashion Merchandising MajorChoosing to study fashion is one of the bestdecisions I’ve made in my life. I wanted tostudy fashion because I’ve always loved toexpress myself through dress since I was ayoung child. It was hard for me to take the leapof choosing this career because I come from afamily of educators and fashion is sounconventional and different compared toother majors. After researching the field anddiscovering that I could create the future Iwanted for myself, I decided to follow mydream!I was motivated to attend an HBCU specificallyUMES because my grandparents both attendedand met at the university. Seeing them soproud of their HBCU, supporting theuniversity, and being involved in Greek lifemade me certain that this is where I wanted toattend college. Being in college during apandemic has definitely been different than IBeing immersed in my major at this point, Ihave become more inspired every day becauseI’m surrounded by creative people who I cantalk to about current trends, fashion styles, andyoung entrepreneurs. Participating in theHuman Ecology Fashion EntrepreneurshipProgram and creating my own brand, StyleEnvy Apparel, gave me an outlet to trysomething new that I never envisioned doing atthis age. Before starting college I knew fashionwas my passion but through this program I amsure this is what I truly want to do as a careerand I am thankful for such a supportive familyand school community.
I was motivated to attend an HBCU because Iwanted to feel connected to my roots. I grew upin a predominantly black neighborhood inPrince George’s County, Maryland and choosingto attend an HBCU was an easy choice. Decidingto come to the University of Maryland EasternShore was the best decision I have ever made.The moment I stepped foot on campus, I feltright at home.My experience here at the University ofMaryland Eastern Shore (UMES) has beenamazing! I have met some great people that Ican call my best friends. I’ve met a lot of peoplefrom different places, and learned aboutdifferent cultures. UMES has a lot to offer that Ifeel a lot of people, especially incomingfreshmen, need to know academically andpersonally. The student leaders and faculty arevery helpful and friendly when it comes towelcoming everyone.The life lessons that I have learned while beinghere are that you will learn how to become moreindependent, grow and become an adult. I havelearned how to balance my time with myacademics, organizations, and personal life.Being here has shown me to be outgoing withwhat I want to do in my career. Lastly workinghard and being creative pays off a lot and makesme feel great as a person and proud of myaccomplishments. My many experiences havetransformed me into a better version of myself.Amya EllisJuniorFashion Merchandising MajorMy experience in the fashion program hasled me to my purpose because being in thefashion program has allowed me to use mycreativity. Being a part of the FashionEntrepreneurship Mentor Program hasallowed me to be creative and allowed meto learn about branding and promotion. Myparticipation in the program has exposedme to different career paths that involveme using my creativity, and somedaybecoming a fashion designer, owning myown fashion line!
Taylor BrownJuniorFashion Merchandising Majoreach college offered, UMES stood out to me themost because it was affordable, closer to homeand had a family environment.Attending college at UMES has helped me get toknow my inner self. My overall college experiencehas helped bring me out of my shell in a veryexpressive way. In high school I felt like everyonewas judgmental so I never took the opportunityto really express myself because of this. In collegemy experience has been different.Both of my parents attended HBCUs and as ayoung child I was always exposed to theculture of HBCUs. My mother graduated fromUMES in 1999 and I had aunts and uncles thatalso graduated from HBCUs, so I have been todifferent campuses and have a goodunderstanding of the culture. Since I attendeda prominently white high school I wasdetermined to experience the HBCU collegelife.When I began applying to colleges, I applied toseven HBCUs that all had a fashion programand a D1 softball team, which were my twomain requirements. When examining whatOne important life lesson I’ve learned in collegeis, the HBCU college experience is really what youmake it. Being exposed to so much knowledge,new experiences, and opportunities instilled amindset in me that, "the sky is truly the limit. "Attending UMES has given me access to my HBCUdream. Here I have been able to serve as MissMaroon & Gray (2021-2022), to become a HawkAmbassador, and to join the Delta Sigma ThetaSorority; All of this has been a dream fulfilled.Being part of the fashion program at UMEScreated an outlet for me to discover who I am. Ithas also provided many opportunities which Iused to my advantage. The HBCU collegeexperience has inspired me to become optimistic.I am so excited to see what the future holds forme.
UMESFashionAlumni"Attending an HBCU was the best thing that ever happened to me, and once I gotthrough the first semester I understood the pride behind attending one. Thestudent organizations, the games, the chants, the rivalries, and the homecomings,I realized I was becoming a part of a legacy."- Morgan K. Martin
CreativeMorgan K. MartinDesigner & Creator of Black Box HattersUMES Alumna c/o 2011“You can go to school any place, but no school willlove you and teach you to love yourself and knowyourself like Hillman.” A line from one of my favoritescenes from the 90s sitcom A Different World hasalways stuck with me. Although Hillman was afictional HBCU, the weight of the words from thatparticular scene where Whitley is explaining toDwayne why she chose an HBCU had so muchimpact. No one understands the pride and legacy thatcomes with attending an HBCU unless you attend anHBCU. I certainly understood the importance but notthe impact; graduating from an arts high school I wascertain I would end up in New York or Phillyattending an arts college.Attending an HBCU was the best thing that
Fashion Merchandising Major. When I began searching for colleges to attend, I wanted to go to Parsons or FIT, but growing up I was put into sports and fell in love with volleyball. This stimulated my desire to play on a college level. Unfortunately, major fashion schools don't offer
