In addition to many classroom experiences, Fashion Merchandising students have several extracurricular opportunities to learn about the apparel and retailing field:
Fashion Group- Baylor University Fashion Group is comprised of Apparel Design and Merchandising students who are able to hear industry professionals speak about their careers and network with industry contacts
Career Day - Lights, runway, meeting people in the industry and interviewing for a job are all part of the benefits of attending Career Day sponsored by Dallas Fashion Group International. Being in the market center animates the students and this experience of being in the center of the industry marketplace in Dallas is most beneficial for their understanding of the industry pipeline. Because the event is held in the Apparel Mart, we are able to draw from professionals on site to give the students inspiration. The industry professionals share real-world experiences and explain what is necessary to compete in the workplace. Student competitions in merchandising, trend boards and apparel design simulate industry work environments and challenges; the students are able to see how peers from all over the United States create designs and complete research for their projects.
Advisory Board - Representatives from manufacturing, free lance design, brand development, store owning, design, and garment technology
Guest Speakers - Fashion Merchandising is fortunate to have speakers from industry academia regularly visit the department to share valuable information with students. Recently, students have benefitted from hearing first-hand from notable speakers such as:
Ignaz Garchez is the Vice President of Visual Merchandising at Neiman Marcus' flagship downtown Dallas store.
Kitty Dickerson is the Chair of the Department of Textile and Apparel Management at University of Missouri.
Kasey Kahler from The Globe Showroom in New York.
Melanie Sandford is the Principal Conservator with Textile Preservation Services of Texas.