Baylor University Apparel Program Is Named One of 32 Most Influential Fashion Schools

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Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321
WACO, Texas (Feb. 13, 2014) - The Baylor University apparel design and product development and apparel merchandising areas have been ranked No. 27 on a list of "The 32 Most Influential Fashion Schools." The list was published in a blog post by FashionPlaytes.com, a website that invites tween girls to design and wear their own clothes. The program was previously recognized by fashion-schools.org in June of last year and the popular blog Fashionista in 2011.
According to Mary Simpson, Ph.D., apparel design and product development program coordinator, FashionPlaytes talked to program graduates about their Baylor experience and researched the positions that Baylor graduates have held in the industry to help create their list.
"I was so excited to learn our apparel design and apparel merchandising program areas were again recognized," Simpson said. "Our students work hard and are very committed to the quality of their work. They constantly look to learn from and improve what they have done previously and to make their best better."
The success of the apparel programs at Baylor can be attributed to a constant desire to improve the experience for students and provide hands-on experiences.
"The apparel design and merchandising program is very progressive," Simpson said. "We are constantly searching for ways to provide the opportunity for students to connect with a 'real-world' experience while they are in their undergraduate program."
In addition to internships, the real-world experiences include students' designing a fabric made from non-fabric material, creating a collection of five outfits that are highlighted in a yearly fashion show and designing and printing their own textile design using a state-of-the-art, eco-friendly textile printer.
Of course, the apparel programs would not produce successful students without exceptional faculty, Simpson said.
"There is a strong collective blend of practical and academic training and professional experiences [within the faculty]," she said. "They work to provide the students with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of apparel."
"It is our belief that graduating from either of the Baylor apparel program areas, the student is prepared, informed and ready to undertake the challenges and opportunities they will face in the world of design and merchandising."

The annual fashion show hosted by the apparel and design program is scheduled for Sunday, May 4th in Cashion Academic Center.
by Kristen Bennett, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805.
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Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.

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