WSU Wins Grant For Fashion Scholarships

PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State University’s Apparel, Merchandising and Textiles program won the first institutional level scholarship competition at Fashion Group International of Seattle.

WSU received the group’s $12,500 scholarship grant in recent ceremonies in Seattle.

Deborah Vandermar, the group’s co-chair for the event, said FGI of Seattle has given scholarships for many years, handling applications directly from students. This year the organization switched to giving scholarship grants to universities, which administer them to students.

The mechanism is an annual competition among universities, which make proposals to FGI of Seattle. Vandermar said four universities applied for the organization’s 2002 scholarship and grant. WSU’s proposal won.

Carol Salusso, apparel, merchandising and interior design grant co- author, said WSU will spend $10,000 for scholarships to be awarded for Spring 2003 semester, and $2,500 to strengthen the university’s connection to the Seattle-based industry through supporting travel and other activities.

The program’s recent career forum held at the Bon Marche in Seattle with high level industry speakers is an example of such networking opportunities, Salusso said. Expanding field trips, internships and involvement in Fashion Group International also are examples of strengthening the industry-education linkage.

Four general scholarships of $2,000 each will be based on financial need and impact on students’ ability to meet the increasing cost of college. One will be awarded to an international student, one to a student studying abroad, and one to a graduate student. The fourth will have no such restrictions.

In addition, WSU will award a $1,000 Stella Warnick Outstanding Leadership in Apparel Design scholarship, which honors a retired Seattle Pacific University professor, and a $1,000 scholarship for Outstanding Performance in Retailing or Merchandising. It honors the late Olive J. Smith, who was a buyer and executive with Bon Marche.

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