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UCOF TEAMS UP WITH NYC HIGH SCHOOL CAREER DAY PROGRAMS

In Blog / March 16, 2016 / 0 Comments

by Ada Onuegbe

United Colors of Fashion (UCOF) continues to partner with various New York City High Schools to host Career Day Programs. UCOF will be sharing information about fashion careers and business opportunities with students in grades through 9-12 at the following schools:

Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers

Annual Career Day

Wednesday, March 16th, 2016 11:30-3pm

411 Pearl Street, New York City, NY 10038

UCOF Vice President of Fashion Education Michael Palladino worked with MBHS Principal Naima Cook to present the 2015 Fashion Career Exploration Day. Breakout sessions were presented by fashion industry insiders who shared their experiences with Murry Bergtraum students. Sessions included Styling, Fashion Magazines, the Business of Fashion and Event Planning to name a few. We are looking forward to returning to Murry Bergtraum and furthering student engagement.

Lower East Side Preparatory High School (LESP)

Annual Career Fair

Wednesday March 23rd, 2016 – 11:00 AM to 2:20PM.

145 Stanton Street, New York, NY 10002

UCOF participated in the school’s career event last year, presenting Personal Branding workshop. We are looking forward to returning for the 2016 Career Fair and developing our ongoing partnership with the school.

Flushing High School

“5th Annual Career Conference: Visualize Your Future”

Saturday, April 9, 2016 9:00 am – 1:30 pm

35-01 Union Street Flushing, NY 11354

Due to the overwhelmingly positive response by students at last year’s Career Conference, we are excited to be returning and speaking with Flushing High School students at this years Conference.

For any information on our Fashion Career Explorations Day, Fashion Education Seminar program, or general inquiries please contact Michael Palladino: michael@unitedcolorsoffashion.org

United Colors of Fashion Hosts Fashion Career Exploration Day

In Blog / November 18, 2015 / 0 Comments

United Colors of Fashion Hosts Fashion Career Exploration Day at Murry Bergtraum High School by Ada Onuegbe

NEW YORK, NY  (October 7, 2015): United Colors of Fashion (UCOF) and the Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers (MBHS) partnered to host Fashion Career Exploration Day. The career day event was structured in a conference format. Students were led through a variety of sessions such as Styling, Event Planning and Fashion Show Production. UCOF ambassadors, industry professionals, administrators, and community leaders met personally with students at the after-program networking event.

“ ‘The High School for Business Careers’ seemed like the perfect choice,” Michael Palladino, Vice President of Fashion Education at UCOF, said of the decision to partner with MBHS. The high school is oriented towards preparing its students for business careers, offering courses in marketing, tourism, finance, human resources, information systems, economics, computer science, law, and clerical fields alongside the state standard curriculum. The career day event marked the expansion of course offerings at MBHS to incorporate Humanities-related business careers.

Fashion Career Exploration Day was well-received by both students and administrators.

Naima Cook, the new principal of MBHS as of August 2014, expects an even greater response to the rollout of the Fashion Education Seminar at the school this fall. “I know how important it is for our students to see people who look like them or have come from similar experiences achieve their dreams,” she said. “Career Day through UCOF has given our students a tangible and realistic lens on what it means to be in the Fashion industry. Students are able to connect the dots and understand why what they are doing in the math and English classes mater and how these experiences are setting them up for future success.”

Fashion Career Day Contributors and Organizers, from left: Murry Bergtraum Principal Naima Cook, Breezy Dotson, UCOF VP Fashion Education Michael Palladino, Rebecca Johnson, Sandi Bass, Jacqui Jenkins, Pamela Macklin, Coco Dotson, Everick “Rick” Brown and UCOF Founder and President Ciano Clerjuste. (Sarah Parlow was not available for the photo.)

Fashion Career Day Contributors and Organizers, from left: Murry Bergtraum Principal Naima Cook, Breezy Dotson, UCOF VP Fashion Education Michael Palladino, Rebecca Johnson, Sandi Bass, Jacqui Jenkins, Pamela Macklin, Coco Dotson, Everick “Rick” Brown and UCOF Founder and President Ciano Clerjuste. (Sarah Parlow was not available for the photo.)

The seminar “Fashion 360” will be hosted on Friday afternoons at the MBHS campus and taught by UCOF instructors. Both organizations are dedicated to providing a diverse educational experience and will integrate UCOF’s current students, who do not attend MBHS, into the seminar. “This is a great opportunity for MBHS to showcase their efforts in providing unique opportunities and to raise awareness for UCOF and our programs.”

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MBHS Fashion Career Day Schedule Sessions & Presenters

Fashion Magazines : Pamela Macklin, Former Fashion Director, Essence Magazine

Fashion Accessories: Coco & Breezy Dotson, Coco & Breezy Eyewear

Event Planning: Rebecca Johnson, Celebrevents

Fashion Retail: Michael Palladino, UCOF VP of Education

The World of Modeling: SandiBass, Sandi Bass International

The Journey of the Entrepreneur: Jacqueline Jenkins, Director of Graduate Studies at LIM

Interior Design: Everick “Rick” Brown, Rick Brown Interiors

The Numbers Game: Sindy Sagastume,UCOF VP

Fashion Styling: Sarah Parlow, Freelance Stylist

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About UCOF

United Colors of Fashion (UCOF) is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to empower underserved NYC middle school and high school students through free fashion education. The program consists of strategic seminars that introduce students to the opportunities in fashion while stressing the importance of written and oral communication skills, mathematics and the value of collaboration. For more information about UCOF and the Fashion Education Seminar Program, please visit: www.ucofacademy.org

Sandi Bass On the Importance of Changing with the Times

In Blog / October 16, 2015 / 0 Comments

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Sandi Bass On the Importance of Changing with the Times

By Ada Onuegbe

UCOF’s casting director Sandi Bass understands the fashion business from a multi-faceted perspective. She first entered the industry as a model and later channeled her modeling experiences into scouting models for agencies. Sandi’s resume lists honors such as appearing as a guest judge on America’s Next Top Model and hosting seminars for new models at agencies. She is now the owner and founder of Sandi Bass International, a U.S.-based modeling consultancy. Sandi shared her reflections on the evolution of the fashion industry here.

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Looking Back: United Colors of Fashion Gala Runway Show

In Blog / October 16, 2015 / 0 Comments

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Looking Back: United Colors of Fashion Gala Runway Show

By Ada Onuegbe

A few moments from the United Colors of Fashion (UCOF) Gala. Hosted every fall, students work in two teams to construct their diplomas in the form of a runway show.

United Colors of Fashion Hosts Fashion Career Exploration Day

In Blog / October 7, 2015 / 0 Comments

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UNITED COLORS OF FASHION HOSTS FASHION CAREER EXPLORATION DAY

NEW YORK, NY (October 7, 2015): Today, United Colors of Fashion Academy (UCOF) – a 501(c)(3) organization that offers fashion education free-of-charge to undeserved youth in New York City (NYC) – will host a fashion career exploration day for over 100 NYC high school students and guests at Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers (MBHS) – one of the first business-themed high schools in NYC.

“Our youth are the future leaders of our community,” said Ciano Clerjuste, Founder and President of UCOF. “We focus on empowering youth by providing a fashion education program at no cost to them as a way to provide guidance and help nurture their interests.”

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The 2015 UCOF Academy Media Kit

In Blog / October 6, 2015 / 0 Comments

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The 2015 UCOF Academy Media Kit

The 2015 Media Kit is now available. View it now: UCOF Academy Media Kit 2015

Williamsburg School Hosts Its First United Colors of Fashion Seminar

In Blog / August 3, 2015 / 0 Comments

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Williamsburg School Hosts Its First United Colors of Fashion Seminar

By Ada Onuegbe

IS 318 in Williamsburg hosted a four-day United Colors of Fashion (UCOF) seminar last week. Customized for prospective students, Vice President of Fashion Education Michael Palladino lead the students through a condensed version of the non-profit’s course, Fashion 360. Topics such as fashion history, terminology, career paths and marketing were covered over the daily three-hour period, which ran from July 20th through July 23rd. The grades of the students ranged from two recent middle school graduates about to enter high school through middle school age. The seminar was hosted with the support of Principal Windley and the IS 318 staff.

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Workshop at Local High School Heralds New Partnership Between United Colors of Fashion and Community

In Blog / June 10, 2015 / 0 Comments

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Workshop at Local High School Heralds New Partnership Between United Colors of Fashion and Community

By Ada Onuegbe

NEW YORK, NY – May 27, 2015 – United Colors of Fashion (UCOF) Vice President of Fashion Education, Michael Palladino, lead high school students through the fashion workshop, “The Power of Brand”. The course was presented as part of UCOF’s Fashion Education Program and was held at Lower East Side Preparatory High School in lower Manhattan.

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United Colors of Fashion Addresses Local Educators at Regional Conference

In Blog / May 5, 2015 / 0 Comments

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United Colors of Fashion Addresses Local Educators at Regional Conference

By Ada Onuegbe

NEW YORK, NY – March 28, 2015 – Michael Palladino, vice president of fashion education at United Colors of Fashion (UCOF), lead an educational workshop at the 2015 Leadership Conference Middle Schools: Pillars of Collaborative Education. Hosted by the Middle School Principals’ Association of the City of New York (MSPA), principals, administrators and community leaders were in attendance at the event.

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United Colors of Fashion Visits Local Schools

In Blog / April 21, 2015 / 0 Comments

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United Colors of Fashion Visits Local Schools

By Ada Onuegbe

United Colors of Fashion (UCOF) Manager of Education, Grace Manalo, presented fashion opportunities to students at high school Career Day events in New York. Flushing High School in Queens and Lower East Side Preparatory School in Manhattan each hosted panels of working professionals from a variety of industries. Grace shared her experience on the panel with me.

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