United Colors of Fashion Hosts Fashion Career Exploration Day

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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.”

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