The ranks are out. Kent State’s fashion program has been ranked No. 3 in the nation. While this beloved program is ranked No. 3, anyone in the program can guarantee that it really is No. 1. So here’s to you, Kent State fashion school, here’s to you.
Thank you.
Thank you for pushing me to my limits. Thank you for occasionally knocking me down off of my self-made pedestal and forcing me to realize how much I don’t know. Thank you for all of the opportunities you offer that I could never have received anywhere else. Thank you for the all-nighters and mental breakdowns.
You have provided a little taste of reality in the fashion industry. So many people come into this with grand delusions of immediately sewing fabulous garments and leisurely drawing all day. Anyone who has spent even a semester in the school learns fast that to say the fashion program is hard is an understatement. You have pushed me creatively, mentally, and even physically at times.
But you don’t only take, you give so much too. You inspire creativity simply by existing. Every time I walk into class in Rockwell Hall I am overcome with the beauty of my school. Simply put, it’s inspiring. You provide opportunities to fall back in love with fashion through the various fashion shows. I can never put into words how it feels to design a look and then have it on the runway, to see my vision come to life. You are filled with people from all over the world who push me to see the world in a different light. You are there with chances to study in New York, Florence, Paris, and Hong Kong, allowing your students to see the world. You, my wonderful fashion school, are more than I ever could have imagined you to be.
Through your guidance, I have learned how to manage time. I have learned that practice may not make perfect overnight, but teachers can tell when you didn’t practice (and you will get called out on it in class). Yes, you can be brutal, but you are one of the most rewarding experiences I could ever have.
Thank you, Kent State Fashion Program. You may have been ranked No.3, but believe me, from all of your students, you are No. 1.
