Being surrounded by executives from high-end fashion labels such as Ralph Lauren, Kenneth Cole and Tommy Hilfiger is every fashionista's nirvana.
Krista Boyer, a senior marketing major, got a chance to rub elbows with these fashion powerhouses in April when she won the Fashion Scholarship Fund's $5,000 scholarship.
"I was actually in the car on the way to the beach over Spring Break when I found out," she said. "It was a great addition to that week."
According to its Web site, the FSF is a national nonprofit association consisting of influential members from the fashion community who are dedicated to promoting education of the fashion arts and business. They award about 80 $5,000 scholarships annually and provide internship opportunities and career guidance for students.
Boyer used her winnings to live in New York City over the summer and intern with Tommy Hilfiger, an opportunity that the FSF set up for her. About 20 or 30 different companies participate in the internship program.
"At Tommy Hilfiger, they have this huge apparel closet where celebrities come and get clothes for photo shoots," she said.
"Katy Perry came in a couple of times, and some of us were like, 'Is that who I think it is?'"
This opportunity for Boyer has been surreal because prior to entering college, she wanted to go to design school but wasn't accepted. Her parents then encouraged her to go to business school at UF.
"I really wish every person on this campus would apply," Boyer said. "It opened a lot of doors I didn't think were accessible, and I have met so many high-end executives that have personally given me their card and said, 'Send me your resume when you graduate.'"
While UF doesn't have a fashion design or merchandising program, the FSF still recognizes the David F. Miller Center for Retailing Education and Research as an important component of the fashion industry.
According to FSF administrator Debra Malbin, the FSF doesn't require applicants to be majoring in fashion design but to have a passionate interest that they could invest in the industry.
"We are looking to get the best and the brightest who want to be in the fashion industry, and we try to help groom their careers and get them involved in the business to become new leaders," Malbin said.
"We want the students who apply to the FSF to be liberal arts majors, math majors, business majors, in the fashion industry or whatever, we don't care. We just want to have our next group of leaders in the fashion industry."
Boyer is graduating in May, and she already has two possible job opportunities with Tommy Hilfiger and Neiman Marcus.
"In this economy, having the possibility of multiple job opportunities for just winning a scholarship speaks for itself," she said. "It has changed my life."
Now Boyer is applying for the FSF's Geoffrey Beene National Scholarship, which awards $25,000 to four recipients.
All students applying must have been previous recipients of the $5,000 scholarship. They must also write a 20-page research paper on how to deal with the changing consumer in reference to men and women's sports lines.
Boyer isn't sure what she would do with the money if she won the scholarship, but in the future she would like to start her own store that would produce a unique retail format and compete with companies like H&M.
