FCS
2009 News
Dr. Marlene Breu, professor emerita, gave a presentation titled Expressions of Faith and Identity: Sacred Artifacts in the Armenian Orthodox Churches of Istanbul in New York City on Saturday, May 16.The presentation, based on research conducted in collaboration with colleague Dr. Ron Marchese of the University of Minnesota at Duluth,was given at a day-long symposium, “The Armenian Community of Istanbul: Perspectives on Past and Present” sponsored by the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) in New York City.
"Redefined" A Fashion Show: Collections by Liza Nay
All proceeds from the show on June 27 went to Project MODA and to the WMU Textiles and Apparel Studies Program.
The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences and MODA participated in the second annual WMU Day at the Capitol which featured dozens of WMU programs and projects.
Lateshia Agnew, master's student, is the recipient of the 2009 STAR Award in the category of College Volunteer. The STAR (Sharing Time and Resources) Awards, honoring community volunteers, are given annually by the Kalamazoo Gazette and the Volunteer Center of Greater Kalamazoo. John Davis, community-resource coordinator for the Michigan Department of Human Services, nominated her for her hours spent in the Children's Corner in the DHS office. There she read stories, played games and made art projects with children who accompanied their parents to appointments. Agnew also worked with the Kids' Connection mentoring program, organizing group activities for children in the program and serving as an energetic volunteer recruiter at events such as Western Michigan University's Bronco Bash and the Black Arts Festival.
She also has volunteered with ISAAC, an interfaith social-justice group, and served on the Youth Violence Prevention Task Force.
Richard Zinser, associate professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, and Daniela Schröter of the WMU Evaluation Center are collaborating on a new project funded by the US Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education. Their job will be to evaluate the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education’s effectiveness and performance on measures from the Government Performance and Results Act. The National Center, located at the University of Louisville, conducts and disseminates research, and provides technical assistance and professional development to states. The process to evaluate the Center’s accomplishments involves convening expert panels and gathering data from key stakeholders across the United States. The evaluation contract is for $300,000 over 3 ½ years.
Congratulations to senior Liza Nay honored as a 2009 Presidential Scholar, the highest academic award that WMU can bestow to an undergraduate. Liza was selected by faculty members as the most outstanding senior in the Textiles and Apparel Studies program. Selection is based on the students' general academic excellence, academic and/or artistic excellence in their majors, and intellectual and/or artistic promise.
Associate professor Barbara Frazier, Ph.D., received a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Cooperative National Research Initiative. Dr. Frazier is co-principal investigator on the project with researchers from Iowa State University and Ohio State University. The 3 year, $500,000 project will investigate the social and economic impacts of local retailers on rural communities. The project will identify ways that the retail sector in rural communities contributes to and enhances economic development. The research team will use results of community research to develop experiential learning projects that engage college students with rural community leaders and business owners in order to expose college students to rural entrepreneurship opportunities and help communities understand how to attract and retain younger residents.
The third and final senior interior design show was held until April 3 and featured the work of Amy Vinson, Trisha Latta, Shannon Krushlin, Kaitlyn Simonsen, and Mary Farnsworth.
"Fusion 2009" is a runway-style fashion show, sponsored by MODA with support from Ansara Restaurant Group. The collections of 24 WMU student designers will be featured.
The show took place on April 3-4, at the Radisson Plaza in Kalamazoo. Half of the proceeds of the event benefited local breast health outreach programs and national breast cancer research projects.
Dr. Breu’s Research Uses Grant from Eulalia Toms Endowment Fund
In June, Dr. Marlene Breu completed data
collection in a study of sacred historical
artifacts in the Armenian Orthodox
Churches of Istanbul, with the help of a
grant from the Eulalia Toms Endowment
Fund. Along with colleague, Dr. Ron
Marchese of the University of Minnesota
at Duluth, Dr. Breu spent over 8 years
studying textile and non-textile artifacts in
the Istanbul churches. The material had
never before been studied or published.
Dr. Breu and Marchese have numerous
publications and papers on the topic, the
most recent a paper scheduled to be
presented at the 11th Textile Society of
America Biennial Symposium, September
24-27, in Honolulu. Their book on the
textile collection is scheduled for
publication by fall of 2009.
Design Major Receives Scholarship
Textile and Apparel Studies Design and Development major Dora Theodoropoulos has been awarded a scholarship from the International Textile and Apparel Association to study fashion design at American Intercontinental University in London. The scholarship competition requires students to submit examples of their design work and write an essay on their career plans. Dora is from Kalamazoo, and plans to develop her own designer label after graduation.
Patti Borrello Helps Rescue Historical Military Uniforms
Patti Borrello, graduate teaching
assistant in Textile and Apparel
Studies, attended the 34th Annual Meeting
and Symposium of the Costume Society
of America in New Orleans May, 2008.
Patti attended classes on the conservation
and preservation of textiles and
participated in an activity as part of the
CSA Angels Project to restore over 125
historical uniforms belonging to the
Jackson Barracks Military Museum
damaged in Hurricane Katrina. The
uniforms stood under 17 feet of water for
three weeks in the museum following the
hurricane. Member Mary Ann Hutcherson
said, “This and all museums in the U. S.
Army museum system support the training
and education of military personnel, serve
as a repository of the material culture of
the U.S. Army, support research and
development, and serve as a bridge for
common interest areas among military and
civilian communities.” The CSA members
formed teams to begin the conservation
and preservation process. Patti is working
on a master’s degree in theTextile and
Apparel Studies concentration.
A senior show featuring the work of Sara Ponstein, Cheryl Behnke, Erin Genrich, Laura Syth and Kristin Rahn took place in the Kohrman Hall gallary on Jan. 23 to Feb. 6
On Jan. 20 the WMU Interior Design Organization hosted a Mongolian BBQ Fundraiser to support our campus and community activities!!!