CCAC Alumnus Designs Eco-Friendly Clothing - Community ...

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CCAC Career Services Career Services supports the CCAC community by delivering quality career and placement assistance to students, alumni and community members by engaging them in all phases of their career development, from discovering their career path to finding a position in the job market. Allegheny Campus 808 Ridge Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15212 412.237.2545 Robert Kmetz Career Services Director Boyce Campus 595 Beatty Road Monroeville, PA 15146 724.325.6771 Charles Bostaph, PhD Career Services Director North Campus 8701 Perry Highway Pittsburgh, PA 15237 412.369.3631 David Young Career Services Director South Campus 1750 Clairton Road West Mifflin, PA 15122 412.469.6214 Melanie Porach Career Services Director Career Services offers an array of on-and off-campus job fairs for students and alumni throughout the year. If you are interested in attending a job fair or need career assistance, contact the CCAC Career Services office nearest you, or visit the CCAC Career Services website. degree at CCAC, James decided to transfer to Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) to study fashion merchandising. While at IUP, he collaborated with other fashion students to host a campus fashion show entitled “Fashionably Late,” in which he showcased his own designs. After graduating from IUP in 2003 with a BS in fashion merchandising and a minor in small business management, James accepted a position as a visual specialist at the former Lazarus-Macy’s department store in downtown Pittsburgh. He continued to design and make eco-friendly clothing, which he sold at Luxx, a boutique in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood. James also worked on several Indie charity fashion shows with Salon Nuvo in downtown Pittsburgh. Although he enjoyed working and living in Pittsburgh, James soon realized the city was not ideal for launching a career in fashion. Thus, when Lazarus-Macy’s shut its doors in April 2004, James decided to take the next step on his educational path and enrolled at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. As a student pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in California, James says internships were extremely valuable. In 2006, he traveled to New York to intern with Kai Kühne, a German-born model and designer. As the head intern, James helped prepare Kühne’s fall 2006 and spring 2007 collections. In 2007, James interned for Margaret O’Leary, a San Francisco-based knitwear company that is currently exploring the use of eco-friendly and sustainable materials to produce socially conscious clothing. James graduated with a MFA in fashion design from the Academy of Art University in August 2007, and began working with Nice Collective in San Francisco, a designer clothing brand for men that is popular worldwide. In addition to working for Nice Collective, James also works as the men’s sales lead for Urban Outfitters in San Francisco. Following graduation, James was one of 11 Academy of Art University fashion design graduates to showcase their work in the main tent at the 2007 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City. James and textile designer Sharon Chia-yu Yeh collaborated to design a sustainable collection of clothing made with organic, conventional and reused fabrics, including an old parachute. “The Mercedes-Benz show was amazing,” says James. “It was an honor to be a part of it. It opened my eyes to the fashion world.” Since eighth grade, James has dreamed of designing eco-friendly clothing, and continues to pursue his dream today. As an up-and-coming eco clothing designer, James realizes that a move to New York will eventually become inevitable and possibly life-changing. Not only could a move to the East Coast help further his career, but it will bring him closer to his parents, Donald and Nancy, and brother Michael, who all reside in Ross Township and to his brother, Gary, a 1994 CCAC graduate, who lives in Irwin. At a time when many industries are attempting to “go green,” James says he is thrilled that the fashion industry is on the move toward turning green. Many designers are now using environmentally sensitive fabrics and are turning these fabrics into haute couture. Designers such as Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Donatella Versace are among the many that featured eco-friendly designs during New York’s Fashion Week. James says he’s excited that some of fashion’s top designers are exploring sustainable fabrics—something he has done since he was a teenager. To view his designs, please visit his website: www.jamesyoestdesigns.com. Additional alumni profiles are available on the Alumni website. Visit the Featured Alumni Profile and Alumni Profile Archives section. 2
Online Alumni Mentoring Program Calling all potential mentors! In May 2007, CCAC Alumni Affairs and Career Services jointly launched CCAC AlumLinks, an online alumni mentoring network designed to provide CCAC alumni with the opportunity to mentor current CCAC students. For students exploring career options and making career decisions, the most inspiring advice often comes from professionals working in the field. CCAC AlumLinks connects alumni with current students to help them develop their career goals and make more informed career decisions. Through the program, students link with alumni mentors who help students to explore career options, make career decisions and prepare for the work world. Any alumnus interested in mentoring a current student can visit the CCAC AlumLinks webpage, follow the links to the secure website and register with the network by completing a mentoring profile. The online mentoring network password is AlumLinks. CCAC AlumLinks was made available to students in June 2007 through the Offices of Career Services. Any current CCAC students interested in working with an alumni mentor may register with the online mentoring network and search among registered mentors to find an alumnus whose experience matches their career interest. Alumni Affairs Announces CCAC Alumni Fall Career Seminars All CCAC alumni are invited to join us for our inaugural CCAC Alumni Fall Career Seminars on Saturday, October 11 from 8:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh. This professional development event will feature alumni speakers from CCAC’s top programs, including business, criminal justice, health careers, education and the Chef ’s Apprentice/Culinary program. Six featured alumni speakers will speak during concurrent sessions: • Sharon Young (’75, South, general studies), co-owner of McGinnis Sisters Special Food Stores, will speak about expanding a small business. • David Schwab (‘78, Boyce, administration of criminal justice), currently serves as Director of Safety and Security at CCAC’s North campus. Dave is a retired 31-year veteran of the Allegheny County Police Department and will speak about the use of tasers by police departments. • Robert Sendall (’78, Allegheny, chef ’s apprentice), owner of All in Good Taste Productions—an event production company with locations in Pittsburgh and Palm Springs—will speak about “going green” in the culinary field. • Patricia Riley (’79, South, nursing), a nursing recruiter for UPMC Mercy Hospital, will discuss nursing leadership and professionalism. • Phyllis Friend (’83, North, general studies), a recently retired principal from the Woodland Hills School District, will speak about leadership in the classroom. Her daughter, Kathleen Little (’93, Boyce), principal at Dible Elementary School in the Penn Hills School District, will co-present with her. In addition to the six alumni speakers, CCAC President Alex Johnson will serve as the keynote speaker, sharing his vision and priorities for CCAC. Kris Kersey, a 1996 North campus alumnus and former international president of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, will serve as the closing speaker. All CCAC alumni are invited to attend. Information from Career Services, Community Education, Workforce Development and CCAC’s Nursing Professional Development will be available. Tickets for raffle baskets will be sold, as well as CCAC alumni license plates and CCAC 40th anniversary commemorative DVDs, with proceeds benefiting the Alumni Scholarship Fund. Light refreshments will be served. Please join us! RSVP by Wednesday, October 1 to CCAC Alumni Affairs at alumni@ccac. edu or by calling 412.237.3033. Participation is limited to 600 alumni. There is no fee to CCAC alumni for this event. CCAC AlumNet Online Community Alumni Affairs to Bring Online Community to CCAC Alumni On September 17, 2008, Alumni Affairs launched the CCAC AlumNet Online Community in an effort to keep alumni connected with CCAC and fellow alumni. This comprehensive package of Internet-based services offers a place in cyberspace to reconnect with old friends and the college, exchange ideas and access career and networking information. Best of all, it’s completely free! No matter where alumni are in the world, they can be part of the CCAC AlumNet Online Community any time, online. 3
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