Alumni News

The residents of Kahauiki Village, a supportive housing community for formerly homeless families, now have a new source of food, thanks to CTSA and the Dept. of Human Nutrition, Food, and Animal Sciences. Under the leadership and guidance of retired CTAHR professor Harry Ako and current CTAHR professor Jinzheng Yang, an aquaponics system was recently introduced to the village in an effort to establish a sustainable food system in the community.

As we ring in the new year and clear out the old, one might want to pause and consider a revival of something from the past:  the resurgence of the muʻumuʻu in our fashion discussions and maybe a new addition to your closet…or a kept treasure

Muʻumuʻu month started in 2014, when Shannon Hiramoto posted photos of herself wearing a different muʻumuʻu every day in January. She soon gained an Instagram following of emulators who are coined the month a “muʻuvement.”  Just type #muumuumonth for a glimpse into the variations of styles and colors that women of all ages are proudly sharing. Some are now wearing a muʻumuʻu as an expression of their cultural and ancestral identities, reflecting on the history of the garment.

In the 1820’s, Christian missionaries created the muʻumuʻu as a modified version of their own garments de rigueur, to cover up the body and replace the immodest paʻu or skirt that the native Hawaiian women made by wrapping tapa around their waists. Constructing the muʻumuʻu out of leftover muslin, they loosened the bodice and shortened the sleeves creating a kind of slip intended to be worn under the more formal holokū...[For the full article, click "Read more"]

With the fashion industry being a very complex and ever-changing field, many students are choosing to major in this area in order to be a part of a global phenomenon. The enrollment for the FDM program is now at 112 majors as of Spring 2023, which has been a significant increase compared to prior years. With half of the majors in design and the other half in merchandising, many of our students are inspired to partake in this rigorous landscape despite the changes in consumer behavior and preferences and the availability of products from manufacturers worldwide. From zero-waste manufacturing to the rise of second-hand-tailing to increased social media presence (thanks to Instagram and Tik Tok), students are passionate about being involved in this community more than ever before. Fashion students are indulging not only as consumers, but as ambassadors in design and merchandising to leave their footprint of creativity in the industry... [For the full article, click "Read more"]

Kudos to FDM instructor Erin Robinson, who recently completed a Faculty Development Course for Effective Teaching Practices.  Erin heard about the course during the pandemic and thought it would be a positive way to improve her teaching.  She learned about different student-centered practices, how including how to teach student learning processes (e.g., notetaking), altering courses to make them accessible to different learning styles, and utilizing student feedback.  Erin raved about the course, saying it “gave me some insight on how to work on critical thinking with my students and forced me out of my box of how apparel construction ‘should be’ taught.” One of the critical thinking components Erin now employs in her sewing classes is to have a group discussion before every project.  “I never imagined that group discussions could be part of apparel construction, but it really helps the students with critical thinking and working through questions together,” she explained.  The course was offered by the Association of College and University Educators via the UH Center for Teaching Excellence.  -Andy Reilly & Jacqueline Tani

Fifty students from Highland Middle School got a jump start on planning their careers.  FDM faculty hosted the students on January 23, 2023 and gave them a glimpse of college life.  A creative challenge to redesign a t-shirt using only safety pins and beads resulted in punk-inspired, ripped and torn versions along with cropped two-piece shirt and skirt outfits.  "I really loved making my new favorite shirt, and it helped boost my confidence in fashion," a student said.  The middle-schoolers also observed a design class, learning about pattern-making and draping fabric, and posing questions to the UHM design students. On the technology portion of the visit, students engaged in hands-on experimenting with fashion design CAD software and avatars used in fashion research.  One student remarked that she could not want to begin college: "the trip to UH Manoa was very interesting, but also fun and exciting. I loved seeing the designs in one of the rooms which was about fashion. I was in love with everything that was happening there, and I can't wait to go there again one day. I hope that once I'm in high school, I'll be able to make it happen [by taking the fashion academy classes]."  –Andy Reilly & Jacqueline Tani