Katy Jessee, a current student in the Project Management master’s program, won The Masters Competition at Outdoor Retailer’s (OR) Winter Market 2014.  Jessee, who holds an undergraduate degree in Fashion Merchandising and Design from Missouri State, participated in the competition January 22-25, in Salt Lake City, Utah. This is the second win at an OR Market for Jessee.  She previously won the OR Summer Market 2012 competition.

“The outdoor industry is something that I knew little about before 2012, but now I am blown away by the innovations and functionality within it, as well as the openness and kindness of the individuals involved,” said Jessee.

Sponsored by Outdoor Retailer and Bemis, Project OR is a design competition that celebrates the functionality, originality and design of outdoor recreational clothing.  This intense 48-hour concept-to-prototype design competition paired returning competitors to design two looks per team—one men’s look and one children’s look. Designers produce original garment prototypes, utilizing innovative performance and eco-friendly materials that have practical applications in the outdoor market.  Jessee was paired with Alycia Gillespie, who is also a previous winner at an OR competition.

“The design competition at this Winter Market was insightful in two ways: one, it brought to light the incredibly talented young designers plying their craft in the active outdoor industry today, and two it showcased the technical materials that make our products not only look good but perform flawlessly in extreme conditions,” said Kenji Haroutunian, Emerald Expo vice president and OR show director.

Jessee said her experience has benefited her in her education and career, saying  “After speaking with a number of individuals in the outdoor industry, I know that the project management program was a good choice, as it can translate to a variety of areas throughout multiple industries.”