Merchandising and Fashion Design Department

MFD students build up their networks in New York City

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The trip to New York City allowed students insight into the business of fashion as well as exposure to a variety of potential career paths.   

Connecting with the Business of Fashion 

Students had unique experiences including industry tours and meetings at Macy’s, JS Collections and WSGN.  

At JS Collections, a company that specializes in designing dresses for special occasions, students connected with a fellow Bear. Abbigail Dansby, assistant designer and MSU alumna, spoke with students about her role and her experiences after college. 

They also met with the head of product development, a technical designer and a sales director. 

“The meetings gave us an excellent opportunity to network with individuals who work in the fashion industry in a variety of fields,” said Debra Zerr, junior fashion merchandising and design major.  

Students also met with Lori Gassie, a costume designer and stylist. She designs custom performance costumes for figure skating, dance, baton and more. She also is a wardrobe stylist for personal clients and productions.  

Gassie shared how she built up her own brand and opened a conversation about how students could successfully start their own businesses or fashion lines. 

WSGN is one of the top fashion trend forecasters. The meeting allowed students to learn about long-term consumer trends, new and breaking trends, global street style and live reporting from trade show floors. 

“The trip is an invaluable experiential learning opportunity for our students,” said Dr. Elizabeth Rozell, department head of MFD. “They get to see the inner workings of fashion design, merchandising, industry research and so much more.  The industry experience that our faculty discuss in class comes alive during the trip.” 

Connecting with Alumni 

Students also attended an alumni dinner to make more personal connections. 

The dinner hosted 15 alumni, including Dansby, who live in New York City and work as merchandisers or designers. 

Each alumnus was given an opportunity to introduce themselves and give students some insight on their experiences after graduation. Students were able to talk, ask questions and exchange information. 

“It was so useful and amazing to meet alumni that are willing to help us,” said Zerr. “Those unique connections will aid me in success upon graduation.” 

Students also were able to explore the city in their free time. Outings included visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and seeing a Broadway show. 

About MFD 

The MFD program offers students the tools they need to excel in the fashion industry. Students receive a comprehensive study of culture, art theory, and process and product development.  

The department also hosts events where students can showcase their talent and develop their skills. 

Learn more about merchandising and fashion design. 

Meet the Faculty: Dr. Jenifer Roberts

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Portrait of Dr. Jenifer Roberts
Dr. Jenifer Roberts

“When people hear the word ‘fashion,’ they think all we do is dress people. Fashion is much more than dressing people,” said Dr.

Roberts. “It is a $3 trillion dollar business that employs product developers, buyers, merchandisers, marketers, accounts, designers and many more.”  

Dr. Roberts, assistant professor of merchandising and fashion design (MFD), started her career in fashion at the young age of 16. She held various positions throughout high school and college before earning her Master of Education from MSU. 

Returning to MSU 

After a career in the industry, she jumped at the chance to return and teach at her alma mater.  

“17 years later, here I am. I am grateful for my industry experience because I can teach from experience, not from a book,” she said. 

Inspiring students 

“Watching the students gain confidence through classroom knowledge and internships has been my favorite part,” said Dr. Roberts. “I am always humbled that I was able to make a positive impact on them, and I am grateful to have played a small role in their lives.” 

Dr. Roberts is the faculty sponsor for the Student Association of Fashion and Design (AFAD) as well as Sartorial Magazine, the online student fashion magazine. 

Dr. Roberts wants people to know that the MFD department is a unique niche in the College of Business.  

Students at MSU benefit from a solid foundation in business course work in addition to their fashion courses. This is a unique model not seen at many other universities. 

 

Learn more about merchandising and fashion design. 

Designing a career that fits

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Fashion is a trillion-dollar industry. MSU helps students hone their creativity while also taking courses grounded in business principles such as marketing, management, entrepreneurship and economics. 

Potential careers 

MSU’s fashion program is unique because students gain a solid foundation in business coursework. Graduates are prepared to excel in a career as a creative, passionate and socially responsible professional. 

Potential entry-level positions include account executives, apparel production coordinators, fashion illustrators, quality control directors, retail buyers and textile designers. 

You can learn more about fashion job titles here. 

Average starting salaries 

Median salaries for fashion and design professional in the United States are upward of $45,000.  

According the Nace Salary Data from 2019, a graduate in apparel and textiles starts out making an average of $39,407. Merchandising and management graduates make $48,573 on average starting out. 

The results from the survey represent a baseline for assessing where graduates at the undergraduate and graduate levels land within six months, on average, after receiving their degrees. 

 

Learn more about opportunities in these creative areas through the Career Center. 

Meet the Faculty: Dr. Cathy Starr

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The fabric of fashion design

Portrait of Cathy Starr
Dr. Cathy Starr

Students in Missouri State University’s merchandising and fashion design program can study textiles with a professor who is deeply passionate about this topic in fashion.  

Textiles are quite literally the fabric of the fashion industry. Understanding the yarns, threads and wools that can be spun, woven and tied to manufacture clothing is essential for fashion designers. 

“I love textiles,” Dr. Starr said. Her office is draped with various patterns and prints of different materials. “What a wonderful job to have where I can take my collection and share it with my students to show them different kinds of fabrics.”  

“The students are what make it worthwhile.” 

As a student, Dr. Starr was in a program for FACS Education, a program involving fashion, nutrition, cooking and childcare.  

However, every time she went to enroll for classes, she was drawn to design. She eventually switched her major to apparel design. 

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in apparel design, she focused on functional design for her master’s degree. 

Functional design 

Functional design focuses on creating clothing that is specifically designed and engineered to ensure predefined performance requirements and functionality for the user. 

Dr. Starr has worked on several different functional design projects, including research on garments for firefighters, including cooling vests and hazmat suits. 

“I love that I’m able to work with an area of interest that I’m just as excited about today, if not more excited, than I was when I first started,” she said. “It’s never boring. We’re always changing.” 

MSU’s best kept secret 

“Fashion studies are alive and well at Missouri State University. We are a department that is growing, and we’re very competitive with other universities similar to ours,” she said.  

“Sometimes I think that we’re the best kept secret at Missouri State.”

Learn more about merchandising and fashion design.

Meet the Department Head: Dr. Elizabeth Rozell

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Portrait of Elizabeth Rozell
Dr. Elizabeth Rozell

Dr. Rozell serves as associate dean, director of the MBA program and the department head of merchandising and

fashion design. 

A series of leadership changes led to Dr. Rozell taking on these jobs. She was a management professor at MSU before starting as MBA Director in 2009 and associate dean in 2011. 

As merchandising and fashion design department head, a role she began in 2017, Dr. Rozell gets to see the more creative side of business.  

“I really love seeing all the creativity from the students,” Dr. Rozell said.

“I love the things they do and the clothes they create—how they are inspired by certain things and then create garments with that inspiration.” 

Getting the word out about the department can be a challenge since it is tucked away in the Park Central Office Building in Downtown Springfield. 

“It’s a hidden jewel. It’s a challenge that we have to overcome because we’re not in Glass Hall, so we don’t have the visibility other departments do,” she said. 

“I appreciate our fashion faculty. They have a lot of industry experience, great educational backgrounds, and they really care about the students,” she said. “The faculty is interested in keeping the curriculum up to date and continually improving.”  

Dr. Rozell earned two degrees from MSU—the first a bachelor’s in accounting which propelled her into the world of public accounting. After that, she pursued an MBA in management at MSU and then went on to earn a Ph.D. in organizational behavior from the University of Mississippi. 

Learn more about the merchandising and fashion design department.