Cotton Grant to Advance Knowledge of Sustainability Among Apparel Students

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From top left, apparel merchandising and product development faculty members Eunjoo Cho, Sarah Hixson and Kyuree Kim.

Three U of A faculty members in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences have received more than $33,000 grant funding for a program to help educate students about cotton sustainability.

Associate professor Eunjoo Cho, assistant professor Kyuree Kim and teaching assistant professor Sarah Hixson, all apparel merchandising and product development faculty members in the college's School of Human Environmental Sciences, are receiving a total of $33,876 through the 2024 Cotton in Curriculum program sponsored by Cotton Inc.

Their project, "Development of Collaborative Student Learning Projects Implementing Cotton Sustainability: Cross-course, Entrepreneurial, and Industry-Focused Approach," focuses on advancing knowledge of cotton sustainability among emerging professionals preparing for careers in the textile and apparel industry.

"The significance of this project is to develop a comprehensive educational program that demonstrates a commitment to educating emerging professionals in cotton product development, merchandising, and retail and marketing of cotton's role in the global textile and apparel supply chain," said Cho, the primary investigator on the grant. "Our project enhances the curriculum beyond what is currently offered by significantly integrating CottonWorks resources and information. The students will gain valuable experiential and project-based learning opportunities that bridge theoretical knowledge with industry applications. By utilizing an industry tool for practical works, students will enhance their understanding of cotton sustainability (i.e., circularity of cotton and biodegradability), retail and marketing of cotton products."

Activities will be structured across three levels of courses, reaching sophomores, juniors and seniors, which creates a cross-course, entrepreneurial, industry-focused approach emphasizing practical applications of cotton sustainability.

The courses will incorporate online resources from the trademarked CottonWorks to increase student understanding of U.S. cotton and its vital role in the circular economy.

By integrating cotton sustainability principles and an industry-inspired entrepreneurial approach, the project will lead to a deeper appreciation and commitment to cotton as a vital component of the global textile and apparel supply chain.

"By strategically incorporating cotton sustainability principles, we aim to demonstrate to students how the concepts they learn in the courses directly relate to real-world industry practices," Cho said. "This approach enables students to grasp the practical applications of the course content and understand the significance of cotton sustainability within the textile and apparel industry."

The impact of the project, which is expected to reach approximately 180 students, will be measured by conducting pre-test and post-test surveys among student participants.

Cotton Inc. is a not-for-profit company providing resources and research needed to help companies develop and market superior, innovative and profitable cotton products. The company's efforts are focused across every area of the cotton life cycle from fiber through finished products. Because cotton is one of the world's most important fibers, the company sponsors the Cotton in the Curriculum Grant Program to further understand knowledge about cotton among students preparing for careers in the apparel and textiles industry.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas' economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.