Photoshoot: SAVE TXC

Purpose: Faced with budget cuts, the Division of Textiles & Clothing is expected to close. While others are protesting, a handful of Textiles & Clothing students have a photoshoot to get their message across.

Style: Color motif was black, white, and turquoise. Photoshoot taken November 2009.

Assisted with styling the models, setting up the background, and directed the photographer on different ways to shoot.

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For this shot, I took a random decoration (paper tissue flower) and
adjusted the model to seem very dainty and sophisticated.
I asked the photographer to take the shot in black and white.
Additionally, I had the model prop her leg up and
adjusted the skirt so the message stood out.
Simple, sophisticated, yet powerful.

The clothing in the background has significance:
all items are related to the TXC department
The wild fire jacket, naval air suit, and medical gown
have all been developed by TXC professors from
their research in their fields.
The dress, top, and backpack from BEBE, BCBG, &
The North Face (respectively) all hire our alum.
The shirt is meant for the present, and that
without the preceding items, it would be difficult
to sustain an apparel industry

Had model wear black slacks, minimal yet blingy jewelry.
Also turned around tank top.

Blog Post: FREE HAIRCUT + SAVE THE WORLD = SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Purpose: I used to write for UCD TEXTSTYLES, a college student lifestyle and fashion blog originating from Davis, CA. I blogged about a local event in Sacramento (about 30 minutes from Davis) that provided inexpensive makeovers and helping out the world in one event.

The original entry can be viewed here.

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The bad news is that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill situation doesn't seem to be getting better.
The good news is that you can do your part to help, and look cute at the same time!

For all you Northern California residents, the California Academy (a Paul Mitchell Partner School) in Sacramento, California is offering free haircuts in order to create hair mats that will assist with cleaning up the oil spill.

The California Academy's green team partners with Excess Access and Matter of trust to donate hair to the making of hair mats to help with relief for oil spills. As you may know we need it now more then ever. We are looking for everyone's help in collecting hair or coming to get a hair cut here at our school to help aid in this effort. If you come to the school for a hair cut please mention the following for a free haircut. The key word is "GO GREEN".

We appreciate everyone's participation. We look forward to seeing you here!

Green Team!

To learn more about the California Academy and their awesome deals, check them out right here.

Article: Confessions of a [Former] Student Adviser

Purpose: This article was written in April 2010 from my perspective as a former Student Advisor. From one student to another student, I try to let it be known that feelings of anxiety while "trying to figure it out" happen to everyone.

The original article can also be found here.

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Dear Students,

My time as a Liberal Arts & Business (LA&B) Student Advisor went by too fast, but even if I’m not technically employed by the ICC, I am blessed with this opportunity to explore everything they have to offer (this from an undergraduate who is continually looking for more work experience, of course). I may not be advising students on a one-to-one basis anymore, but nonetheless, I’d like to share some insight from my time last year:

Student Advisors need their resumes and cover letters checked over, too.
Before you question my credibility, let me speak: preparing a resume and cover letter takes a lot of work. And as with any written document you’ve been working on (such as another resume, research paper, or essay), whose eyes have seen it for the past few hours? You. The writer may understand it, but another reader and the rest of the world may not.

So after working on your resume & cover letter for the past hour or two (yes, it does take that long or even more to produce a quality document), you’ll need a fresh set of eyes – that’s what a Student Advisor or Program Coordinator is for :) Sometimes when we’re the ones in search of constructive criticism, we go to professors, coordinators, and even each other! However, when I am unable to seek another’s advice, I rely on my ICC training and look at my own through the eyes of an employer; after thoroughly reading the job description, I know what the hiring manager is looking for, and that has helped me immensely.

Scared of going to career fairs? ME TOO!
If you’ve ever sought my advice on what to do at a career fair, I’ve told you what to expect, how to prepare and suggestions for attire. When I’m there and try to take my own advice, I freeze up. I have attended the career fairs on campus since my freshmen year, and you’d think that by my fourth year, I would have gotten used to them. I’m dressed professionally, have multiple copies of my resume, and know what I’m about to say, but there’s just something about 100+ employers and 500+ students swarming around the Pavilion that makes me nervous.

The Career Resource Manual is amazing, to say the least.
Every year, the ICC prints thousands of these manuals, and I wish more students knew about this invaluable resource! If you didn’t read my corny blog post, let me summarize it for you here: the Career Resource Manual has almost everything you need to know for trying to find an internship or job. Don’t know how to start a resume and need a visual? Page 18. Need an example for a cover letter? Page 33. Have a job interview and want to know what questions they might ask? Page 44.

And if my love of this manual/dorkiness still isn’t that apparent, I just don’t know what else to tell you.

Be conscious of disclosing information that might hurt you in the job process.
Applying for jobs and talking to managers and supervisors can be a bit intimidating. However, the minute you meet someone on “your level (such as position or age)”, don’t get so “chummy” to the point that you’re disclosing information that could weigh against you. For example, some advisors assist with the hiring process of the following year’s student advisors. For my team, we reviewed resumes and applications, and even assisted with interviewing. One student emailed me and disclosed that “I have an old recommendation letter [that was obviously meant for another program]; can I use that for the application?”

Sorry, you can’t “reuse” recommendation letters, and it makes it a little worse that you told me so bluntly. Unfortunately, that student did not realize that my input mattered on the selection process.

That’s why it is incredibly important to monitor what you disclose. Same with what you put up online (hint: Facebook. If you’re not getting hired, it could be because when an employer googles your name, they see your Facebook profile picture of your “epic” kegstand)!

It’s basic social psychology – in order to forget something, your mind has to keep reminding itself of what it is, so in essence, you’re not forgetting it at all (I guess I did learn something in PSC151! Thank you, Professor Sherman).

Employers try to be as objective as possible, but disclosing certain information just sticks out in their minds and may ultimately hurt you.

Forget your major (for a second)
Vanessa Webster, Ariela Iringan, Suzanne Grey. These UC Davis alum are successful individuals who are actually working in fields completely different from their major! Webster, a Comparative Literature major, values the analytical skills she developed during her undergraduate and uses that toward her role as CEO of a high-end clothing line. Iringan is one of the many Psychology majors who works in business; she is currently an HR capitol consulting manager with Deloitte & Touche who handles mergers and acquisitions. Grey, an International Relations major, loved what she learned during college, but has a newfound passion of the medical industry; she is President of a successful medical manufacturer, MedDev Corporation.

You’ve heard this information before (as stated by Nohemy Chavez and you’ll hear it again: Don’t stress, and forget about your major (for just a second).

If you’re trying to figure out what to do after college or looking for an entry-level position, don’t freak out. During the very first few days of training, I learned that approximately 80% of college grads work in a field unrelated to their major. Your first job out of college may not be what you ultimately want to do (also called an “interim” or “temporary” job), but that’s okay! You’re just building up those transferrable skills and figuring out what you do and don’t want to do. There is no certain mapped-out road to success, and your major shouldn’t dictate or restrict what you’ll do in the real world.

It is okay if you are doing something (seemingly) unrelated to your major; everyone else is doing it! And anyone who thinks otherwise should come into the ICC and talk with us. Now, if you’re in engineering or pre-med, that’s a bit different...

Working for the ICC? Best decision ever.
When I applied for this job, I was just looking for a part-time on-campus position that would help me earn some money. I was intimidated by the job requirements and the interviewing process, but I took a chance anyway. I would’ve never thought I would learn so much more than just interpersonal skills; I met an amazing team of people and have extensively built up my network and work experience. I have never worked at a place that has encouraged me so much to grow and excel, and even if this economy is in a slump, I feel prepared to find a job in part to everything I learned at the ICC.

This is one of those jobs that makes me want to come in early, work late, or even dedicate my weekend to it.

I hope these tidbits of my experience last year have given you insight into your future and a peace of mind. :)

Warm regards,

Kris Iringan, Student Advisor
Internship and Career Center

Social Web Diagram - Completed

Organization: the American Leadership Forum - Mountain Valley Chapter (ALF-MVC)
Purpose: The Executive Director will be speaking about social networking and making the most out of who you know. She wanted me to create a visual to accurately depict her thoughts.
Challenge: Time constraint of approximately 2 hours
Application: Adobe InDesign
New tools used: I have never used the elliptical tool so much before. haha

ASUCD Senate Resolution #10

Purpose: Faced with budget cuts, my department, the Division of Textiles & Clothing, has a very high risk of closure. Targeted because of its size, students like myself have voiced our opinions via letters and word of mouth to our Dean, Provost, Vice Provost, as well as our friends.

Senators from the governing student body, the Associated Students of UC Davis (ASUCD), have friends within the major, and were inspired to create a Senate Resolution to create awareness and publicity for the situation. Many kudos to Senator Rouhafza and Senator Taylor; I co-authored this resolution and assisted them with the factual information; I also spoke at the Senate meeting to persuade the other Senators to vote in our favor.

Note: the Division of Textiles & Clothing (TXC) is being targeted for closure, NOT the major. However, if the funds are not given to replace faculty once they retire, who will teach the classes?
And goodbye to the only TXC program within the UC system...

The link to the original resolution can be found at the ASUCD website

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Presented to the Senate floor on January 7, 2010.

Authored by: ROUHAFZA
Co-authored by: Taylor, Estoesta, Iringan
Introduced by: Taylor


Referred to: Academic Affairs Commission

Recommendation: Academic Affairs Commission Do Pass as Amended,
7-0-2 on February 2, 2010.
Yes: Chikarmane, Jaswal, Limon, Riggle, Shaikh, Tang, Toy.
Abstain: Navid, Jew.



An ASUCD Senate Resolution opposing the proposed removal of the Division of Textiles and Clothing from the University of California, Davis (UCD).

WHEREAS, the division of Textiles and Clothing focuses on research and education linking the physical and social science aspects of textile products, and integrates people and the processes focusing on production, distribution, and consumer use of textiles and clothing; and,

WHEREAS, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) has proposed to close the department by cutting funding and not replacing faculty who retire,

WHEREAS, this division was specifically targeted for its small size, in the midst of current budget shortfalls which have forced the CAES to cut $3.8 million from its annual $70 million dollar budget; and,

WHEREAS, the UCD division of Textiles and Clothing is the only program of its kind among all the UC campuses, further contributing to cutting-edge research that addresses “materials and consumer issues such as human safety, comfort, and the role of cultural diversity in consumer decision making”; and,

WHEREAS, the division of Textiles and Clothing provides educational studies advancing the critical knowledge base essential to California’s occupational groups, such as firefighters, emergency personnel, and military; and,

WHEREAS, California has the largest apparel industry and the second largest cotton producer in the nation; and,

WHEREAS, the proposed removal of this division would gradually limit the ability of students to pursue education and research in this field, which has traditionally allowed textiles and clothing alumni the opportunity to occupy professional roles as industry leaders with prominent companies such as Gap, Nike, Adidas, and Northface; and,

WHEREAS, the proposed closure of this department represents a growing trend on UC campuses, where continual fee increases, faculty furloughs, and rampant increases in executive compensation and salaries further degrades the prestigious academic resources, programs, and research available to students and faculty members; and,


WHEREAS, the College Planning Committee tasked with surveying the budget issues that will ultimately serve as advisory council to the Dean’s Office contains no student representatives; now,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Associated Students of the University of California, Davis Senate opposes the proposed removal of the Textiles and Clothing Division; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the ASUCD Senate strongly urges the UC Davis administration to avoid discrediting the impact of smaller academic departments, and abstain from targeting these divisions as a means to address the current budget situation; and,

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the ASUCD Senate insists that the UC Davis administration focus the financial burden on non-academic areas of campus that do not impact the research and educational opportunities available to students and faculty members of the University of California; and,

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the ASUCD Senate strongly urges the UC Davis administration to invite student representatives to join the College Planning Committee.

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT, copies of the resolution be sent to Mark Yudof, President of the University of California; the Regents of the University of California; Linda Katehi, Chancellor of the University of Californica, Davis; Fred Wood, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs; Jan Gong, Associate Vie Chancellor of Student Affairs; Beverley Sandeen, Vice Chancellor of Campus, Community Relations; Robert Powell, Chair of the Academic Senate; Neal Van Alfen, Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; The California House of Representatives; The Sacramento Bee; The Davis Enterprise; The California Aggie; The San Francisco Chronicle; The Fresno Bee; and KDVS 90.3 FM.


DO PASS AMENDED, 9-0-3, BY A ROLLCALL VOTE OF THE ASUCD SENATE ON NOVEMBER 19, 2009.
YES: CASTILLO-RUIZ, CLEMENTE, GOLD, JUAREZ, LEE, MASSOUDI, ROMBI, TAYLOR, WITANA. ABSTAIN: HO, MEONVSKE, ROUHAFZA.

___________________________________ ___________________________________
Joe Chatham Date
ASUCD President

Article: Increase your Marketability through Cyber Media Usage

Purpose: This article was written in January 2009 for students to further their cyber media skills to help them with pursuing a job, such as making Facebook, Youtube, and blogs work for them

The original article can also be found here.

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A new year and a new academic quarter are upon us, and it’s never too early to start looking for an internship or full-time job. As students plow through their undergrad, they prepare themselves by taking classes, picking up a job, becoming more involved on campus, etc, but in this economy, some may wonder, “What can I do to make myself even more marketable?”

We are living in an exciting time where technology is constantly changing and our dependence on it is ever-growing. Create a niche for yourself by increasing your knowledge of technology and ultimately, cyber media.

It’s not enough that a student’s technical skills only encompass Microsoft Office – the majority of college students work with Word, Excel and/or PowerPoint on a daily basis, and with that type of competition, how else is it possible to distinguish yourself from other candidates? However, by “increasing your knowledge of technology,” it’s not necessary to learn how to program in C++, count in binary, or speak Fortran (and if you didn’t understand any of that, it’s okay, you’re not a n00b).

By increasing your knowledge of utilizing cyber media, you are making yourself more marketable when applying for jobs.

Defining “cyber media” is difficult, but we are all familiar with many of its examples. Facebook, YouTube, podcasts, blogs, etc. are all online resources utilized to share information that can be created or viewed by anyone. Here are some suggestions on how to become proactive:

1. Learn another operating system. The majority of computer users are familiar with the Windows Operating Systems; why not learn the Macintosh OS? Or even vice versa? (Mac users, try not to cringe.)
2. Become inspired by famous bloggers (i.e. Perez Hilton, John Mayer), and start your own! It can be about anything – food, interests, or even an online portfolio of your art work. Design major Kate Wang keeps a blog of her portfolio from design projects, internships, or work assignments. Her site, kate-wang.blogspot.com, gets a lot of traffic from visitors all over the world! Not only does she have an organized and simple way to access her work, she has even received job offers from impressed companies.
3. If writing is not your forte, what about video blogging? Become the next YouTube sensation and let the world know about your day, a project you’re working on, or the reasons why you do or do not like college (KevJumba, anyone?)
4. Networking sites definitely help – who knew that Facebook or MySpace would ever come in handy in the real world? But do realize that there are more than just those two.
5. For those of you who think you “know nothing about computers,” there is an amazing class offered through the Plant Sciences department here at UC Davis. The class is PLS21, “Computers in Agriculture,” but don’t let the name fool you: I took this amazing class my second year, and got a refresher on the basics of Microsoft Office, and learned so much more (i.e Microsoft Access to manipulate various rows of data, Mozilla Composer to create your own webpage, Microsoft Excel formulas and macros for expense reports, etc).


In order to understand how this may apply in the real world, let’s focus on a fellow Aggie: William Hsu is a second year Economics major as well as founder and developer of Davistext.com. He created the site this past September while “feeling frustrated as a first-year student unable to find out what books he needed earlier” - as quoted in the Aggie. He utilized cyber media to inform the UCD community via Facebook group invites and Daviswiki entries. By reaching out to students via utilizing a frequently-visited website, his site’s popularity grew.

My position at the ICC and my internship with Apple increase my own knowledge of cyber media. At the Internship and Career Center, I have been given the privilege to manage the Liberal Arts & Business blog, which I try to constantly update for our valued readers. Through my internship at Apple, I am constantly working with the Macintosh operating system (I am mainly a Windows user, so it’s a big deal to me), as well as staying up-to-date with the latest gadgets and trends of the company. As a Textiles and Clothing major, many predict my future will be in retail management or design; however, with my knowledge of cyber media, I can utilize my skills to contribute to an important sector of retail: E-commerce. Companies such as Macy’s and Victoria’s Secret are always looking for tech-savvy and up-to-date interns who can manage their websites, attract consumers, and increase revenue.

The next time it’s 2am and you’re on Facebook (with a paper due at 10am that you haven’t started), don’t feel so bad. You’re just increasing your cyber media skills, right?

Kris Iringan, Student Advisor
Internship and Career Center

Services & Staff Directory - Completed

Purpose: An updated document of the Internship & Career's Center Services & Staff Directory, meant to reflect a few additions, but mainly reductions. External document
Challenge: When seeing something so text heavy, my instinct was to make it in Microsoft Word. Not only am I recreating a lot of documents from scratch and saving them in InDesign (to make it easier for the future), but my supervisor really wants me to get used to the program. (This is difficult for someone who has only a few months of experience with this program...)
Application: Adobe InDesign (I will be using InDesign for quite a long time...)
New tools used: The tab alignment feature (Type>Tabs). Also! adding logos ( File > Place)