Two Bumpers College Programs Get New Names

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The apparel studies program has been renamed apparel merchandising and product development.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. –Two programs in the Dale Bumpers College Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas have recently been renamed to more accurately reflect their direction and their efforts to meet the needs of students and industry.

The former apparel studies major is now apparel merchandising and product development.

The former food, human nutrition and hospitality major is now human nutrition and hospitality innovation, and offers three concentrations – human nutrition, hospitality innovation, and general foods and nutrition.

“Apparel studies embodied all subjects related to the apparel industry with a product development focus,” said clinical associate professor Kathy Smith. “Apparel merchandising and product development focuses more on the process of the apparel supply chain and covers all things in that process related to merchandising and product development. It’s more of a communication of what we really do in the program – taking the vagueness out and being more focused.”

Students in the hospitality program will now graduate with a degree in human nutrition and hospitality innovation.

“The human nutrition and hospitality innovation name more closely communicates the two main degree concentrations – dietetics and hospitality innovation management,” said Bob Harrington, professor and 21st Century Endowed Chair in Hospitality. “The human nutrition aspect communicates the focus on nutrition and its impact on human health. Hospitality innovation and the hospitality innovation management concentration communicates the concept that competitive advantage in the hospitality and tourism fields is based on a three-legged stool of: hospitality – ‘the art of hospitality’ as a service differentiator beyond mere service management; innovation – the need for innovative thinking, culture and solutions by leaders or future leaders in the field; and management – the need to understand a variety of business disciplines to achieve success.”

The apparel classes were historically part of the clothing and textiles program. When the Home Economics Department was changed to the School of Human Environmental Sciences in 1995, fashion design and fashion merchandising in the clothing and textiles program were combined to form apparel studies, which focused on product development and merchandising.

“As the program grew from 55 students in 1995 to more than 280 today, and the curriculum was updated, we found ourselves describing the program as merchandising and product development with supporting courses in history of apparel, textile science, quality assessment and experiential learning experiences,” said Smith. “Our new name exemplifies the program goals and curriculum changes that have evolved over the past 19 years into the state of the art program that it is today.”

The new name also reflects the teaching and research goals of the apparel program, which will benefit students as they prepare for positions in the apparel supply chain industry. It will also help prospective students identify the program as specifically meeting career needs and goals beginning with their first semester. The comprehensive, experiential curriculum leads to careers in merchandising, buying and product development, including technological and functional components of the industry. Students experience the international scope of the industry through global classroom lectures, comprehensive projects, internships and study tours.

“Companies are already taking more notice of the program with the new name,” said Smith. “As our students become more visible through internships and study tours, we have experienced great support in all aspects of merchandising and product development with major manufacturers, suppliers and retailers. We have refocused our curriculum to include all aspects of the apparel supply chain that the merchandising and product development curriculum supports.”

The human nutrition and hospitality innovation name identifies graduates as products of an educational process that instills critical problem-solving skills to allow them to address significant organizational and societal issues, according to Harrington. The program’s mission is for graduates and faculty to maximize human quality of life through culinary, diet and hospitality systems and innovation.

“On the human nutrition side, students and faculty in the dietetics program are of the highest caliber,” said Harrington. “The program recently was re-accredited with flying colors, graduates are very competitive in obtaining desired internships at locations all over the country and have a high passing rate on the registered dietitian exam. On the hospitality innovation side, our program and students are involved in numerous experiential activities tied to academic classes, such as a collaboration with Chartwells allowing students to be involved in the process of restaurant concept development and implementation in a real-world setting as part of the ‘innovation café’ program.

“Further, learning centers such as the Inn at Carnall Hall, a new culinary and hospitality innovation lab, a simulated restaurant lab, and annual involvement in events such as Lights of the Ozarks and the gala event A Class Act are additional resources that enhance the student experience and provide applied research – and tie academic and research programs to the concept of ‘where the art of hospitality meets science.’”

To create the changes, a proposal had to be approved by the faculty of each program, the School of Human Environmental Sciences, Bumpers College faculty, the University of  Arkansas System Board of Trustees and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.