Students in U of A's apparel merchandising and product development program recently completed a SEAM Prep course and served as mentors at a SEAM Studio summer camp in Hot Springs.

SEAM stands for Sewing Entrance Academy Mentorship.

The special topics summer course was supported by the U of A Women's Giving Circle and received $20,000 in funding last fall. The stated goal was "project creating summer camps for children in locations across Arkansas providing the opportunity to acquire basic sewing skills, knowledge about the apparel and textile industry and potential career paths, and connection with university student mentors." 

The course was both a learning and serving experience for students as the prepared for three weeks to serve as mentors to younger students across the state during the fourth week.

The class was taught by AMPD teaching assistant professor Sarah Hixson and senior instructor Stephanie Hubert, both members of the faculty in the School of Human Environmental Sciences in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

Students learned:

• principles of curriculum design to create age-appropriate sewing projects
• effective mentorship strategies to build connections with younger students
• classroom management techniques
• interpersonal communication skills
• reflective teaching practices
• cultural competence
• strategies for community engagement

Students were required to create a camp design proposal, which included an activity, outline its objectives, materials, procedures, step-by-step guides, alignment with camp theme and goals, and meet cultural sensitivity considerations.

"This camp showed the promise of our students to effectively apply the skills they learn in our program not only to a career context, but to larger, even more impactful goals like building community," Hixon said. "I'm very proud of them and how they ran SEAM Studio."

U of A students participating included Sydni Adams, Meredith Allen, Abbey Blase, Rhett Nelson, Jada Purifoy, Macy Rentfrow, Madelyn Sartin, Arieona Slater and Savannah Slinkard.

They were also asked to spend time looking into the history and culture of the area where they challenged for the SEAM Studio camps, to reflect on their experiences, keep a daily journal and reach out to campers through handwritten letters or other communications methods, among other requirements.

The camp lasted a week, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sessions focused on sewing and creating pillowcases, aprons, totes with patches, rugs and tufting, mood boards, marbled paper, friendship bracelets and charm jewelry.

The camp was held at the Webb Community Center in Hot Springs with coordination by Cooperative Extension agents Alison Crane and Sara Jackson. Eleven campers participated, between the ages of 5 and 13.

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.