Apparel Trade Association Names AMM an Affilliate Program

An apparel trade association has named Cal Poly Pomona an affiliate school in recognition of its clothing industry connections and career-preparing curriculum.

Cal Poly Pomona is one of only 13 universities nationwide to earn affiliate status from the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA). The association, which represents more than 1,000 world-famous name brands, retailers, and manufacturers, bestowed the recognition after reviewing the university’s apparel merchandising and management program.

The review included an examination of the Department of Apparel Merchandising and Management’s (AMM) curriculum and whether it addressed industry needs, as well as accounting for faculty participation in industry events, said Professor Muditha Senanayake, interim department chair.

Affiliate status makes AMM eligible to receive reimbursement funds from AAFA for sending faculty to industry events, he said. AMM often sends faculty members to conferences and trade shows to keep abreast of industry trends and issues; faculty also accompany students to industry events and organize AMM booths to showcase student work and initiate industry interactions.

The AMM program has had a long history with the AAFA. Until 2015, it was one of the few apparel production programs in the United States that was endorsed by the AAFA. The endorsement was based on a comprehensive review process – conducted every five years – to evaluate whether the program was producing qualified workers for the apparel industry and enabled AMM to receive $5,000 annually in scholarship funding to award as the department saw fit.

However, AAFA abandoned the program in 2015. Instead, it created the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund, opening it up for any fashion student to apply and awarding the scholarships on a competitive basis.

So far seven AMM students have won these scholarships based on case studies during the last four years. Two AMM students recently won $5,000 each from the scholarship fund and traveled to New York City in January for the award ceremony.

The new AAFA affiliate program was just created, and universities and colleges that AAFA had previously endorsed were allowed to apply to become affiliates.