Ji Yun Lee ’11 making her own fashion statement

Thanks to Fashion Scholarship Fund, she’s working in her chosen industry; deadline to apply for 2011-12 FSF scholarship is Oct. 24

Just a few months after graduating from Brandeis, Ji Yun Lee ’11 is working in her chosen industry in the place where she wants to be, thanks to connections she made through the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF).

Lee works as an assistant brand manager for fashion accessories and the menswear division at Li & Fung USA in New York, where she helps develop and implement a marketing strategy. Among her responsibilities is coordinating the brand’s social media outreach.

Lee was one of three Brandeis students to win a $5,000 fashion scholarship last year. Abigail Katznelson ’11, MA ’12 and Danielle Schivek ’11 were the others.

The contacts Lee made turned out to be more important than the money.

The fund “does a great job connecting you with people in the industry,” said Lee, a Korean who was raised in Beijing. “You get opportunities you would not normally get. I am very fortunate to be working for Li & Fung in the fashion hub of the world.”

In addition to financial assistance, fashion scholarship winners are eligible for summer internships and career mentoring.

The fund “hosts networking events for summer interns where you get to mingle with top executives in the fashion industry,” Lee said.



Lee’s mentor is Paul Rosengard '80, executive vice president and head of menswear for Li & Fung USA and chairman of the scholarship fund. He helped get his alma mater involved with the program for the first time last year. Other participating schools include Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, the Rhode Island School of Design, the University of Virginia, Parsons, and about two dozen other leading institutions.

Brandeis students with a demonstrated intent to pursue careers in design, merchandising, retailing, journalism, computer science or business are encouraged to apply for the next round of scholarships. The deadline is Oct. 24.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Brandeis students considering careers in business or in the fashion industry to obtain real-world experience and scholarship support," said Elaine Wong, the senior associate dean of arts and sciences for undergraduate education.

Sophomores, juniors and first-semester seniors with at least a 3.0 grade-point average are eligible. Applicants need to complete a case study and be interviewed by a member of the scholarship fund board.

The Hiatt Career Center is hosting an information session for students who are interested in learning more about the Fashion Scholarship Fund at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Hiatt offices.

 Faculty members Maura Jane Farrelly, Alice Kelikian, Detlev Suderow '70, P '05, and Grace Zimmerman are available to advise interested applicants.

"Fashion has always been a popular career choice for Brandeis students, and there are many examples of successful alumni involved in every aspect of fashion such as design, strategic planning, business development and management,” said Joseph Du Pont, dean of the Hiatt Career Center. “This prestigious scholarship can open the door to a career in business or fashion."

The fund awards 80 $5,000 scholarships each year and also administers the Geoffrey Beene National Scholarships, which hands out four $30,000 scholarships annually.

All application materials and instructions for applying can be found on the B.hired portion of Hiatt's website. For more information or to apply, contact DuPont by email or phone at 781-736-3613; he will also receive completed applications and coordinate the application process.