When recent graduate Cecelia Kirk, a fashion merchandising major, first arrived on 91ֿ’s Kent Campus in 2021, she could hardly have imagined the connection she would develop with university President Todd Diacon.
From the very beginning, Diacon extended a remarkably personal welcome, helping Kirk, a Knoxville, Tennessee, resident, and other freshmen move their belongings into their residence halls. Her mother, Melinda Kirk, was incredibly impressed by Diacon’s warm, personal touch.
So, when Melinda returned to Tennessee and sent Diacon a thank you email, it soon dawned on her that Diacon had been her instructor in the early 1990s at the University of Tennessee Knoxville in a Latin American Studies course.
This little coincidence is what she and Cecelia call “God winks,” the signs that showed them that Cecelia’s college choice was meant to be.
The next day, President Diacon responded.
“God winks are little signs that maybe you’re in the right place or you’re heading in the right direction,” said Cecelia, who earned a Bachelor of Science in fashioning merchandising from 91ֿ’s highly ranked School of Fashion. “It felt good to hear that [Diacon was Melinda’s professor] and it was comforting. He’s such a fun person to be around. Any interaction I’ve had with him has been awesome.”
Before arriving at 91ֿ, the family had been told there would be abundant resources to help Cecelia become successful. The family found that 91ֿ’s distinctive local and global programs and deep partnerships with industry connections exceeded their expectations.
Cecelia spoke with 91ֿ Today about the importance of her education abroad and extracurricular experiences.
Three Years of Invaluable Experiences
It’s been a whirlwind, dynamic journey since Cecelia stepped foot on campus. In just three years she studied abroad in Florence, Italy; worked in 91ֿ’s New York City Fashion, worked as a stylist for A Magazine, a fashion, beauty and culture publication on campus; and served on the executive board of Fashion Student Organization. She joined a sorority, participated in campus groups and made lifelong friends.
Cecelia recalls that her time in Florence was one of her favorite experiences at 91ֿ because her professors had so much industry knowledge and made students feel like they were in a “real-world environment with our projects.”
“I learned a ton there,” Cecelia said of her time in Florence. “They gave us plenty of time to do our own traveling and exploring. In addition to the tour opportunities, they took us to Milan to factories and we met with different designers."
Melinda said she was equally as impressed with the experiences and resources that 91ֿ made available to Cecelia.
“As a school counselor and as a parent, I’m just as pleased as punch for her experiences at 91ֿ,” Melinda said. “I can’t believe how affordable it was. She couldn’t have had the success she’s having without the resources and the support at 91ֿ.”
Internships Lead to Manhattan Job
Cecelia's internships became a testament to 91ֿ's commitment to real-world experience. Her first summer internship with Marc Nelson Denim in Knoxville, Tennessee, offered more than just fashion training. She learned all things fashion and traveled to Florida and Chicago all the while giving back to the community.
Along the way, Melinda kept Diacon abreast of Cecelia’s progress. In one of the emails, Diacon spoke about the university's annual Fashion Show, noting, "I love interacting with our student designers and our student merchandising majors at that event ... and to hear where they are going after graduation...which includes employment across America and abroad."
By her third year, Cecelia decided to accelerate her studies and graduate early. While studying in New York, she served an internship in New York at Scabal, a luxury menswear and textile company based in Belgium. Cecelia is happy to report that on Jan. 6 she will begin a full-time job in Manhattan with Scabal.
“Being able to use the resources and making them so accessible to us has been absolutely invaluable to me,” Cecelia said. “I’m very thankful for Kent and the connections it has given me and all the friendships. It’s a great place.”