The Young Menswear Association Fashion Scholarship Fund, which according to its website is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to "recruiting and cultivating the next generation of leaders in the fashion industry," officially added Brandeis University to its group of scholarship recipients, according to a press release from Dean of Career Services Joseph Du Pont.According to its website, the Fashion Scholarship Fund is a "national non-profit association consisting of influential members of the fashion community, dedicated to promoting education of the fashion arts and business by granting scholarships to talented students and facilitating internships, mentorships, and career programs." It is composed of many of the top names in the fashion industry including Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Avery Dennison and Geoffrey Beene.

The website explains that the FSF awards a total of 80 $5,000 scholarships annually, plus four outstanding Geoffrey Beene Scholarship awards of $25,000, which students may use to pursue their education and career goals. Only sophomores, juniors and first-semester seniors with a least a 3.0 grade point average may apply.

In an e-mail interview with the Justice, Du Pont wrote, "It is an honor to be chosen by the YMA to be one of schools they have invited to participate in this program." Du Pont credited Alan Bertman from the Office of Alumni and University Relations as the primary person who forged the relationship between Brandeis University and the YMA.

"We encourage all interested Brandeis students to apply for this prestigious scholarship, which can open the door to a career in business or fashion," said Du Pont in a Brandeis press release on Sept. 14. The press release further states that "there are many successful Brandeis alumni in these fields, and a program like this can inspire even more students to consider careers in fashion or business."

Du Pont also noted the "stellar" internships students can receive with top-notch design companies as an "exciting" aspect of the affiliation.

"It gives us at Hiatt an opportunity to highlight many of our alumni who already hold high profile positions within these and other prominent fashion companies," he wrote, adding that "students get a stronger sense of possibility that they, too, can break into these professions when we can connect them with other Brandeis alumni who are already working in the field."

Nicole Dettling '12 and Emily Lapworth '12, co-presidents of the Fashion Design Club, wrote in a joint e-mail to the Justicethat they were not involved in Brandeis' selection to the scholarship fund and admitted to being caught off-guard after hearing that Brandeis had been selected.

"Both of us were a little surprised when we heard of the affiliation," wrote Dettling, "but after thinking about it, it makes sense. There is much more to fashion than designers.It is a highly economic industry that is based much in mass appeal and advertising. There needs to be a brain behind the flash. Brandeis has one of the best business programs on the east coast, so why not give them this grant?"

Although Brandeis does not have an academic fashion-related program, there are outlets around campus for students to employ their passion for fashion design.Aside from clubs like the Fashion Design Club, there are opportunities in places such as the Theater department, where Lapworth worked as a seamstress last year.

Dettling wrote that she believes that the University's inclusion in the Fashion Scholarship Fund could very well draw attention to the industry.

"While I have only met a handful of Brandeis students who have a serious interest in pursuing a fashion career, I think that this affiliation might inspire more students to take an interest," she wrote.

According to Du Pont, "We already have had many students express interest in this and are working actively with several to prepare their applications for the YMA scholarship opportunity.