SABA Hosts ‘Dress for Success’ Fashion Show
Guests gathered along a red carpet in Grey Towers Castle on Nov. 2 for the third annual Dress for Success Fashion Show, co-hosted by the Students for the Advancement of Business Administration (SABA) and the Office of Career Development.
Emceed by Julie DiTrapano, Director of Student Engagement, the event allowed student participants to demonstrate how to dress in a professional setting. Many students walked down the runway dressed for success in suits, ties, dress shirts and skirts for the workplace, while others modeled examples of an unprofessional appearance, wearing casual attire, sunglasses, headphones and chewing gum.
Faculty and staff from the School of Business, including Dr. Annette Halpin, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, and Raghu Kurthakoti, Assistant Professor of Marketing, also illustrated what not to wear in a professional setting, dressed in jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. Mike Hertel, Director of Career Development, discussed the importance of dressing appropriately in a workplace or interview setting and the need for students to appear polished and professional in such environments.
“SABA hosts the fashion show each year to show students the dos and dont’s of professional attire,” said Maggie Lyons, Vice President of SABA and a senior International Business and Culture major. “It’s important for students to understand the necessity of dressing professionally, especially for interviews. The fashion show also models clothes that are in style and are age appropriate. Corporate dress can be fun, too!”
Mark Noth, President of SABA and a senior International Business and Culture major, was one of the key individuals on the first Dress for Success executive board when the concept of SABA’s fashion show began three years ago. “We initiated it as an event to help foster a business-oriented mindset and to provide an opportunity for Arcadia’s community to be exposed to more professional events,” said Noth. “I have loved hosting [the event] every year… and have been thrilled working with my teams to put together these amazing shows that we can be proud of.”
In addition to the fashion show, guests were entertained by performances from Arcadia’s Concert Choir, directed by Steven Gearhart, and the Knight Club, Arcadia’s dance team. Professional attire and makeup worn during the fashion show was provided by Banana Republic and Aveda.
Photos by Pedro Leal ’13