Donated professional attire showcased in COB fashion show

Delaware State University’s College of Business provides not only the knowledge to help its students be successful in the world of finance and management, but also offers professional clothing for those who need it.

The College of Business has connected with Joann Means of TD Bank – whose financial institution is already a faithful corporate friend of the University in other areas – to address that need.

Because professionalism is an essential standard that the College of Business instills in its students, they are often required to dress professionally – especially for events such as career job fairs and the College’s annual DEEP Day (Delaware Executive Exchange Program).

Dr. Carrie Awadzi, a Professor of Practice in the College of Business, said that upon articulating that standard to her students, she learned that some students simply did not have professional attire.

Dr. Awadzi shared this student need with Ms. Means, her twin sister and a Senior Diversity Talent Recruiter for TD Bank. The sisters are the daughters of Dr. Winston Awadzi, a longtime Professor of Business Administration in the College of Business who retired last year.

Mrs. Means embraced professional attire needs as a personal mission and engaged some of her TD Bank colleagues in collecting clothes donations to help the students.

Last year, Mrs. Means collected 400 pieces of clothing, which were distributed to the DSU College of Business students.

Having learned the possibilities, Ms. Means worked to surpass her initial success. Brooks Brothers was engaged to contribute to the project, and the collection of professional attire pieces began in May 2024.

“This year, we collected 1,200 pieces of clothing,” Mrs. Means said. “I stored all of it in my basement; last week, I came with a huge van, and the students helped me unload it.”

As a culmination of this year’s effort, on Sept. 13, the College of Business and TD Bank jointly hosted an HBCU Professional Fashion Show in the Bank of America’s Longwood Auditorium on campus. Many College of Business students became runway models, strutting and showing off the donation blessing of professional clothing.

To see images from the HBCU Professional Fashion Show, click on the below link:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/48216028@N03/albums/72177720320330303/

The Fashion Show was produced in partnership with several DSU student organizations, including The God Brothers, Accounting Club, Fashion Hive, and 1Entity. The following students who have established their clothing line also participated in the fashion show: Lacey Vieira, Players Dept. Studios; Sean Davidson, Fear Third; Terry Cameau, Unremarkable Trench Kid; and Andre Saunders- Ukiyowrld.

The event also included the step performance rhythms of several Greek organizations – Sigma Gamma Rho, Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Phi Beta Sigma – as well as the student dance group Hidden Vanity. 

“This is a labor love for me because I see students with the clothing, and they are so excited,” Ms. Means said. “I know next week they will be suited and booted for the Career Fair.”