Student Ambassador Program

The Student Ambassador Program was created to address the need for education, awareness, and community engagement in our local colleges and universities, while utilizing the current academic assets and innovative capabilities within our fibershed, starting with students who are shaping their philosophies and portfolios before entering the workforce. The student ambassador program will support them with advocacy training, field study, community building, and creative opportunities to connect their own work, passions, and studies to the needs of our fibershed.

It is our hope that students leave the Rust Belt Fibershed Student Ambassador Project with an ability to discuss, advocate for, and participate in regenerative principles and practices they can bring to all areas of their lives, including their own respective careers.

Once we develop the resources we’re using, it is our intention to make them open-source to be utilized by any fibershed or post-secondary institution (and eventually high-school level) to create a shift in culture, philosophy and innovative workforce solutions while empowering students to pursue interesting questions and solutions related to the Rust Belt Fibershed’s mission.

**Arabella Hammerich**

Hi, i'm Arabella. I'm a junior at Kent State University majoring in Fashion Design, with a minor in Textiles. I am very passionate about sustainability, and I hope to have a career in sustainable apparel construction. Through Rustbelt Fibershed, I'd like to help raise awareness on sustainability issues, and how we can all make a change.

Cate McNamara

I’m a freshman fashion design major at Kent State University from Fairfield, Connecticut. I have been interested in sustainable fashion since my sophomore year of high school when I watched the documentary *The True Cost*, and the issues it presented stayed with me for years. Outside of fashion I am a cellist in the Kent State Orchestra and in a cello quartet.

**Ciane Mims**

Hi! I’m a second year fashion merchandising student with minors in accessories and psychology. I’m an advocate for sustainable practices in all aspects of life but especially in fashion design and production. Outside of fashion I live to read and learn languages!

**Elie Jammal**

Born and raised in Cleveland, OH, I am a senior year fashion design student. With an emphasis in textile design, I like combining multiple mediums and techniques to create inventive pieces. I love to create, listen to music, and spend time outside. I joined the Rustbelt Fibershed so I could continue educating my peers on the importance of sustainable fashion and soil-to-soil economies.

Emily Yanchak

Hi, I'm Emily! I'm a sophomore at Kent State University majoring in fashion merchandising and double minoring in sustainability and marketing. I'm from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and my hobbies include reading and crocheting. I love any outdoor activity, and I'm interested and eager to learn more about the sustainable aspects of the fashion industry through the RBF SAP!

Kat Novak- Professor and Advisor to Student Committee

Kat Novak is a textile artist whose emphasis is on embroidery, hand spinning, screen printing, and digital textile printing. Novak uses textiles to celebrate and preserve communities that are often overlooked with a focus on sustainability and reutilizing materials. She embraces the intersection of hand processing and technology by utilizing digitally textile printed imagery generated from shared photographed moments, embroidering, and hand sewing each piece. Her work has been displayed in Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. She has earned a BS and MA in Fashion from the University of Akron, a Master Hand spinner Certificate from Haliburton School of Art and Design, and an MFA in Textiles from Kent State University.