*The previous article had an inaccurate date and name included and has since been corrected.  

Charlotte-based professional development organization, YOUniversity Drive, LLC, has announced to hold its first Collegiate Fashion Week event at the UNC Wilmington campus. The event will last from Feb. 10-14.

CFW takes a unique spin on the traditional fashion week by helping students prepare for successful careers. The program provides students with the skills, tools and knowledge required to be “Suited for Success” in today’s business world. CFW makes students really think about what is “fashionable” as far as habits and core behaviors go in the corporate sphere.

“Our campus is excited about YOUniversity Drive’s Collegiate Fashion Week event and the opportunity to teach our students how to brand themselves with a twist,” said Ixchel Baker-Tate, director of UNCW’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. “At UNCW, we strive to prepare our students for their lives and careers after college, and CFW is a tremendous program to help us accomplish that.”

The event lasts three days, each day dedicated to a different fashion-themed workshop conducted by local and regional corporate, community and civic leaders, industry experts and, of course, UNCW alumni. These workshops are aimed at assisting students in their preparation for the professional world.

“The career center and staff are always welcoming collaboration from administrators, faculty and student groups on programing leading to UNCW students’ success,” said Leslie Wright, assistant director and social media coordinator of UNCW’s Career Center.

The themed workshops include: “It’s Fashionable to…Have a Well-Dressed Resume,” “It’s Fashionable to…Have a Tailor-Made Network,” “It’s Fashionable to…Have Custom-Fitted Career Goals,” “Pumps, Pearls & Politics: A Woman’s Guide to Winning,” “Tuxedos, Ties & Timepieces: How Gentlemen Navigate the Corporate World,” “It’s Fashionable to…Have a Well-Designed Personal Brand Image,” “Suited For Success” and, finally, the Collegiate Fashion Week Grand Finale and Fashion Show.

To register for a CFW event, go here.

The selected speakers for CFW include: Bill Saffo, Mayor of the City of Wilmington and UNCW alumni; Johna Alexandria Edmonds, Miss North Carolina 2013; DeAlva W. Glenn, founder and CEO of D. Wilson Agency; Hilda Pinnix-Ragland, vice president of corporate public affairs at Duke Energy; Patrick Boykin, UNCW alumnus and vice president of commercial relations at PNC Bank; Matthew T. Beatty, UNCW alumnus and financial associate at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans; and Bo Burch, the CEO of Human Capital Solutions, Inc. and UNCW Board of Visitors.

YOUniversity Drive is excited about helping high school and college students get ready for their careers. YOUniversity’s founder, Michelle R. Horton, designed CFW based on experiences she had as a marketing executive and a college professor.

“We are very excited to be launching Collegiate Fashion Week with UNC Wilmington,” said Michelle R. Horton, founder and CEO of YOUniversity Drive. “North Carolina is home to one of the top public university systems in the country, and our institutions do a tremendous job providing students with the knowledge they need to enter the workforce. Our goal is to educate students outside of the classroom by exposing them to what employers are looking for and giving them the basic workforce readiness knowledge they will need to transition into corporate America.”

Local and regional CFW sponsors include: PNC Bank, Banana Republic, Jos. A. Bank, LOFT, Hilton Garden Inn and several other donors and partners. CFW is hosted by UNCW’s Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid, Career Center, Student Activities, and Student Affairs.

To find out more about Collegiate Fashion Week, check it out here.