College Offers Quirky Shirts Designed by Students
By TAMAR LEWIN
Forget the standard college sweatshirt.

At Oberlin College, not many students wear college-logo clothes anyway.

But now, thanks to a seven-week entrepreneurship project, the college bookstore is about to offer quirky student-designed T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts better attuned to the Oberlin sensibility.

At least, they seemed to be last month at the fashion show where the student designs were shown off to a cheering audience and a panel of alumni experts, including Michael Alexin, Target’s vice president for product design and development.

“We wanted a ‘Project Runway’ kind of event, but of course Finney Chapel doesn’t have a runway, so it was more a fashion show,” said Andrea Kalyn, the associate dean for academic affairs and director of the project. “We wanted to see which designs resonated most.”

The winning designs, which will be sold at the campus bookstore just in time for commencement over Memorial Day weekend, are very Oberlin. One shows a red-eyed albino squirrel, a common sight on campus. One features a “womb chair,” a cushy, orange, orb-like chair that decades of Oberlin library users have crawled into to read or nap.

“I am completely excited to see my work bought and worn,” said Karl Orozco, the freshman who designed the womb chair.

Mr. Orozco also designed another favorite: a view of the world as seen from the Oberlin campus in Ohio, along the lines of the famous New Yorker cover, with Cleveland, the Appalachians, New York and the Atlantic Ocean receding in the distance. Production of that shirt has been deferred until the fall, to give the students time to deal with any copyright issues arising from the takeoff.

Designing and choosing the images was only part of the process.

“We didn’t want it to end up being just a T-shirt competition; we wanted to wring as much entrepreneurial value out of it as we could,” said Lauren Abendschein, Oberlin’s assistant director for entrepreneurships. “Beyond the design, the students had to figure out how to make a display, how to do the merchandising, how do we make it a brand?”

About a dozen students from various classes and fields of study worked on the project, splitting into a marketing team and a design team.

“Remember, Oberlin is a liberal arts college with no design department,” said Mr. Alexin, who worked with the students throughout the process. “This was a group of smart, passionate students majoring in neuroscience or math or music, plunging into design.”

Apparel with a college logo has the highest profit margin of any merchandise in college bookstores, according to the National Association of College Stores. And Barnes & Noble, which runs more than 600 college bookstores, including Oberlin’s, says that such clothes sell best at colleges with strong sports programs and team spirit.

But at a place like Oberlin, which prides itself more on eclecticism than athletics, the campus aesthetic is different.

“We wear strange things, we’re a peculiar little community,” said Margot Hanley, a senior economics major on the marketing team.

“Oberlin students don’t really like to self-identify as one thing or another,” she said. “It’s mostly only the athletes who buy apparel that says Oberlin, so there was clearly an omitted market for us to reach.”

At the start, Ms. Hanley said, the students had far-ranging ideas — maybe finding a local fabric producer in Cleveland, maybe producing a line of long dresses in sunset colors — but the short turnaround time squashed those dreams for now.

Starting this month, the bookstore is offering the group’s T-shirts for $15 and its organic cotton hoodies for $50. But the hope is for the project to expand next year.

“I think it’s such a cool idea that any student interested in fashion, marketing or business will be interested in getting involved,” Ms. Hanley said. “I still want to see long hemp dresses with cutouts.”

1. Be proud of yourself and confident in your abilities no matter what. Confidence shines through and impacts how people will regard you. We all have a lot to learn, through all stages of life. No one ever knows everything. Even though you have a lot to learn as you begin to create a life, and a career, believe in yourself. But do so humbly. No one likes a braggart. I can’t tell you how many resumes come across my desks that are written with arrogance. They all wind up in the round file.

2. Make everyday count by learning something new every day. Then write your lessons learned down on a calendar, in a diary, or on an index card for future reference. Talking about these new things with family and friends will make you more interesting to people and help you keep in these lessons in mind –and in action.

3. Be time efficient in both your business and personal life. Also, I advise you to make more time for your family than for your business, as difficult as that may sometimes seems as you put in long hours. And don’t try to run your family like a business –a common mistake. It won’t work, and will just hurt you and your loved ones.

4 Read, read, read and then do more reading. Books are distilled wisdom and will make you smarter, more creative and provide you with a much more satisfying life. Also be sure to read the New York Times, especially all sections of the Sunday Times, especially the Week in Review, Business and Styles. One business book I read recently that I wholeheartedly recommend is “MicroTrends” by Mark Penn, an excellent resource for the budding entrepreneur. Another is “FutureThink” by futurists and trend-predictors Edie Weiner and Arnold Brown. Make CEOExpress.com your new homepage and refer to it frequently.
5 Entrepreneurs are a certain breed of independent thinking, ambitious person. Do you have those qualities? Here is a little quiz. Answer honestly.
(a) Are you a natural risk-taker or do you like to play it safe?
(b) Can you go for at least three months without taking a salary in hope of a payoff down the line? Have you saved money and do you have that nest egg?
(c) Are you highly creative and constantly think of new ideas? Do you look at products and think of ways to make or market them more effectively? Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night to write down an idea? Have you ever text messaged an idea to yourself because you were afraid you would forget it?
(d) Are you good at math and keeping books, especially your own checkbook?
(e) Are you willing to work 24/7 for the privilege of gaining financial independence and to never work for someone else again?
If you answered “Yes” to most of these questions then you are on your way.

The world is yours for the taking. Believe in yourself, run with it, and Good Luck!

-Ted Liebowitz Brooklyn College ‘79

 The Class of 2010

The Class of 2010 has come to an end for many it is just the beginning too early to comprehend.

The term was filled with inspiring speakers some thrill seekers who knocked the students out of their sneakers.

Sixteen of you made this great journey without anyone ending up in a gurney or needing an attorney.

Jack’s T-shirt business made such a hit, working while on vacation sounds like a fit.

Matt comes to class full of life his ideas and enthusiasm sharp as a knife.

Max’s focus is on natural pills someday he’ll make it to Beverly Hills.

Stephanie’s coffee shop is very unique extremely hard work and not for the weak.

David’s phone accessory stand was a huge success with his business acumen he will certainly progress.

Krystal’s designs made a big splash with the class I know someday she’ll end up on the runway.

Alisa made the buying trip fun for all, her fashion sense will be a big seller this fall.

Lisa’s business plan was second to none a tenacious leader who likes to have fun.

Billy’s smile is very contagious his business ideas totally outrageous. He’s out of the box and smart like a fox.

Iryna just seventeen, wise beyond her years, sold out the earrings without any fears.

Corinne the frugal shopper has much to offer, selling some Avon on campus added more to her coffer.

Sheyna the bookkeeper was never off by a cent, she’ll make a great accountant who likes to vent.

Khaled our rapper always endures matter of time before he tours. There is no doubt he will have a lasting shout.

Liya can sell jewelry like no other student her long term vision is very prudent.

David asks good questions and likes to learn, I know for sure he will always earn.

Kayla’s daily commute is no joke but her sales skills will ensure she is never broke.

My dad is always first to show up on selling day, handing out the flyers and putting out fires. He is always on the latest fad, because Brooklyn Joe is in the know.

Sara, my wife, helps me grade your papers and balance the books, while she takes care of the kids and cooks.

David our documenterian video’s our classes for future masses, always has a smile and is very versatile.

So that’s all for now, I hope you had fun, now go out there and Just do it and this is no pun.

 Ted Liebowitz Brooklyn College ’79

 www.Liebowitzentrepreneurprogram.org

Remember to pay it forward

Dear Students,
This week we had a bit of a struggle doing business in the cold and wind as students were passing us by to find relief from the cold. Many of our students were also not dressed warmly enough. While we did some business we were 40% off the prior week sales figures. When you are doing business outside the weather matters! Typically the rain and snow will have a major negative effect in most businesses especially nightclubs and restaurants. This week is predicted to be sunny and 70 degrees. Let’s hope so as it is our last day and I’d like to sell everything out!

There will be no homework this week to let you prepare for the final exam. Please e-mail me or bring in your missed homeworks as time is running out.

Final Exam
Due May 12, 2010

Part 1. Write a paper no longer then two pages on what you learned this semester from the program. Please include references to our text book, live student presentations, buying trips, various speakers and our selling days. How will you be able to apply these new learned skills to your new business in the future? Who was your favorite class speaker and why? Check the website for videos on all of our speakers

Part 2: At our graduation ceremony at Applebees on May 12th, 12:30PM you will be asked to stand in front of the class and accept your check & graduation award in front of your fellow graduates and invited guests of the college. In a speech no longer then two minutes tell me what you learned from the program and why I should make you my future partner?

Just a reminder our graduation and awards ceremony for the program will be held:

Date: May 12, 2010
Time: 12:30 PM
Place: Applebees Restaurant
Nostrand Avenue and Avenue H

Business attire will be required for this ceremony.