Spotlight On: ATA
Written by ATA Team
Flipping through the latest issue of Vogue, sipping a Starbucks nonfat vanilla latte and gabbing about fashion was the stereotype associated with the student organization, TASA (Textile and Apparel Student Association). TASA was the student org associated with the TAD (Textile and Apparel Design) major and provided events pertaining to fashion and design. Many members complained they had to pay dues, but never actually participated in the events. The organization’s reputation was slowly dwindling and to say the least, TASA was on its way down.
Enter the fab four. Rachael Snedigar, Zachary Mueller, Amy Bohenkamp and Emily Osterbauer wanted to initiate change. The team wanted the TAD major to have an association that was organized, effective and helped further the students’ professional lives. Zach Mueller, the Vice President, comments, “The creation of the Apparel and Textile Association, or ATA, was an effort to distance ourselves from any negative associations the student body had with its student org.”
ATA focuses primarily on career preparation and will provide networking opportunities that could lead to a possible internship or job. ATA President Rachael Snedigar, explains that activities include “Info sessions with employers in design careers, portfolio sessions to prepare the students for Portfolio Review and trips to Chicago and hopefully New York City to get the students’ feet wet in the design industry.”
Not only have its leaders revamped the organization, but have made it even more accessible to students as well. “No dues!” Zach proclaims. “If a trip has a fee, you pay for just that. We are trying to save the precious dollars of our members.” ATA is indeed free of charge-one of the aspects that makes this student organization so unique. “It’s about what the members want; how ATA can help them,” Rachael says.
A popular question asked is, “Who can join ATA?” President Snedigar responds, “Anyone! We are not picking and choosing who we want. We want members that will participate in our events and if that is you, then you should join!”
ATA has worked hard to rebrand themselves as a success-oriented student organization, and now all they need is students who are ready and willing to become a part of this fabulous org.
Want more info? Connect with ATA at:
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/WiscoATA
Twitter: @WiscoATA