Kent State University's School of Fashion Design and Merchandising was recently ranked third in the country and 13th in the world by the popular online fashion magazine Fashionista.com.

Work like this earned the School of Fashion the recognition.

"The Top 50 Fashion Schools in the World" ranking by Fashionista.com includes design schools, as well as colleges and universities that offer stellar fashion business, marketing, styling, textiles and technology programs. The list was compiled after the Fashionista.com staff spoke to students, employees at the schools, companies who hire graduates and industry professionals. It also took into consideration tuition costs, demographics, famous alumni and variety in programming.

According to Fashionista.com: Kent State's School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, "with study-abroad programs in Paris and Milan, a huge endowment for scholarships, and a high-profile program allowing you to complete a fashion-focused undergraduate and M.B.A. in fashion-focused business in just five years, this school is one of the top American fashion schools and keeps getting better."

Kent State's School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, under the direction of J.R. Campbell, offers two undergraduate degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in fashion design or fashion merchandising. Nearly topping 2,000 students for fall 2010, the school features a garment center studio in New York City, which accommodates 120 students a year. Students also have opportunities to study abroad in Florence, Hong Kong, London and Paris. In fall 2010, the Fashion School began offering graduate-level courses in fashion theory, design management and fashion research methods as part of the professional M.B.A. with a fashion concentration from the College of Business Administration. Kent State's Fashion School is one of only 13 member schools in the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

The undergraduate program graduates approximately 200 students a year in fashion merchandising and design, with a placement rate in the industry of more than 90 percent. Some of the companies where Kent State fashion students are placed after graduation include Abercrombie & Fitch, Limited Brands, Kohl's, JCPenney, Express, Target, Jo-Ann Stores Inc., Lane Bryant and Macy's.

Recently, four students from Kent State's Fashion School received Geoffrey Beene National Scholarships. A total of eight $5,000 scholarships were awarded. In November, an invitation was extended to the university's fashion school by the Chinese government to send 10 Kent State fashion design students to show their work during China's Fashion Week in March 2011 in Beijing. The chosen students will enjoy an all-expense paid trip and the opportunity to feature their designs before an international audience.

The Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising at Kent State was created in 1983 due to a generous gift from Rodgers and Silverman to the university. Their gift of their entire collection of garments and designs also initiated the creation of the Kent State University Museum, and through their support, the museum and the school have been strong partners since their creation.

For more information on Kent State's School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, visit www.fashionschool.kent.edu or call 330-672-3010.