AV福利社

Sustainable Style

Ava Stanley 鈥�25 wants the fashion industry to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Ava Stanley 鈥�25 wasn’t interested in AV福利社.

Stanley, originally from Hicksville, N.Y., on Long Island, wanted to expand her geographical horizons and head south for college. But an email from AV福利社 about the application deadline shifted her sights a bit northeast, and she decided to apply. 鈥淲hy not?鈥� she thought at the time.

She started talking to people she knew who were attending AV福利社, and they told her how much they loved it. So, when she got a phone call from Dean Libutti, associate vice president for enrollment management and student success, telling her she’d been awarded a Verrecchia Scholarship, her decision was made.

Initially, Stanley had planned to major in marketing but gradually realized that wasn鈥檛 the right path for her. She changed her major to textiles, fashion merchandising, and design, with a minor in sustainability. Stanley found a kindred spirit鈥攁nd an academic inspiration鈥攚hen she enrolled in a course taught by Izabela Ciesielska-Wrobel, assistant professor of textiles, fashion merchandising, and design.

鈥淧rofessor Ciesielska-Wrobel is interested in environmental waste and plastics leaching into the ocean,鈥� says Stanley. 鈥淚 wrote my application essay for AV福利社 on sustainability in the fashion industry, so immediately I thought this might be a good connection.鈥�

For her part, Ciesielska-Wrobel saw something special in Stanley, as well. 鈥淚 immediately recognized her inquisitive mind; she was always present, engaged, and asking interesting questions,鈥� says Ciesielska-Wrobel. 鈥淢y impression was that she was particularly interested in fashion and various aspects of sustainability.鈥�

During the spring 2024 semester, Stanley enrolled in an independent study with Ciesielska-Wrobel, working on ocean plastic waste and converting that waste into filaments that could become fibers for textiles. Stanley 鈥渇lourished as a young researcher,鈥� says Ciesielska-Wrobel.

Stanley incorporated the independent study in her entry for the annual Spring Splash fashion show. She made a three-tiered denim dress in which the curves of the denim skirt resembled ocean waves. 鈥淚 draped green lace on the arms and around the waist to symbolize ocean waste disrupting the natural beauty of the ocean,鈥� she says. 鈥淪ome people saw the lace as seaweed flowing in the waves. I see it as representing the idea that ocean waste has become so normalized, it is now part of the ocean and blends in.鈥�

Her 鈥渇avorite opportunity鈥� as a Verrecchia Scholar has been getting the chance to talk with Alfred J. Verrecchia 鈥�67, M.B.A. 鈥�72, Hon. 鈥�04, and his wife, Geraldine Verrecchia, because of their knowledge about the business world and their 鈥渢ruly one-of-a-kind鈥� life experiences.

鈥淭he Verrecchia Scholarship has shown me that hard work does not go unnoticed. Being awarded such an incredible scholarship made all the long nights of studying and extracurriculars worth it,鈥� says Stanley, who plans to spend the spring 2025 semester studying design at Parsons Paris, an American art and design school in Paris. 鈥淭he Verrecchias have been huge role models for me. Their generosity and humility are inspiring, and I hope I can have an impact as great as theirs.鈥�

鈥擥ary E. Frank

PHOTO: SETH JACOBSON

The Alfred J. Verrecchia Business Scholarship

The Alfred J. Verrecchia Business Scholars program provides full scholarships (tuition, fees, housing, food, books, and one global Winter J-Term travel experience with faculty) for four years for selected students interested in majoring in business. It also offers access to the University鈥檚 Honors Program and Colloquium, Leadership Institute, an alumni business mentor, a personal career coach with internship mentoring and placement, yearly donor retreat and roundtable CEO meeting, priority course registration, and access to special University events.

The scholarship is part of a $15 million gift from Alfred J. Verrecchia 鈥�67, M.B.A. 鈥�72, Hon. 鈥�04, and his wife, Geraldine Verrecchia, that supports the College of Business and attracts high-achieving students like Ava Stanley 鈥�25.