VF Corporation is growing leaders for the U.S. textile industry by providing UNCG faculty and students access to first-hand, international experience in the apparel industry. The company's engagement with UNCG continues a long-standing tradition of leadership with the University.

VF has given UNCG $100,000 for the enhancement of the Department of Consumer, Apparel and Retail Studies (CARS, formerly Textile Products, Marketing, and Design). VF gift includes a graduate fellowship of $60,000 over four years and a faculty professional development grant of $40,000 over four years.

"While the department has been able to attract top-notch faculty and also has recently moved to renovated teaching facilities, it is still difficult to teach with confidence about world-wide changes without having had first-hand knowledge of them," says Susan Larson of UNCG.

The faculty development grant will provide a variety of opportunities for students and faculty, including faculty international travel (short-term trips to countries where apparel products are manufactured); faculty research, including release time, to engage in finding solutions to real world problems through case studies; student internships abroad; and faculty professional development abroad.

VF is one of the world's largest apparel companies and maker of Lee, Wrangler, TheNorthFace, JanSport, Nautica, and many other popular clothing brands.

VF, a 100-year-old company headquartered in Greensboro, has maintained a close relationship with UNCG for over 50 years. VF employees have provided their expertise as members of the advisory board for the CARS Department. The company has been highly engaged with the UNCG internship program and has hired a long list of graduates of CARS and the Bryan School of Business and Economics.

In 2004, VF outlined what it saw as its primary drivers of growth in years to come: "Build More Growing Global Lifestyle Brands, Expand Our Share with Winning Customers, Stretch Brands and Customers to New Geographies, and Build New Growth Enablers (i.e. invest in leadership development)."

VF's support of UNCG and the CARS department is helping the company meet its business objectives by investing in leadership development that will produce benefits for both the company and the U.S. textile and apparel industries.