The Textile, Manufacturing, and Fashion Design Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is on the chopping block. There is a hearing tonight, on Thursday, October 9th at 4:30pm CST to speak to the committee responsible for these cuts. Owner of Omaha Fashion Week, Brook Hudson, will be speaking alongside other prominent leaders and students in the community. Below are her thoughts on why cutting this program would be detrimental to the fashion infrastructure in Nebraska.
It’s not too late to make your voice heard. Complete the short feedback form for the committee to review and sign the student-run petition. Both of these actions show UNL how valued this program is! You can also tune into the livestream tonight via the link below.
To the Academic Planning Committee and University Leadership:
I am urging you to reconsider the proposed elimination of the Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design (TMFD) program. While recent enrollment declines are concerning, cutting TMFD entirely would be shortsighted and would ignore the significant opportunities this program brings to UNL, Nebraska, and the global marketplace.
1. Fashion is a Global Industry and a Nebraska Opportunity
Fashion is not a niche interest — it is a $1.8 trillion global industry that affects every single person, every single day. Beyond apparel, the fashion sector touches supply chain logistics, retail innovation, digital design, and advanced materials. Eliminating TMFD means abandoning Nebraska’s chance to prepare students for careers in one of the world’s most dynamic industries.
2. TMFD as a Gateway to STEAM, Especially for Women
Fashion naturally integrates science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Students learn material science, chemistry of dyes, sustainability engineering, 3D design, and data-driven merchandising. Importantly, TMFD attracts young women who may not otherwise see themselves in math, science, or engineering disciplines — helping advance UNL’s commitment to broadening participation in STEAM.
3. Misalignment of Structure, Not Relevance
Part of TMFD’s challenge is perception. Housed within the Home Economics Building and the College of Education & Human Science, fashion has been easy to discount because it doesn't quite fit. Fashion is big business — it belongs in the Colleges of Business, Engineering, or Fine Arts. Repositioning TMFD would highlight its true relevance rather than writing it off as an outdated “home economics” degree.
4. Proven Local Demand and Missed Recruitment
Demand for fashion education in Nebraska is clear:
• Omaha Fashion Week draws hundreds of students from across the state to its runways every February and August.
• High school fashion programs, like South High School’s in Omaha, enroll hundreds of students each year, with many earning college credit. South High in particular has over 200 students enrolled in its fashion & costume design career pathway.
• Fashion summer camps, produced by Omaha Fashion Week and Develop Model Management, sell out annually, drawing 130+ kids ages 6–17.
• The recruitment opportunity is real, but underleveraged. With stronger pipelines, enrollment could be rebuilt.
5. Nebraska’s Leadership in Sustainability and Fiber Science
TMFD has a long history in sustainability and fiber science, disciplines that directly address fashion’s global challenges. Fashion is one of thelargest contributors to environmental harm, from water usage to textile waste. Students today — the very target market for this program — care deeply about sustainability. Eliminating TMFD would throw away decades of expertise just as global demand for sustainable fashion innovation is exploding. Nebraska, with its agricultural base, is uniquely positioned to connect fiber science, agriculture, and sustainable design into a nationally distinctive program.
6. Retaining Talent and Preventing Brain Drain
If TMFD disappears, Nebraska students interested in fashion will leave the state for Iowa State, Kansas State, or farther afield — and many will not return. In a state already struggling to retain young professionals, eliminating TMFD will accelerate the brain drain.
7. The Cost Savings Do Not Justify the Loss
Eliminating TMFD saves $1.45M — a small fraction of UNL’s overall budget. The long-term cost of lost enrollment, lost partnerships, lost industry collaborations, and lost alumni contributions will far exceed that.
UNL has a chance not just to preserve TMFD, but to reimagine it as a flagship program that connects Nebraska’s agricultural strengths with the future of sustainable fashion, entrepreneurship, and STEAM education. Rather than eliminating the program, UNL should invest in realignment, recruitment, and strategic partnerships that will position TMFD as a driver of innovation, equity, and economic development for Nebraska.
Respectfully,
Brook Hudson
Owner, Omaha Fashion Week