Popular fashion retailer Fashion Nova and rapper Megan Thee Stallion rolled out the red carpet for the fashion merchandising and design program at N.C. A&T recently with a surprise donation of $25,000.

The gift, which is one of the largest in the program area’s history, is even more exciting because it was unexpected, said Beth Newcomb Hopfer, Ph.D., associate professor and area coordinator for fashion merchandising and design in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

“We’re thrilled beyond belief,” Newcomb said. “We’re excited to begin thinking about ways to use this gift to be the most impactful to students. We want to help the most students for the longest amount of time.” Every day throughout March – Women’s History Month – the company’s philanthropic arm, Fashion Nova Cares, awarded and posted information on Instagram about groups selected to receive $25,000 or more from a partnership between the company and Megan Thee Stallion, who has contributed $1 million to the effort from her “Women On Top” philanthropy.

“Fashion Nova is known for being a very philanthropic organization,” Newcomb said. “Our program’s faculty met on Zoom with representatives from Fashion Nova for what we thought was a meeting to talk about our program, and they offered the gift out of the blue.”

The program is evaluating possible uses for the gift: student scholarships, travel support for industry tours, and other fashion-forward ideas are all possibilities.

“We are proud to support the fashion merchandising and design program at N.C. A&T State University through our Fashion Nova Cares ‘Women on Top’ initiative,” says Richard Saghian, founder and CEO of Fashion Nova. “HBCUs produce more than 20 percent of the country’s Black graduates, more than half of whom are Black women. Fashion Nova is honored to nurture Black scholarship and to promote greater educational opportunities with funds supporting Black leadership, entrepreneurship, and fashion design and merchandising programs.”

The rapper announced on March 8, International Women’s Day, that she was contributing $1 million in partnership with Fashion Nova to help finance women entrepreneurs, female students, women-owned businesses and women-focused charities. Her “Women On Top” initiative works to empower women by supporting their education, organizations, charities and businesses with donations.

Founded in 2006, Fashion Nova is a company known for its Instagram marketing and for interacting directly with users through a mix of models, celebrities and other customers. The popular brand was recently named Google’s most-searched fashion brand.

“It’s a name that our students definitely know and can appreciate,” Newcomb said.

While this gift is the first connection the program has made to the fashion company, Newcomb hopes it won’t be the last. Thanks to their common interests in fashion and education, she envisions other possible collaborations in the future.

“This donation will provide much-needed support for our students, who may become fashion entrepreneurs themselves,” said Valerie Giddings, Ph.D., department chair of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. “We are so happy to receive this contribution and recognition from Fashion Nova.”

“We are incredibly excited and appreciative, and we hope it won’t be the last time we work together,” Newcomb said. “We see this as an open door.”

Don't forget to check out Fashion Nova CARES on Instagram!