Fashion Studies graduate Kristen Nicole Reaves wins prestigious Gilman Scholarship

Every student at Harper has a different academic journey, but the path taken by Kristen Nicole Reaves has required particular perseverance. Despite stumbling blocks and setbacks she stuck to her goals and her dedication has paid off with spectacular success.

In May of 2024 she was awarded a Gilman Scholarship worth $6,500 for American students to study abroad. She will be attending Toyo University in Tokyo.

Kristen Nicole started her journey at Harper 5 years ago in the psychology department. She always had a strong interest in fashion and her passion for sewing and designing led her to switch majors and join the Fashion Studies department in her second year.

Not all her courses transferred, but Kristen Nicole remained undaunted. “Learning is the ultimate goal for me and I know what I studied in those classes will help me throughout my life,” she explained. Partway through her Fashion Studies degree, Covid hit and threw another stumbling block into her path. In the middle of physical and social isolation of the pandemic, she made the difficult decision to transfer to Columbia College.

She realized right away that it wasn’t the right fit for her and returned to Harper after only one semester. Kristen Nicole refused to let these setbacks bog her down. “I come from a family that doesn’t give up. If something hard knocks you down, you just pick yourself up and keep trying,” explains Kristen Nicole.

Her positive attitude and tremendous work ethic enabled Kristen Nicole to blossom in the Fashion Studies program and she quickly became a leader. She was the obvious choice to be hired as the Student Aide for Fashion Studies for the 2023-2024 academic year, and she was also elected to serve as the Vice President of Harper’s Bizarre, the student fashion club.

Her abilities did not go unnoticed. For her outstanding contribution to Fashion Studies, she was recognized with the 2024 Excellence in Leadership Award.

Beata Kaina, veteran Fashion Studies instructor, mentored Kristen Nicole and helped guide her in the design and creation of her collection for the annual Harper Student Fashion Show. She was prolific and entered twelve looks into the Fashion Show, the most by any designer. She demonstrated her commitment to quality as well and walked away with the Top Jury Score Award as selected by panel of industry professionals.

Program Coordinator Nupur Sharma connected often with rising star Kristen Nicole and encouraged her to think about her goals after graduation. After hearing that Kristen Nicole had a fascination with Japanese culture discovered through a love of anime, Nupur directed Kristen Nicole to the International Student Office to work out a study abroad plan and suggested she apply for the Gilman Scholarship as a means to finance her trip.

“When the news came in that she won the Gilman we were ecstatic,” says Nupur. “She will be an excellent representative for Harper in Japan, and I can’t wait to see what she does next."