Campbelle Searcy has “found herself in college form!” A multifaceted artist, singer, and dancer with a flair for business and design, this freshman enters the Academy in search of adventure and inspiration, ready to take her creativity to the next level. She’s explored fashion’s impact on activism and has dreams of finding more sustainable and purposeful design solutions. Did we mention she taught herself how to roller skate during the pandemic?

Talk about your journey to the Academy. What were you looking for in an undergraduate program? 

Growing up, I always had a lot of different interests, particularly in the arts like singing, dancing, visual arts, and fashion design. I knew that I was an artist with a mindset for business and innovation, but unless I double majored or minored, most college programs I looked into limited me to the label and toolsets of an artist. My original plan was to double major in college as an art studio and business administration major. When I visited some upperclassmen friends at USC, we glanced over the IYA building. Security had locked the doors, but from what I could see brewing in the windows – the dress forms, all the machinery, the unique classroom settings – I could tell I needed to look more into it. After an intense deep dive into the website at home, the program hooked me. For the first time in the college process, I felt more excitement than worry for the end of the tunnel. I found myself in a college form! After lots of applications and forms, one creative business pitch, and an interview later, I am here and so excited to start in the fall.

What are you most looking forward to in the Academy? 

One thing I am excited about is meeting, connecting, and learning from so many diverse yet like-minded peers and faculty. I cannot wait to hear their stories, share mine, and collaborate with other creative individuals. 

Let’s say you were miraculously provided $1,000,000 in seed funding tomorrow. What would you create? 

Knowing myself, I would probably divide the money and allot a certain amount for two to three ventures. Hopefully, with the help of the Academy, I would create a dream team to start researching sustainable and alternative fashion design methods – these would include researching fabrics that can regenerate themselves or clothing that uses holographic technology to project designs. I also have a long-term interest in starting a chain of art and design-based YMCA aftercare programs for kids. 

What is your proudest achievement to date? 

My proudest achievement so far has been successfully carrying out my independent study focusing on fashion design and its role in past, present, and future activist movements. I worked for over seven months to write two research papers, design a mini collection of garments that reflected my research, and present my newfound understandings to my school. Many of the pieces in my independent study went on to place nationally in the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards. I am so grateful for the experience, as it helped me understand the nuances of setting a challenge and mapping out the details to make my designs come to life. 

Describe one thing most people don’t know about you.

One thing a lot of people do not know about me is that I love to sing and dance. I did a capella and cheered in high school, and I have taken dance classes for most of my life. Unless you’re watching me perform or hear me belt out to Beyoncé in the shower, you are not likely to know that off the bat.

What is one thing a significant person in your life taught you that you’d like to share?

One of my close family members taught me that many of our problems and suffering result from looking at issues with a narrow mindset. Looking at problems from a different viewpoint and adapting are both crucial to problem-solving. 

Imaginative, adventure-seeker, and Fergalicious.

What is one skill/thing that you learned during the COVID-19 pandemic?

During the second half of the pandemic, I found my old roller skates that magically still fit. After obsessing on skating TikTok for the longest, I finally attempted taking a stroll on my block. After many failures and falls, I got pretty decent and even learned how to skate backward (sort of).

If you could be any kitchen appliance, what would you be and why? 

I would definitely be a waffle maker because they do cool flips, make awesome waffles, and give off happy vibes.

What do you like to do/watch/read during your downtime? 

I like to go on drives or explore in Atlanta (and soon LA) during my free time. I love finding new fashion design projects to take on, like my prom dresses or even redesigning accessories. I also love TV shows like “Big Brother,” concerts, dance classes, and artmaking.

Movement leaders and trailblazers like Michelle Obama, Marsha P. Johnson, and John Lewis inspire me. People who question the status quo and are the forefront leaders for change inspire me to use my voice and talents to create waves in the ways I know best.

FRESH Encounters: Campbelle Searcy

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