Sara Sunderlin
Senior Lecturer
Office: EML 308E
701.231.7482
Education:
MS, North Dakota State University 2001.
BS, North Dakota State University 1993.
Courses taught: Fashion Dynamics; Aesthetics and Visual Analysis of Apparel Products; Sustainability and Social Change in Fashion; Computer Technology for the Apparel Industry; Textiles and Textiles Lab; Visual Merchandising and Promotion; Product Development; Professional Development.
Sara Sunderlin is a Senior Lecturer in the Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design program. She has been at NDSU since 2001 and teaches a wide variety of classes including Fashion Dynamics, Sustainability, Textiles, Visual Merchandising and Product Development. Sara serves as the Faculty Advisor for the Fashion Apparel and Business Organization – a student group made up of NDSU students with an interest in fashion. Each year FABO coordinates a large fashion show that showcases student work and local fashions. About 400 people attend the show each spring. She is also the caretaker for the Official NDSU Tartan – a type of fabric designed by an NDSU student in 2011. Tartan products are available exclusively at the NDSU Bookstore and sales from all tartan merchandise directly supports student scholarships. Sara serves on the Board of Directors for Nome Eweniversity – the educational non-profit portion of the Nome Schoolhouse project in Nome North Dakota.
Ask Me
Who are your role models or inspiring folks?
My parents and grandparents; creative friends who challenge and share ideas.
Outside of art and design fields, what inspires you?
Vintage household items and textiles of all types, ages, and kinds; I like to consider how they were made, who made them, how did the print or color get applied, what could they possibly be used for, what could they be used for now, etc.
What do you wish you had known when you started out as a student/in this field?
Try new things that might scare you. Try things that you aren’t good at and may fail doing – we learn most from a variety of experiences.
What was your most memorable meal?
When our nieces and nephews started coming to Fargo to attend college, my husband and I would have them over for supper every Tuesday night – it quickly became known as TNS – Tuesday Night Supper. The nieces and nephews would bring friends and roommates each week. We had TNS for 6 years at our house. The memorable part wasn’t about the food but about spending time with the people who came.
In your office, you can only have three things, one book, one tool, and one picture. What would they be and why?
Book: I love a paper planner with good paper.
Tool: A great pen to go with that good planner.
Picture: The annual family vacation selfie.