Damien Mitchell made a splash with his innovative, sustainable, thoughtful and stylish footwear designs during his time as a graduate student in the Design M.F.A. program at UC Davis. Now, as a faculty member himself, he is making an impact on design students in his home state of Louisiana.

Alejandra Ruiz, M.F.A. ’23, is using mushrooms to turn fast-fashion waste into reusable, eco-friendly materials. Ruiz is focused on addressing critical issues in fashion and textile culture, envisioning a sustainable and responsible future for the clothing production industry. In her role as a teaching assistant at UC Davis, Ruiz advocates for sustainability through education