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When Catherine Yi graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a BFA in illustration in 2012, she took a few odd jobs here and there. But an illustration professor at The Beach, Mark Michelon, recommended her to a professional friend of his, who had just started a women’s clothing line in Costa Mesa.

Yi interviewed and got a full-time job at Z Supply. Twelve years later, she’s still there, creating textile art for various pieces of clothing and accessories. Meanwhile, the company has grown into a leading brand in women’s chic casual dress, selling its 2,200 styles in 3,000 boutiques nationwide and in Canada.

Z Supply has also become a working home for ɫ��ɫ alumni, employing more than 18 graduates over the past decade and sponsoring a robust scholarship program since 2022. ɫ��ɫ was the first university in that program, and 13 Beach students have received scholarships since 2022, underscoring the company’s belief in and commitment to ɫ��ɫ, which has seen this partnership grow stronger over the years.

“I feel like (Cal State) Long Beach is very creative,” Yi said. “Working in apparel is very creative. So much about working is just communication, and being able to work with people and understand people. I think Cal State Long Beach taught me a lot, and basically just how to grow up.”

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Mandy Fry, president and co-owner of Z Supply, launched the Z Supply Foundation in 2021. Since then, it has granted more than $1.5 million in scholarships to students at six colleges and universities.

She said she sees something special in ɫ��ɫ students and graduates, whom she has described as “very loyal, positive and optimistic.” She mentioned the connection between Michelon (now emeritus) and co-founder Greg Garrett, as well as the “wonderful experience” Z Supply has had with Yi, as reasons for the ongoing ɫ��ɫ partnership.

“Each and every one of them has a real talent for the department that they're working in,” Fry said. “They’re extremely competent, very professional. And there’s no substitute for hard work.”

Today, ɫ��ɫ grads are working in all aspects of Z Supply’s business, from graphic design and product development to marketing, sales, accounting, web design and information technology.

College of the Arts Dean Royce W. Smith stressed the impact and benefit of the partnership between Z Supply and Cal State Long Beach. “It’s really important for students who come into our college to know that there are people that believe in them,” he said. Students “need that kind of hero — someone who’s made it, someone who’s been successful, because it’s difficult being a creative.”

He noted that scholarships help students focus more on their studies, so they don’t have to be working an outside job “70 hours a week.”

The Z Supply connection “just kind of completes the circle for our college, and it sets a great example for other folks.”

Fry observed that ɫ��ɫ and its College of the Arts are “doing a phenomenal job setting students up for success, and that’s really hard to do.” She said she had to figure out the fashion and clothing industry on her own when she was younger.

“Cal State Long Beach is nurturing and preparing students to be in an environment like ours, and they’re doing a great job at it,” she said.

Melanie Vo ’25, who got her BFA in graphic design, is another Z Supply success story. A foundation scholarship helped her finish an extra semester at The Beach, as required by her major. She then obtained a summer internship at the company in 2025. Today, she’s a full-time associate graphic designer, a job she started in February 2026.

“It’s amazing how much they’ve invested in me, in my personal and professional growth,” Vo said. “It’s not lost on me how difficult it is to find a job. I’m really grateful for my ɫ��ɫ experience, and the way it all panned out. The experience I collected there definitely helped in my professional journey.”

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