UC alum visits campus to teach students about footwear design
Alum Charley Hudak garners media attention for his footwear design career at Sun Day Red
Tiger Woods may have big-name recognition, but UC alum Charley Hudak —footwear designer for the famous golfer’s new athletic brand Sun Day Red —had the media spotlight on UC’s campus, June 26.
Hudak, a 2011 graduate of UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP), was in Cincinnati for the day to teach footwear design to middle and high school students at DAAP Camps: an annual day/residential camp for future creatives. At DAAP Camps, students get to have a college-like experience in DAAP fields of study such as fashion, industrial design, architecture, and others and exposure to industry leaders like Hudak.
Bringing industry professionals to share their paths, their insights, and their guidance provides a very realistic “try on” of a creative-based college experience, says Laurie Wilson, director of DAAP Camps and associate director of student affairs and adjunct professor in the DAAP School of Design.
Charley Hudak steps in front of the camera for media interviews. Hudak is usually behind the scence designing footwear for Tiger Woods' new atheltic brand Sun Day Red. Photo/Laurie Wilson.
“Our motto for DAAPcamps is ‘Create What Will Be!’ and with the help of amazing partners like Charley Hudak, we are able to do just that every year,” says Wilson.
A story on the UC website goes into detail about Hudak’s early beginnings and career trajectory to creative director at Sun Day Red, an offshoot of TaylorMade Golf Industry.
“I’m super humbled by the opportunity (at Sun Day Red) and part of it is coming back here and sharing my experience,” with these students, Hudak said in an interview.
As for working with Tiger Woods, which Hudak does often, he said: “I think in my heart of hearts, Tiger Woods is the most significant athlete to walk the planet” because he changed the golf landscape perception "from country clubs and the like" to a place of inclusion. "He's just a really dynamic figure."
Media coverage of Hudak included interviews by Cincinnati stations WCPO, WXIX and WKRC and The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Coverage clips:
Fox 19 Now: UC alum visits campus to teach students about footwear design
WCPO, Channel 9: Tiger Woods' new footwear brand 'Sun Day Red' has ties to Cincinnati
Feature photo at top by Laurie Wilson, DAAP faculty.
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