Scholarship Inspires Mover and Shaker on Campus

Los Angeles native Joe Choe ’24 intends to double major in communication studies and digital studies and then take the fashion and branding worlds by storm.

Joe attended a small high school and wanted a similar environment for college. At Davidson, he is especially fond of the intimate relationships he has formed with professors and the close-knit, friendly student body. Joe heard about Davidson from his older brother, who had applied the year before Joe was set to graduate. As he continued to research his options, Joe thought Davidson would be the perfect fit for him.

He was right. Joe is the recipient of the Mackey McDonald Scholarship, and his out-of-classroom involvement connects him with a wide variety of groups on campus. He serves as treasurer for the Minds Do Matter Club, which advocates for student mental health and well-being. And, as head of diversity for the Entrepreneurship Club, Joe helps to create a welcoming space where like-minded innovators can convene.

His club membership doesn’t stop there. Last spring, Joe co-founded the college’s Fashion Club. As one of the group’s main initiatives, “Fashion Fridays” find club members decked out in their own style, being photographed for the group’s Instagram page to help showcase their work and interests. The club’s motto is “Where self-confidence is your best outfit,” and their efforts allow students to feel their best selves in the clothes they wear.

Joe is also an impassioned member of his fraternity, Kappa Sigma. After serving as the fraternity’s rush chair, Joe became the social chair, working to plan events for members of the fraternity and students from across campus to enjoy.

Joe continues to pursue his interests in brands and fashion, and he recently won a Try It Fund award through the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He and a friend from back home have decided to start their own brand, and while they are still in the brainstorming process, they have developed some concrete design ideas. They plan to integrate Korean styles of clothing and distinguished Korean fabrics into their brand. For example, they aim to use a traditional Korean quilt material in a sweater design. The Try It Fund is a grant competition that awards Davidson students with up to $1,000 to pursue a creative or innovative for-profit venture.

With two years still to go, Joe plans to return home to the LA area after Davidson and pursue a career in fashion media or in the brand scene.