On Campus — October 28, 2009
TOMS shoes founder and creator Blake Mycoskie speaks at Jesse Hall
Blake Mycoskie, founder and creator of TOMS shoes, spoke in Jesse Hall Tuesday night about his experiences of losing “The Amazing Race” by four minutes, playing polo with Argentinians and his experiences of changing many lives with shoes.
He sparked the idea for TOMS while on a vacation in Argentina.
TOMS started off slowly, Mycoskie said.
He and his Argentine friends began making shoes, modeled after those of Argentine farmers, in their garages. A simple slip-on design in mind, the crew added a rubber insole, arch support and a smooth leather lining complementing the canvas material.
After 250 pairs of shoes were completed, Mycoskie returned to the U.S. to try to sell them.
American Rag was the first buyer. Shortly after seeing the TOMS window display at American Rag, Vogue Editor-In-Chief Anna Wintour contacted Mycoskie about his company.
A feature about him soon followed.
Mycoskie’s goal for donating 300,000 pairs of shoes by the end of 2009 is nearing. He said he may have to increase the number to 400,000 if sales continue at such a rate.
Student Life proposes fee increase
Student Life approached the Missouri Students Association with a request to increase student fees to fund a new Student Involvement Office.
The fee increase would entail a $0.33 increase per student which amounts to a $16,000 total sum.
The Student Involvement Office would be a desk on the second floor of the new center and would offer information about various student organizations on campus.
Of the money the fee would bring to MU, $15,000 would go to fund a Web site version of the desk and $1,000 would go to staffing the desk.
Student Affairs Committee Chairman Paul Whiteside announces resignation
Paul Whiteside, Missouri Students Association student affairs committee chairman, announced his resignation at the Wednesday night Senate meeting.
Whiteside said he is resigning because of an overextended schedule.
Shelton said she plans to send out an application to find a replacement soon.
Vacancy on student court
Student Court Chief Justice Jonathan Sandhu announced at the full Senate meeting of the Missouri Students Association on Wednesday that a spot has opened on the Student Court.
He said he will be sending out applications to interested individuals soon and will begin reviewing these applications shortly after.
