When you meet Caleb Robinson, it’s easy to see he has an eye for fashion. For years he has expressed himself through what he’s wearing and loves that “there’s no right or wrong answer” when creating a style. He’d even dreamed of pursuing fashion entrepreneurship but didn’t think it was a realistic career path.
After high school, Caleb completed a year of college out of state before returning home to regroup, unsure of his next steps. That’s when he found Step Year — WMCAT’s college and career exploration program — and enrolled with hopes of gaining clarity for his future.
“[Before WMCAT] I knew I had certain things I would love to do, or I was really interested in trying, but I didn’t know how to get those things done.”
Caleb prints a design on a shirt while on a Step Year industry visit to BAC Print, the screen-printing studio of Bare All Clothing brand.
In Step Year, Caleb experienced a community that valued his interests, believed in his dreams, and met him with the resources and support he needed to confidently make a plan. Alongside his cohort, Caleb discovered more about himself, identifying what made him feel most focused and fulfilled; learned about different education pathways and offerings; and heard professionals in various industries talk about why they love what they do.
WMCAT also “did a great job of showing us how to connect with people in our [interest] area . . . and go to places where we wouldn’t even think of to find connections,” Caleb says. Through site visits to screen-printing studio BAC Print and creative agency Carbon Stories, Caleb met entrepreneurs in the industries he cares most about; the possibilities for his own career came into focus.
A T-shirt designed by Caleb as part of the Outcasts brand he’s developing with friends.
Caleb finished Step Year with a clear plan to pursue fashion entrepreneurship. He’s now a student at Cornerstone University working toward a bachelor’s degree in graphic design — which will help him prepare to create his own clothing line — and he’s building a brand called Outcasts with his friends, focused on the intersection of fashion, film, photography, and music. He is confident in his next steps.
“Every day that I wake up, I’m super excited because I know I get to figure out more . . . create more and do more.”
Learn more at wmcat.org/stepyear.
