Amanda Muhammad

About Amanda Muhammad

I design systems that expand access to professional mobility.As a Professor of Interior Design and Merchandising at East Carolina University and former Department Chair, my work sits at the intersection of professional identity development, experiential learning, and equity-centered student success. I build applied learning ecosystems that connect curriculum, leadership, industry engagement, and career readiness.With more than 25 years of experience spanning retail, entrepreneurship, accounting, K–12 education, and higher education, I bring both industry grounding and academic rigor to my leadership. I have held faculty and administrative roles at East Carolina University, Indiana State University, and Bowling Green State University, and served as a Faculty Fellow supporting the implementation of three Lilly Endowment grants totaling $9.25 million.My research centers on:• Professional Identity & Career Development Systems• Retail, Microenterprise & Consumer Strategy• Equity-Centered Educational Design & Student SuccessI am President-Elect of the Textile and Apparel Programs Accreditation Commission (TAPAC), where I help guide national accreditation standards and quality assurance processes for textile and apparel programs. I also serve as the 2027 International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Co-Chair (Dominican Republic), contributing to global scholarly engagement in the field.I am the founder of the Professionally Purple Closet—an experiential learning initiative that integrates professional clothing access, leadership development, merchandising operations, and internship experiences. The Closet functions as both a service initiative and a living laboratory for career readiness research and applied student learning.My leadership philosophy is grounded in strategic clarity, accountability, and building structures that allow others to thrive. Whether advancing accreditation systems, designing curriculum, mentoring faculty, or guiding students, I focus on creating environments where people are equipped not just to participate—but to lead.Education is most powerful when it connects knowledge to action. My work is dedicated to ensuring that connection is intentional, scalable, and transformative.

Experience

1. Professor

   East Carolina University

   Jul 2022 — Present

Education

• Fontbonne University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Accounting and Business/Management

  1998 — 2000

• Fontbonne University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Fashion Merchandising

  1992 — 1996

• Fontbonne University

  MBA, Business Administration/ Accounting

  2000 — 2002

• University of Missouri-Columbia

  PhD, Textile and Apparel Industry

  2007 — 2010