The Retailing and Tourism Management (RTM) Club is a student organization with active engagement for networking, site visits, study tours and social interaction for its members. The club is a merged group formed from the previous Merchandising, Apparel and Textiles (MAT) Club and the Hospitality Management Association (HMA). It offers excellent opportunities for members to advance their professional career by networking with peers, alumni and business leaders in the Lexington community and surrounding areas.
The RTM Club recently visited VisitLex and Rupp Arena where they toured the UK Men’s Basketball locker rooms. The club plans to have one more local trip this semester as well as a trip to the Atlanta Apparel Mart in April. In spring of 2015, the club hosted the Color Me Spring Fashion Show, an event that highlighted the best of area retailers’ looks. For 2016, the fashion show responsibilities are now incorporated in three departmental courses, but the RTM Club will still be actively involved. During the fall 2015 semester, the RTM Club conducted The Denim Drive as their service project and look forward to a new service project for the upcoming school year.
Although RTM Club members are primarily from the merchandising, apparel and textiles and hospitality management and tourism degree concentrations, any UK student is welcome to join. Annual dues are only $10 and allow for the student to join a professional organization, such as the National Retail Federation or the National Restaurant Association, and immerse themselves in volunteer club activities and service projects.
The RTM Club meets monthly on every first Wednesday. Students interested in joining can contact Avery Malone, RTM Club Advisor, at avery.malone@uky.edu or any of the officers for more information. The current officers are as follows:
Ellen Waymire, MAT, President: ellen.waymire@uky.edu
Micaela Avare, HMT, Vice-President: Micaela.angelina@uky.edu
Morgan Threlkeld, HMT, Underclassman Representative: morgan.threlkeld1@uky.edu
ReDell Atkinson, MAT, Secretary/Treasurer: rrdatkinson@uky.edu
Advisor Avery Malone and RTM Club members visited Rupp Arena where they were able to get a behind the scenes look at the Men’s Basketball locker rooms and Coach Calipari’s office.