Dr. Erica Spurgeon

Dr. Erica Spurgeon, Assistant Professor, GRIN 226, 660-543-8955

Erica graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Fashion: Clothing and Textiles in Business from the University of Central Missouri (2009). She started her career at Buckle, Inc as an assistant store manager and was promoted to a men’s merchandise buyer and private label product developer. Erica joined UCM as an Instructor in Fall 2015. She then graduated with a Master of Science degree in Educational Technology from the University of Central Missouri (2017) and her Ph.D. in Apparel Merchandising and Design from Iowa State University (2022). Her research interests include brand management strategies, retail marketing, digital design, and new retail business formats. Erica received the Excellence in Teaching Award in 2022 for the College of Heath, Science, and Technology at UCM. She has also been awarded the International Textiles and Apparel Association (ITAA) Joan Laughlin Fellowship for Outstanding Continuing Doctoral Student in 2020. 

Erica currently teaches Product Development for Consumers, Fashion Buying, Principles of Fashion Merchandising, Branding & Fashion Technology, Sourcing in the Global Market, Digital PreMedia Fundamentals, Fashion Seminar, Professional Work Experience, and Apparel Quality Analysis.