Chad Sowers passed away July 6th, 2013 at the age of 32. He suffered a heart attack while visiting his family in Canby, Oregon. Chad was a graduate student in Design and just completed his Ph.D. in May. He was looking forward to starting an assistant professor position at Louisiana State University this fall. He received his bachelor's degree in Apparel Design from Oregon State University, and completed his master's degree in Apparel Merchandising at Colorado State University.

While at the University of Minnesota, Chad was the lead research assistant in the Human Dimensioning© Lab, where he held the Phelps Research Assistantship. He was lead teaching assistant for the textile course and taught several Apparel Design studio courses. He received the College of Design Outstanding Graduate Student award in 2013. Chad will be greatly missed for his intelligence, creativity, kind, gentle manner and that incredible smile.

In Memoriam, via the University of Minnesota