SIUC may soon be found in a position of prominence – Victoria’s Secret apparel.

Students have campaigned to include the university logo in the company’s popular collegiate clothing line. More than 30 top universities, including University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, are already featured in the line.

As of Thursday, 472 students had already subscribed to the Facebook group titled “We Want The Victoria’s Secret PINK Collegiate Collection @ SIUC.” The group was created to raise awareness about the lingerie-based manufacturer’s college collection, which consists of nine different items including sweatpants, sweatshirts, hoodies, tees and totes stamped with the school’s official logo.

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Janice Thomas, a senior from Maywood studying marketing and a Victoria’s Secret employee, created the group. The Web page, which is open to everyone, contains information and a link that takes users to the Victoria’s Secret Web site to nominate SIUC to be one of the next schools in line for the clothes bearing the Saluki logo.

Female students said the clothing line would be a positive look for SIUC. President of the SIUC chapter of American Marketing Association Nicki Raufer said that recognition from Victoria’s Secret might even be the answer to falling enrollment through online shopping.

“I definitely think it would make our enrollment go up. Some girls may not know who the Salukis are and they might research and be interested in attending the school,” said Raufer, a junior from Bloomington studying marketing.

Raufer said she is a Victoria’s Secret shopper.

Although it would be good for the university to be considered one of the top big name schools, it’s doubtful the brand will make a significant difference on enrollment, said Victoria Valle, assistant vice president of enrollment management.

“I don’t know if it will particularly help enrollment, but I don’t think it will hurt anything,” Valle said. “Any big company like Victoria’s Secret that is going to put their money behind big name schools and invest in our school, that would put us in that category of big schools. As long as the items are tasteful, I don’t think it will hurt.”

Although Valle said it wouldn’t hurt, some schools think otherwise. The University of Minnesota was chosen by Victoria’s Secret but decided to opt out of the agreement in late June because of how the brand may impact the school’s image, according to a July article in the Daily Pennsylvanian.

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Some say this is what girls have been waiting for. Students such as Stacy Suhadolc say the clothes sold at local apparel stores are too general and lack feminine style.

“I think it will add a unique perspective design-wise for girls because a lot of the college apparel offered at places like 710 are really unisex and blocky, so I think this will be good for girls who want a new design of college apparel,” said Suhadolc, a junior from Bloomington studying radio-television.

A worker at Universitees said that the Victoria’s Secret line may put a small dent in business but overall sales would be maintained.

“It would probably take some business away. People would probably still shop here, just not as many,” Kelsy Kattenbraker said.

Demarcus Hamilton can be reached at 536-3311 ext 254 or [email protected]