Rebekah JacobsGraduate Studentshe/her/hers

I am pursuing a Master of Science in Human Ecology, as it allows me to combine my interests in fiber arts, design, human development, and teaching. I have held a needle in my hand as long as I can remember and am passionate about helping people have a working relationship with the things they can make, the clothes they wear, and the choices we make in costuming to tell stories in theatre.

I earned a BFA in acting with an emphasis in costumes from UW–Stevens Point. Since then, I have worked with various area theaters, including Madison Repertory Theatre, American Players Theatre, Children’s Theater of Madison, and Madison Ballet. I also worked for many years in a custom interiors workroom, working with Madison area designers to fabricate custom home furnishings. I opened and operated my own business, Rebekah Jacobs Couture, designing and building bridal and special occasion gowns for custom clients. I also spent 1.5 years working as a costume studio assistant at UW–Madison.

During the pandemic, I homeschooled my own children and started teaching private sewing lessons to others. Guiding people to physically create what they see in their minds and design in an era where more time is spent on a computer screen is a passion of mine. In my own childhood, I started sewing for my dolls to create the outfits I imagined and what they would need for the plays and situations I put them in. I see so many of these same creative impulses in the students I work with, and I love giving them the sense of satisfaction of making things themselves and seeing their visions become reality in their own hands.