Meet Miami U

It started with a spontaneous eBay purchase. In his first year at Miami University, Drew Vollette ’24 was stuck inside during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We’re all in the dorms,” he recalls. “You can’t really go out. You can’t really do things. So I was just sitting in my dorm room one night, looking through eBay for no good reason.”

Yes, as he scrolled through endless listings of home decor, electronics, furniture, and memorabilia, he thought he was just killing time. Even though he was a Marketing major, he wasn’t intending to make a business investment. But then he stumbled on it, and it was too glorious to pass up on: a tragically undervalued embroidery machine.

“I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s cool,’” he says. “You can kind of make whatever you want, right? I always wanted to make a sweatshirt of some businesses Uptown.”

Did Drew have any sewing experience? No. Did he have any fashion-design training? Also no. But did he have gumption, perseverance, and a spontaneous urge to design a sweatshirt? Absolutely.

An Idea Becomes a Hobby

As soon as the device arrived, Drew was eager to get started, and he was ready to tackle any obstacle in his way. First, there was the task of hauling the bulky package back from the mail center, which was on the opposite side of campus from his residence hall. But he quickly got on top of the matter — by putting it on an electric scooter and sitting on it.

“I got one of those Lime scooters,” he says. “And I put the box on it, and I sat on the machine, and I rode it back to my dorm.”

Then came his biggest challenge: figuring out how to actually use the thing. His first few attempts left holes in the sweatshirts, but with some valuable tips from his friends (and a ton of practice), he turned into a sewing pro. Literally!

A Hobby Becomes a Small Business

As the Miami community learned about Drew’s hobby, they were eager to support their fellow RedHawk — and get an awesome, custom-made sweatshirt in the process. Between their contagious enthusiasm and the training from his marketing classes, Drew saw an explosion of interest in his unique creations. The demand got so high that he invested in a better-quality embroidery machine. He also came up with a name for his burgeoning business: DV Threads.

A Small Business Becomes a Career

Before long, DV Threads garnered enough attention that Drew caught the eye of OTO Supply Co., a Cincinnati-based custom apparel shop. Impressed by his knowledge and talent, the company offered him an internship. As Drew explains, “They were looking to expand their printing services to include embroidery and had heard of my success in Oxford and decided to schedule a meeting to see if I could help consult with the development of their shop.”

Drew was able to combine his Marketing degree with his embroidery skills to help OTO Supply Co. fulfill their visions of growth. The company was so impressed with him that they offered him a full-time job after graduation.

While Drew recognizes that his journey at Miami is unique, he knows community support is a universal RedHawk experience.

“I have a passion for brand building and merchandise,” he says, “but I think the root of that comes from the experiences I’ve had meeting people on campus and the community I’ve been able to form over the years.”

Indeed, while Drew wouldn’t be where he is today without all of his hard work, he still thinks it’s important to thank his classmates, his fraternity, and his inspiring professors. And also eBay.