People
Places
Events
Clubs
Courses
Resources
Accomplishments
Memories
And Traditions
that couldn’t exist anywhere else
that couldn’t exist anywhere else
Anyone who has walked these halls, taken courses here or taught them, or worked to keep the college running knows that FIT defies categorization. We are part of the State University of New York (SUNY) and also globally renowned, with students hailing from more than 65 countries. Yes, we teach fashion design—but also business and science and film and much, much more. Some consider us a commuter school, yet we house 2,300 students in our four residence halls. We have a world-class museum plus thousands of square feet of other gallery space for rotating exhibitions. Our students might take seven or eight classes while holding down an internship and a job. We have a robust athletics program! We are a leader in sustainability education! We offer more than 40 minors!
Maybe we need to stop trying to define FIT—an impossible task!—and celebrate the myriad delights of all kinds that create a college experience unlike any other in the world. So here are 50 things about FIT that make us smile. Our list is hardly comprehensive. Tell us what’s “so FIT” to you at [email protected].
A day in FIT’s dining hall, through the lens of Amy Lombard
Samantha Hinds, Fashion Business Management
“This is a turkey sandwich, the usual flavors. It’s my go-to. It was pretty good.”
“This is a turkey sandwich, the usual flavors. It’s my go-to. It was pretty good.”
Lunch, but make it fashion.
At FIT, the dining hall doubles as a catwalk. Students gather to study, laugh, sip elaborate Starbucks creations, and eat the surprisingly delicious fare—all while serving up inimitable style.
On these pages, Amy Lombard, Photography ’12, captured this spectacular combination of food, fashion, and fun. Lombard is a rising star in the photography world, having shot for GQ, HBO, and Coca-Cola. Recently she photographed Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rico residency for The New York Times, and in 2024, she was nominated for a James Beard Award for documenting food culture.
Students in line.
Olivia Beltran, Fashion Business Management
“Just a plain slice of cheese pizza. It was so good! Honestly, I think it was the cheese. And it’s like the perfect temperature.” (Touches the remaining crust.) “See? It’s still warm.”
“Just a plain slice of cheese pizza. It was so good! Honestly, I think it was the cheese. And it’s like the perfect temperature.” (Touches the remaining crust.) “See? It’s still warm.”
Jacey Durrant and Almira Makhanbetova, both Advertising and Marketing
Communications
“This is ciabatta bread, chicken, lettuce, chipotle, and Caesar dressing. I added jalapeños and pepperoncini. You should try it sometime.” —Jacey
Communications
“This is ciabatta bread, chicken, lettuce, chipotle, and Caesar dressing. I added jalapeños and pepperoncini. You should try it sometime.” —Jacey
Meah Baker, Fashion Business Management
“I was craving beef udon. I love the Asian selections. They’re never a miss.”
“I was craving beef udon. I love the Asian selections. They’re never a miss.”
Mina Rincones-Parra, Communication Design
“I have to go home. It takes me an hour to get there, and I need the energy, so I’m having a chocolate bar. I’m actually repping a company called Cyberdog with this look today. They do rave clothing, and I’m working on a project about them for my spatial design class.”
“I have to go home. It takes me an hour to get there, and I need the energy, so I’m having a chocolate bar. I’m actually repping a company called Cyberdog with this look today. They do rave clothing, and I’m working on a project about them for my spatial design class.”
Mya Williams, Illustration
“If I have breakfast, I get a sausage egg and cheese because it’s protein, I guess. It gets me through my English class.”
Jasmine Hall, Illustration, and Natalie Perlman, Illustration
Kameron Green, Fashion Business Management
“I had fried chicken breast with balsamic vinegar and brown rice. I’ve been trying to eat healthy this week. I moved to the city and I changed, you know?”
“I had fried chicken breast with balsamic vinegar and brown rice. I’ve been trying to eat healthy this week. I moved to the city and I changed, you know?”
Adriana Aguilar, Advertising and Marketing Communications, and Jordan Raymond, Advertising and Marketing Communications
“I ate earlier. I’m here for moral support.”
“I ate earlier. I’m here for moral support.”
Melanie Reyes, Advertising and Marketing Communications
“I got this charm at a reseller in Industry City. I saw someone wearing one on their glasses, so I decided to try it.”
Sophia Xu, Fashion Design, and Ryan Parker, Fashion Business Management
Naomi Schulz, Photography, and Zion Doucettperry, Photography
“I’ve been eating this [udon bowl] for the past week and a half. It’s so good. It’s amazing.”
“I’ve been eating this [udon bowl] for the past week and a half. It’s so good. It’s amazing.”
Avangelina Austin, Fashion Design
Carma Maneca, Fine Arts
“You know Ray’s Candy Store? My friends work there. It’s not a candy store. They have anything fried—fried Oreos, fried Twinkies. This is Ray. It’s a sculpture. Ray said, ‘If I like it I’ll keep it.’ He’s like 95. I’m having a matcha latte. I’m obsessed with them.”
“You know Ray’s Candy Store? My friends work there. It’s not a candy store. They have anything fried—fried Oreos, fried Twinkies. This is Ray. It’s a sculpture. Ray said, ‘If I like it I’ll keep it.’ He’s like 95. I’m having a matcha latte. I’m obsessed with them.”
Leah Jones, Illustration
Kyuyoung Suh, Footwear and Accessories Design, Fashion Design Korea ’24
Mingiyan Tyurbeeva, Illustration, Karla Espinosa Mata, Illustration
Nicole Zhao, Illustration, Nadia Fishel, Illustration, Peyton Kanaszka, Illustration
“I’m just having cheese and ham and an energy drink and chips.” —Nicole
“Just guacamole with whole grain chips and a soda. I didn’t want a whole meal so I didn’t want to use a whole meal swipe. I’m a commuter student and usually I use Tiger Bucks, but I’m only going to be here for a few hours today.” —Nadia
“I try to get one salad a day. The grill line was really long, so I’m having a salad with a peach, and sour cream and onion potato chips.” —Peyton
Kaila Hertz, Illustration
“I brought my own food today. Chicken and broccoli with rice. My mom made it for me.”
“I brought my own food today. Chicken and broccoli with rice. My mom made it for me.”
Amy Lombard, Photography ’12