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].
You can get a job on a class trip
“Vincent Quan [associate professor of Fashion Business Management] changed my life. When I was a senior, I really wanted to go into luxury. Professor Quan invited me to go with his class of first-years to Gucci headquarters. I was the only senior there. I talked to the CEO and head of HR—and got a job as an assistant buyer at Gucci.”
Kiana Brooks, Fashion Business Management ’19, senior buyer, Shoes, Chanel
All photos on this page were taken by Cat Trzaskowski, Photography ’23, at a May 2025 mentorship networking event organized by the Office of Alumni Relations.
Movie Nights
“We live in Kaufman Hall. We invite our friends over for a giant movie night and project old Disney films, thrillers, and horror movies on the wall. We spin a wheel and let it decide the genre. If we’re not feeling it, we spin it again.” —Eloise
Eloise Walsh, Advertising and Marketing Communications ’25
Angelina Verbeke, Home Products Development ’25
Students take on real-world projects
“I’m a writer and inclusive designer. I joined FIT because it’s interdisciplinary. I’m working with Amy Sperber, assistant professor of Fashion Design, on an inclusive raincoat design.”
Yi Liu, Art Market Studies, MA ’24
Entreprenurial Spirit
“You can be in a classroom with other students and end the semester starting a business together.” —Kevin
Kevin Santana, Entrepreneurship ’25
Niles Wilson, Fine Arts ’25
Earthtone, a business Santana founded with his classmates, is a sustainable coloring paper for children.
That’s amore
“We all met on the alumni trip to Italy. We stayed up all night laughing, and just like that, 32 strangers became friends.” — Tanya
Alexis De Pasquale, Fashion Business Management ’23, product development assistant, The NES Group
Jaclyn Bossen, Fashion Merchandising Management ’15, HR coordinator, Northwell Health
James Brunner, Advertising and Marketing Communications ’22, VIP ticketing coordinator, 237 Global
Tanya Scott, Fashion Design alum, Cealle Creative
Strong alumni networks
“When you meet other FIT grads out in the world, you’ll always have that bond. We’re cut from the same cloth.” — Nicole
Lauren Ceravolo, Advertising and Marketing Communications ’10, director of strategic partnerships, Goop
Nicole Martorana, Fashion Merchandising Management ’10, manager of accessories, Century 21
Industry connections
“My professor Rishi Gopal got me a job as a production assistant on a Dove Body commercial.” — Leshay
Leshay Harris, Fashion Business Management ’25
Sasha Guobadia, Illustration ’25