Student Ideas Resonate at Clinton Global Initiative University


At every turn at FIT, I find a reason to be proud. It is approaching end of semester and our corridors and lobbies are starting to radiate with outstanding examples of student (and faculty!) work. In too many disciplines to name, our students are being selected for exceptional awards. Last week I posted about two of our students who dazzled legislators in Albany as we lobbied for funding.

Now, I am pleased to say that two FIT students—Lydia Baird and Willa Tsokanis—recently returned from the University of Miami where they represented the college at the annual Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU). Only one in six proposals is accepted at CGIU for presentation; it is a very selective process. The students were also asked to write an op-ed for a publication that CGIU put out as part of its meeting.

Lydia Baird and Willa Tsokanis
Lydia Baird and Willa Tsokanis

Lydia and Willa are both Textile Development and Marketing students and their winning proposal was to develop a muslin compost system for FIT. They believe—appropriately so—that FIT should be at the forefront of fabric waste management and that we can lead the fashion and textile industry by education and example.

Last year, three of our students were selected to attend the CGIU with their proposal to plant a natural dye garden, which indeed they did on the 9th floor terrace of the Feldman Center, and which has been carefully tended to throughout the year. I am very optimistic about the creative and ambitious compost system Lydia and Willa will develop and all FIT can continue to do to protect and preserve our planet’s resources.

» Learn more about the muslin compost system proposal