Tag Archives: ITM

“Major” Changes!

Hi everyone ! How was your first week back?

For me this week was very nerve racking. As I mentioned another post I changed majors! It was almost like starting a brand new school. Even though FIT is one school your departments or major dictates where you mostly spend your time. As an interior design student I was always in the D building and rarely ventured out unless it was for another liberal arts course, which usually fell in the same surrounding area every time.

In interior design we had to chose blocks from day one, so for the most part I was always with the same people. I knew almost everyone in my major, people who were ahead of me and behind me. Since its a small major its very close knit, everyone is always working together.

But this week I took my first step in the A building and just like everyone on there first day I was nervous. My first ITM class I was actually shaking because I knew nothing and I knew a lot of the other students had some kind of background in this and I was from a whole different world. I am usually not the nervous type, I am very outgoing and I can make friends with just about anyone but not today. But soon enough I realized all my fears were totally wrong. I walked into international transactions and immediately knew I was finally where I belonged. My professor spoke about the class and the major with such passion all my excitement came flooding back. His stories about the trading world, the traveling, the food, the people it made me fall in love with what I had hoped on doing all over again. I didn’t get a chance to speak to anyone in my class, and he plans on doing introductions next week. But I cant tell you how excited I am to go back to that class next week.

I had felt this love for a job once before with interior design but then I worked in the industry and when I met the sales people that came from all over selling us fabric and carpeting solutions I saw a side I never knew existed and suddenly my passion for design slowly faded away. Every chance I got to speak with one of the representatives of companies I did. Asked tons of questions and wanted to know how much they loved what they did. Finally one day I sat down with an admissions staff member and I was advised this was for me.

“But how could it be?” I thought to myself talking to him. I have loved interior design since the moment I could start moving furniture around. Even before then I would beg my mom to change my room around. I never thought in my life that I would be doing anything but design. But sometimes working in your dream job teaches you one of two things either your going to stay or your going to leave it behind. I was so nervous all this time that I made the wrong choice, but I honestly couldn’t be happier.

As students we face this challenge everyday. Are we making the right choice? will this help me get a good job ? Will I be able to live comfortably after school? is it worth the loans? Trust me I think about it everyday too. But just know it is ok not to know, it is ok to try new things out and see If you like them. You can always go back to what you were already doing.

If I didn’t try something new I would have never found my dream job, and be as happy as I am right now.

So how was your first week? Did you make any changes this week?

-Kailee

Notes From The 6 Train Student Spotlight: Liz Pulos

During finals week last year, I had a chance to sit down with Elizabeth Pulos, a soon to be international trade & marketing major (and politics minor) who is officially finished with FIT in just a few weeks. This, of course, will be after her Peru. She’s participating in the International Trade & Marketing Department practicum in Peru, the class necessary to complete all degree credits. Before she set off on her journey to foreign countries she talked to me about the incredible things (my words, not hers) she participated in/ accomplished while a student here at FIT.

look how Fancy Liz looks!

Here’s a very brief list:
– Winner of three International Trade & Marketing Scholarships: Ralph Lauren, New Times & PVH (which she encourages all ITM majors to apply for, this money helped pay for her trip to Peru)

-Writer and participant of the newly formed Brooklyn Fashion & Design Accelerator which is “The Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator is a hub for ethical fashion and design where designers transform their ideas into successful businesses”

Check it out here: http://bkaccelerator.com/can-fashion-hunting-apps-help-sustainable-designers/

– President of the Corporate Social & Responsibility Club for the past several semesters where she organized/ facilitated incredible events open to the FIT community such as: having the Alliance advisor Ian Spaulding and VF Corporation Supply Chain VP Tom Nelson came to speak on campus or bringing in Chelsea Cooper (a FIT grad), founder of the CSR Club and Associate Manager of Men’s Denim Development at Ralph Lauren.

– Contributor of a chapter in an upcoming college textbook (how cool is that?!

We did not plan to wear matching bottoms! Just have great synergy. :)

The CSR club this semester, we didn’t plan to wear matching bottoms! Just have great synergy. 🙂

All of this, not to mention volunteering at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Agency, maintaining a 4.0, playing in a band, working in the film and movie industry, working on her own social compliance small business and being a generally kind and intelligent human. I had the pleasure to get to know Liz on a more personal level during the past semester. During the fall we were in the International Business Law class and served together on the board of the Corporate Social Responsibility Club. And I know that she will continue after graduation. Congrats Liz Pulos!

All things Color, Love, & Fashion,
Ayanna L.

MPS in Global Fashion Management

Bonjour mes Amies,

This past week I got to practice my French with students from Paris and learn some Chinese words with students from Hong Kong. How did this all happen? One short answer: hard work and dedication (I said short, not easy). Let me explain myself, I received an email with the subject “To my Best Students (A Students)” from one of my incredible ITM professors inviting me to a seminar carefully crafted by Pamela Ellsworth the Chairperson of the Global Fashion Management Masters Program at FIT. When I read through the email and saw the list of guest speakers I realized I had struck gold with this opportunity. At the same time, I realized I had limited knowledge about this program’s offering, so here I have it for you (served on a silver platter).

FIT’s Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Global Fashion Management prepares emerging fashion executives for top managerial positions in the burgeoning international fashion industry.
Offered by FIT in collaboration with Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Kong and Institut Français de la Mode in Paris.
Intensive ten-day seminars on each campus, you will gain a comprehensive view of the interrelationships among the various segments of international fashion businesses and the technology that drives them.
The program focuses on leadership, cross-cultural understanding, and the global marketplace, you will graduate prepared to assemble and manage international teams of professionals within an organization, and to guide an organization through the unchartered waters of international business efficiently and profitably.
Is completed within 18-months. Class structure is interactive and flexible, and includes intensive seminars, online learning, guest speakers, and site visits.
open to candidates with a minimum of three years of professional experience in retail, design, marketing and merchandising, import/export, fashion journalism, or other related field.

Click here to find out more about an international education on three continents. Also their open house is coming up, be sure to register by clicking on the image.

Some of the incredible guest speakers:

Bill McRaith, Chief Supply Chain Officer, PVH

Michael Appel, Retail Consultant

Paul Price, CEO, Creative Realites

Janice Sullivan, CEO, EDUN

Professor Sarah Labowitz, Stern School of Business, New York University

Inka Apter, Manager of Fabric Research and Development, Eileen Fisher

Leslie Singer, Professor, School of Visual Arts; Chief Creative Officer, Singer Salt

Some of the things I learned:

Companies HATE change, but change has to be viewed as a positive thing. There are a lot of changes happening within the fashion industry.

Never take a defensive position against a threat, figure out how to get with it.

The new normal: majority of consumers plan to keep savings high & spending low.

Every company is a tech company.

3D printing has the ability to unleash your imagination, it is the most disruptive form of creative technology.

Meaning is the new luxury.

Not knowing is not an appropriate response in 2014.

In turmoil, we see opportunities.

Be fearless, be bold. Filter your own opportunities.

“The only thing we can be sure of about the future is that it will be absolutely fantastic.”

Carpe Diem,

Sadie

Welcome or Welcome Back

Hi Everyone,

So yes, I admit it.. I have been absent for a while (but for good reason). I’m proud to tell you that I finally launched my project. InfoModa RD is the first digital Dominican Fashion Encyclopedia based on informational interviews of professionals in the fashion industry within the Dominican Republic. The website is meant to provide deeper knowledge of this industry (for me of course and everyone else) and support and promote Dominican talent. For now the website is just in Spanish but sooner rather than later we will have the English version. Feel free to check it out and follow us on instagram, twitter, Facebook and/or YouTube (yup I just promoted myself through this blog, I mean after all my knowledge comes from FIT). As I usually say “Lo bueno se comparte” which means you share the good stuff, so go ahead help me, help you learn more about one of the most attractive and fashionable countries in the Caribbean.

On the other hand, I’m happy to report that starting this Friday I’m the new ATS & ATF Sourcing Intern – Accessories (footwear, bags, & belts) at Ann Taylor(spoiler alert) I got it! Remember that list I gave you for phone interviews? Well this is the final result so if I were you I would follow every word on it (haha). And kid you not, today LinkedIn put this on my right hand column and I thought to myself CHECK (damn right I see myself there). So it’s safe to say I’m back on campus on track with my crazy life and by this I mean incredibly productive. This semester I am:

Taking 6 classes
Work at Admissions Office as student tour guide and Blogger
Today became a language tutor at the amazing and (FREE for students) tutoring center (yep, I get paid).
Intern two days a week
Fashion Informant for InfoModa RD
and a million other things like visiting Tod’s HQ, getting free massages, participating in Fashion week, interviewing next week to work at a Hanky Panky sample sale, and skype interviewing for Save the Children DR.

So good to be back and can’t wait to not have enough time to breathe (of course I’m an overachiever) because literally everything I do, I do it with passion.

Carpe Diem (because this is my last FIT semester),

Sadie

PS: By the way, just discovered you can download your resume from LinkedIn check it out here.

My friend Lynda

Hi there,

Today I’m featuring my friend Lynda, this girl has been with me since the day I started at FIT (even if I don’t hang out with her a lot). Lynda always comes home with me after class and is readily available to teach me anything and everything out there (some kind of friendship, huh?). Just one click away after logging in to MyFit you can find under web resources the link to Lynda.

Lynda.com is a web resource that makes any doubt or insecurity about you doing something software related vanish. This website through infinite tutorials (2,729 courses and 122,000 tutorials) allows you to “learn what you want, when you want, from our entire library.” You can even build your own custom playlist according to theme, software name or what you want to watch later. It helps you achieve your personal and professional goals only one click away. Thanks to FIT you get free access to this incredible tool that gives you a certificate of completion for each course viewed that you can show to potential employers.

If you are like me and have taken one design course (because obviously I’m a business major and can only draw stick figures) Lynda, my friend will aid you in accomplishing what you thought impossible. This way, I can graduate with ample (or essential haha, really up to you) knowledge in both fields, design and business. As it turns out, I have decided to learn to use InDesign CS6 this summer through the full course they offer. I’m also going to create a logo for my personal project with Lynda’s help (which I will share sometime, hopefully soon).

So as their co-founder said:

What you put into it, is what you get out of it.

Learning is living.

Carpe Diem,

Sadie