Posted on Mon, May 13, 2013 @ 10:27 AM
It’s difficult to believe that we are approaching the conclusion of the Spring 2013 semester. So much has happened here at LIM College over the past few months.
Our newly-expanded Student Center (including a Good to Go café) opened on the first floor of Maxwell Hall at 216 East 45th Street. We also made major curriculum announcements, including the addition of a new Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree program in Fashion Marketing and the introduction of a brand-new track in Home Fashions within our existing Fashion Merchandising major.
During the course of the semester we hosted nearly 40 guest speakers on campus, including Chris Fiore, President of Henri Bendel, along with a diverse array of entrepreneurs, authors and fashion professionals. Fashion legend Patricia Field (of Sex and the City fame) also made a special guest appearance at our annual student fashion show. In another big April event, 78 students and six administrators and faculty members were inducted into our newly-established chapter of the Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in Business.
The semester may almost be over, but we still have a lot to look forward to. Commencement will take place on May 31 at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, where Ellen Tracy President & CEO Mark Mendelson will be give the keynote address and receive the LIM College Distinguished Award and an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree. On June 6, six of our Visual Merchandising students will participate in DDI’s annual Student Window Challenge, spending an entire day creating displays inside the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue’s flagship store. And on June 25 LIM College will be part of NASDAQ’s official closing bell ceremonies as one of the sponsors of FashInvest’s “Speed Dating” business pitch event.
I look forward to celebrating these exciting occasions - and more - with the entire LIM College community as we bid farewell to a great spring and welcome what is shaping up to be a wonderful summer.
Posted on Fri, Mar 15, 2013 @ 08:20 AM
I am pleased to share the news that LIM College has been granted a charter by the Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in Business. Delta Mu Delta will now serve as the College’s official business honor society, replacing Sigma Beta Delta.
LIM College’s chapter of Delta Mu Delta has been designated as the Mu Rho chapter, and it will be an active presence on campus. Our chapter will elect officers and organize activities, as well as offer a variety of scholarship opportunities to Delta Mu Delta inductees.
The College became eligible to apply for membership in Delta Mu Delta upon achieving ACBSP accreditation of our business programs last year. Students who are now members of the Sigma Beta Delta honor society will, if eligible, be invited to join Delta Mu Delta. Dual membership in both organizations is permitted. Sigma Beta Delta members who do not meet the eligibility requirements for Delta Mu Delta will still retain lifetime membership in Sigma Beta Delta, although there will no longer be a chapter on our campus.
Undergraduate students who are currently in the top 20 percent of their class and have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher, and graduate students who are in currently in the top 20 percent of their class and have a cumulative GPA of 3.80 or higher, will be invited to join Delta Mu Delta.
Those who accept that invitation will be formally inducted into Delta Mu Delta at a ceremony on April 17 at the New York Institute of Technology. Several LIM College faculty members and administrators will also be inducted as honorary Delta Mu Delta members at the ceremony, which will be presided over by Dr. Charles Finn of the College of St. Rose.
Our Office of Institutional Advancement is also in the process of creating an LIM College Alumni Honor Society. This organization will be open to all LIM College graduates who belong to either Delta Mu Delta or Sigma Beta Delta. More information on this new group will be distributed in the coming months.
Establishing a chapter of Delta Mu Delta helps us continue to serve our students’ academic and professional interests and is yet another example of LIM College’s ongoing recognition as a leader in business education.
Posted on Wed, Feb 06, 2013 @ 03:03 PM
It’s always a pleasure, a treat and an honor to travel abroad with a group of LIM College students and faculty as part of our annual Cross-Cultural Analysis trip. I relish the opportunity to get to know the students who go on this trip on a more intimate, and casual, basis. The chance to develop and deepen my relationships with students (and faculty) doesn’t always present itself as often as I’d like it to while we are all so busy on campus during the academic year.
The last time I was able to take the Cross-Cultural Analysis trip was back in January 2008, so this journey to Italy was long overdue. Our itinerary took us to Milan, Lake Como, Florence, Siena and Rome. The field trips that were part of each city visit were a real highlight. La Rinascente, the department store in Milan, was mind-boggling. There is no store in the States quite like it. Siena was a favorite of pretty much everyone in our group, and our day in Lake Como was also extremely enjoyable. Lake Como is such quaint town and the students all wished they had more time there to wander around and explore.
Although Florence was my personal favorite, our time in Rome was incredible – from visiting the Forum and the Coliseum in the pouring rain, to our stop in Vatican City….what can you possibly say when you are standing where Caesar sat and Nero walked?
Traveling to another country and experiencing another culture together was definitely a bonding experience. It was wonderful to witness the students’ reactions at each stop, especially if this was their first trip abroad or their first time in Italy. From the many historic sites we explored, to the retail and department stores and showrooms we visited, to the delicious food and fascinating Italian people we encountered along the way -- the students’ eyes and hearts were wide open to all of it -- and I was just grateful for the opportunity to be able to share in this incredible adventure.
Posted on Wed, Dec 12, 2012 @ 08:08 AM
The holiday season is now upon us, although in many ways it seems like only yesterday that the Fall semester began. The last few months have been filled with activity – LIM College students have completed internships, won scholarships and competitions, and partnered with companies in the fashion and related industries on high-profile projects and events in New York City – all while attending classes and completing challenging coursework.
At the same time, the faculty and staff at LIM have been hard at work -- teaching, advising, and assisting our students, and collaborating on positive change throughout all levels of the institution.
We have faced a host of individual and collective challenges this year, not least of which was the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy, which had a significant impact on many members of the College community and their families. However, we came together to support those affected with a donation drive, targeted scholarship funds, volunteer work, and our current “Totes of Hope” project for the Food Bank of New York.
I would like to take this opportunity to commend our students for all you have accomplished so far this year, and acknowledge the efforts of everyone in the LIM College community who makes it possible for us to continue to provide a superior education in the business of fashion.
May your holidays be happy and healthy. Here’s to a wonderful 2013!
Posted on Wed, Nov 14, 2012 @ 09:33 AM
Hurricane Sandy has had a profound impact on thousands upon thousands of residents throughout the Tri-State area. Among their ranks are many LIM College students, faculty, and staff members. In light of these unfortunate circumstances, our community is currently engaged in a number of efforts to assist those whose lives have been upended by the storm.
LIM College’s Office of Residence Life is now holding a donation drive for needed goods. Boxes are set up at all of our campus locations and we are encouraging students, faculty and staff to donate food, clothing and toiletries. These donated items will be distributed to several organizations, so that a wide range of those affected receive support. Our Office of Student Life also sponsored a Community Breakfast this week at which attendees were asked to donate non-perishable and ready-to-eat food items.
Additionally, the LIM Fashion Education Foundation, which provides scholarship and grant aid to deserving students, will earmark a portion of funds specifically for those students affected financially by the storm – and whose ability to pursue their education goals may now be in jeopardy.
We’ve also postponed certain deadlines, including those for tuition payment and withdrawing from a course without penalty.
LIM College has always offered a variety of support services to students in need. During this difficult time we remain committed to helping the members of our College community however we can.
Posted on Mon, Oct 08, 2012 @ 04:01 PM
LIM College will hold its second annual Friends & Family Weekend October 12-14. These three days of events provide a great way for our students and their families, as well as our faculty, staff and alumni, to spend time together on the LIM College campus and enjoy a bit of the excitement that New York City has to offer.
We’ll start off with Casino Night on Friday, where everyone will be able to “gamble” for prizes – and one lucky winner will go home with a $5,000 raffle prize. Saturday’s daytime activities include a student-run Pop-Up shop selling apparel and accessories; the “Build the LIM Sub” contest sponsored by Subway; a Visual Merchandising “Iron Merchant” display challenge; and presentations by our faculty on an assortment of fascinating fashion topics. In the evening, you can buy a ticket to see Spider-Man on Broadway, or head out for a night of bowling, food and fun at the ultra-modern Bowlmor Lanes in Times Square.
On Sunday, I’m hosting a brunch at LIM College’s flagship Townhouse, where I’m looking forward to being able to speak one-on-one to our students and their families and answer any questions about the LIM College experience.
If you are an LIM College student, parent, alum, faculty or staff member, I hope you’ll be able to join us for as many activities as you can fit into your schedule.
For more details about Friends & Family Weekend visit: www.limcollege.edu/friendsandfamily
Posted on Thu, Aug 30, 2012 @ 10:03 AM
The 2012-2013 academic year is off to a fast start at LIM College. After welcoming new students and their families at Student Convocation/Parent Orientation on August 22, returning students came back to campus and classes began on August 27. Now, as we move into the month of September, we have an impressive roster of on-campus activities and guest speakers for our entire community to look forward to.
First, the GlobalSpeak guest speaker series kicks off on September 4 with a screening of the film Win in China by director Ole Schell, who will be on hand for a Q&A session on his documentary about a Chinese reality TV show/business competition.
Ben Fischman, CEO of Rue La La, a leader in the digital private sale space, will speak to our MBA students on September 19. An expert in innovative entrepreneurship and internet commerce, Mr. Fischman is a sought-after lecturer whose insights and experience should benefit our graduate students immensely.
The College’s second annual Leadership Conference will be held September 7-8. Featured speaker Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of the Acumen Fund, will discuss her book The Blue Sweater and talk to students about how her organization uses entrepreneurial approaches to solve the problems of global poverty. Saturday’s conference agenda features several workshops on building leadership skills, including a panel discussion about the fashion industry and philanthropy with participants from Ferragamo, FEED Projects, and the Tory Burch Foundation.
In addition to our own students, we are pleased to also host students from other local institutions at this event, including St. Francis College, Berkeley College, and Kingsborough Community College. It is our hope that everyone who attends the LIM College Leadership Conference leaves ready to apply what they learned to bring positive change to their own communities.
Posted on Tue, Jun 05, 2012 @ 03:56 PM
On May 31 LIM College held its 73rd annual Commencement exercises at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. Families, friends, faculty, staff, and Board members gathered on a picture-perfect spring day to honor our more than 300 graduates, who received MBA, bachelor’s and associate degrees.
The afternoon’s keynote speaker was Michael Gould, Chairman and CEO of Bloomingdale’s. A pre-eminent leader in the business of fashion, Mr. Gould noted that in more than 44 years he’s had only one “job” -- for just six months -- the rest of the time he has had a “passion,” and he encouraged the Class of 2012 to follow his example.
I urge all of our graduates to continue to work hard -- with integrity and every bit of enthusiasm you can muster. What all the top business leaders in the world have in common is not only talent; it’s also unbelievable zeal and enthusiasm for the job they are doing. Just as you faced challenges in your college career, so too will you face challenges in your professional life. Yet, as graduates of LIM College, you are uniquely prepared for them and I feel confident in your ability to handle anything that comes your way.
Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during our ceremony, reminded us that getting a degree is not the end – it is just the beginning. I couldn’t agree more with his prediction that, for LIM College’s Class of 2012, the best is still ahead!
Posted on Tue, May 08, 2012 @ 08:22 AM
In today’s ultra-competitive business world, networking is an invaluable skill. It is also one that many young professionals do not have ample opportunity to develop while they’re busy pursuing a degree.
Here at LIM College, we know that creating meaningful connections can make all the difference when it comes to landing a coveted internship or full-time job, so we make it a priority to offer students as many chances as possible to hone their networking skills.
On April 30, our Center for Career Development, in conjunction with the Office of Student Life, held the first annual “LIM’s Night Out” at AnTalia restaurant. At this simulated business event, undergraduate and MBA students mixed and mingled with professionals from the worlds of fashion, cosmetics, publishing and entertainment.
Participating students enjoyed “mocktails” then went on to dine with representatives from top companies, including Chanel, Tiffany & Co., Victoria's Secret, Bloomingdale’s, Lord & Taylor and Macy's. The students received a list of attendees in advance so they could perform background research on who they were about to meet and be prepared to engage them in relevant and memorable conversations. At the end of the night, students took home goody bags with items donated by Saks Fifth Avenue and other industry partners.
The evening was a great success, with 94% of students who responded to a post-event survey indicating that they would recommend the event to a classmate or colleague. I would like to thank the executives who came out that night to support our students, as well as Mariela Torres, Diane Freeman and Stephanie Licata in the Center for Career Development, and Michael Palladino, Director of Student Life, for their hard work in creating yet another unique opportunity for our students to enhance their professional skills and abilities.
Posted on Thu, Apr 05, 2012 @ 09:15 AM
Two of the most significant events on the LIM College calendar will take place this month. First, on April 13, the Fashion Show Production Club will hold its annual Fashion Show at Roseland Ballroom. The theme of this year’s show is “Temporis,” and it will shine a spotlight on the future of fashion.
The Fashion Show is an important experiential education opportunity. Participating students learn the skills needed to mount a full-scale, professional-level production and then apply those skills in front of an audience of fellow students, faculty, staff, alumni, family, friends, and fashion industry insiders. Approximately 1,400 attendees are expected, making it the largest in the show’s 68-year history. Faculty advisors Sahar Pazirandeh, Joseph Ungoco, Erica Lynn Young and a dedicated group of students have put in an incredible amount of hard work hard over the last several months to create what promises to be an electrifying evening.
While the glitz and glamour of fashion is undeniably appealing, fashion is first and foremost a business. And to be successful in that business, a well-rounded education is indispensable. LIM College students take a challenging array of business and liberal arts courses, and on April 18 we will honor outstanding academic achievement at the Sigma Beta Delta induction ceremony.
Sigma Beta Delta is the International Honor Society for Business, Management, and Administration. To be admitted into Sigma Beta Delta, juniors and seniors must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher throughout their years at LIM College -- an impressive accomplishment by any measure.
I look forward to joining the LIM College community at both of these wonderful events. In its own way, each represents the excellence that LIM College strives to instill in students as they travel on the path to become fashion’s future leaders.