A Day in the Life from F.I.T.

Hey guys! I actually have a semi-free night for once, so I thought I’d type a little bit up about my experiences here so far in the city.

The other week I found out that 8 million people alone live on this island. And since I run a lot, I’ve found out that the island itself is really only about 12 miles by 2.5 miles, give or take. Somehow, this seemingly hectic area is managed through structure, routine, and tall buildings. There really is so much to see and do here in this small area of Manhattan, and although I’ve been here almost three months, I still have a list of places I want to go to. I’ve been fortunate to be able to give myself about a day a week to explore though, which transitions into the FIT part of this entry.

Before I came here everyone basically said, “Oh my gosh, it’s going to be so hard and you’re going to have no life.” Unfortunately, for the main part it is true. However haha – it’s really just time management. Nothing we have done so far is insanely difficult, for a lot of the first semester is review of what I’ve already learned at Purdue, except they expound on it and multiply it. For instance, basic draping is taken a step further. We learn every method of basic draping and then have to do a creative version of it. I have only made two complete garments, the rest are half muslins; but, we all have term projects that will be multiple garments per outfit. Stressful, but exciting!That last phrase basically sums up everything – I’ve had spare time to do a couple contests, go to free yoga once a week, join a small group, work out every day, and see the city – all on top of homework. Sometimes it is a lot to handle, but after last year at Purdue and my internship this summer, it’s a little easier. Plus, there really is nothing else to do here aside from school during the week, unless you want to eat out and see a show every night.

Overall my experience here has been one of growth, both educationally and individually. It’s been quite an adjustment, for I haven’t visited home at all. Luckily I’ve made good friends with my roommates, girls in the one-year program, and another girl from Purdue here for retail. I also have family in mid-New Jersey that I visit about once a month. The more I’m here, the more I get used to it. Some things I don’t think I’ll ever get used to though– like being able to jog out to the end of a pier, stretch, and see the Statue of Liberty and the New Jersey skyline. The opportunities here are endless, and somewhat surreal. For instance, we went to Fashion’s Night Out on September 10 and saw Manolo Blahnik, Roberto Cavalli, Grace Coddington, Zac Posen, Laura Bennett, and Miss J from Project Runway. My professors are all extremely knowledgeable and always helpful, and I have learned such a great amount in such a small time period. I’m very grateful that I’m able to be here and could not be more excited for what’s to come. I can’t wait to come home on December 22, visit family and friends, drive, and yes, see farmland haha. That’s the one thing lacking out here – nature. I heard about Lady Gaga coming and had someone get me tickets. Luckily we’re off for six weeks for winterim at F.I.T. so I’ll get to visit Purdue as well. To fellow ambassadors and friends/faculty at Purdue – good luck as the semester comes to a close with final projects and exams! I hope everyone’s doing well!
                    Ashley

CFS Graduate is a Martha Stewart "Dreamers to Doers" Award Winner

We were thrilled to learn that former CFS Child Development and Family Studies graduate and Student of the Year was selected to receive a Martha Stewart "Dreamers to Doers" award in her capacity as CEO of College Mentors for Kids.  She appeared on The Martha Stewart show on October 16.  For proprietary reasons we are not able to post the actual video; however, here are links to the appearance, a Behind-the-Scenes article and Erin's blog regarding the event.  We extend our sincerest congratulations to Erin in her success!

Erin Slater on The Martha Stewart Show.

Enjoy Erin Slater's Blog on the Dreamers to Doers website.

Behind the Scenes with Erin Slater on The Martha Stewart Show.

Profile of Erin Slater and Mentors for Kids.

Working Towards Becoming an RD

When I came to Purdue no one really told me what studying Dietetics and Nutrition, Fitness & Health would be like. No one mentioned the countless hours studying, writing papers, reading scientific articles or applying for prestigious internships. As a senior, I am facing my hardest semester yet at Purdue. I thought the past 3 years of my life were challenging, but they can’t hold a candle to what I am learning now. I am not trying to scare people away from Dietetics, it is a great program and I really do enjoy learning about dietary recommendations, nutritional and physical assessments and how to work with a client one on one, but it can still be very overwhelming.

As a senior, I am applying for internships following my 4 years at Purdue. I am currently working on an application for the Coordinated Program and that is due next week. As I am filling out this application and writing my personal statement I am learning that I have come a long way since my freshman year of college. I miss the easier classes and more free time but I am so excited to get an internship either through the Coordinated Program (CPD) or the DPD program. I am most interested in the CPD program because it is close to home and my family, and would be less expensive than moving out of state. I never thought that I would want to stay in Indiana but now my life plans have changed and I am wanting to stay in this area for the time being. If I get into the CPD program I will be an intern for 3 semesters and will graduate in August 2010. That would push my graduation date back but I am ok with that. As long as I finally graduate that is all that matters in the grand scheme of things.

Upon completion of my internship through either the CPD or DPD programs I will then sit for the Registered Dietitian exam and upon passing that test I will become Anna Armstrong, RD. That means I can actually get a job in my field and start earning some money. It is a process to reach that final goal of obtaining the letters RD after my name, but I am excited to see where this path leads.

~ Anna

Life as a Teaching Assistant

Last fall, Ryan and I were asked to be “TA’s” for the HTM 101 course. HTM 101 is an entry level class for incoming HTM students that lasts for five weeks. Over the course of the five weeks the incoming students get an introduction to Purdue, tips on resume building, as well as tips on how to be successful at the career fair and the industry in general. As a TA you help teach the class as well as grade most of the papers. This is a great way to earn extra credits, or in some cases, some classes pay the students to be a TA. In our case, Ryan and I get 3 credit hours for a five week class.
This is a steal!
Josh

Recruitment

Wow! I cannot believe that I am beginning my senior year at Purdue. I never imagined it really would go by so fast! I love so many things about Purdue, from football games to rides on the boilermaker special.
One of my favorite times is recruitment season. As my fourth and final Purdue formal recruitment has just ended, I look back and remember what it was like as a freshman four years ago. I cannot believe it has gone by so fast. As an eager young freshman I had no idea what sorority life would mean for me. I recall being so nervous about every step of the recruitment process, but now it feels like second nature. Last Friday and Saturday we began with open houses, where each potential new member was able to tour every house with a total of sixteen rounds. Sunday included the 11 preference rounds that included a house slide show. This past weekend began on Sunday with the 7 preference rounds, which included the house skits. Monday concluded the recruitment process with the final and most important day. This day each potential new member visited a maximum of three houses with the conclusion to the day being the selection of their new home. This has been such an exciting chapter in my life and I will greatly miss the friends and memories after I leave.

Life as a Resident Assistant

Over the summer I received a call to be an RA at Harrison Hall and immediately I jumped on the offer. Being an RA you are expected to be “on duty” four nights a week. You may ask what does being on duty entail? Well basically you have to be in you in your room from 7:00 pm to 7:00 am. While you are on duty you must be available for your residents to answer questions and assist with other conflicts that may arise. You are also responsible for putting on programs relating to diversity, sports, and trips. So far we have done floor dinners, where your whole floor goes to a dining court, as well as intramural sports.

You also receive great benefits from Purdue. As an RA, Purdue pays for your room and board, as well in-state tuition. Being an out-of-state student, this helps greatly! My mom took the picture when I moved in; I wanted to look as intimidating as possible for my residents. I put that picture up on my bulletin board so when they arrived during Boiler Gold Rush they would see just how threatening I could look!

"That Girl" part 1.

Statue of Liberty

Hey! Welcome prospective students and new ambassadors! I’m Ashley, and I am currently in my third year of studies as a Fashion Design major. This year I traveled to New York City to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology for their one year Design AAS degree program. For those who are unfamiliar with this program – Purdue lets you take courses at FIT that transfer to third yr equivalent classes at Purdue, obtain an Associate’s from FIT, and then return your senior year to finish your Bachelor’s requirements.

Manhattan skyline from Jersey

After taking May-mester courses and an internship in Indianapolis this summer, I adjusted to being displaced and living independently, so the move went very well. I am currently living with 3 freshmen, all in different majors here at FIT, in an apartment-style dorm: we have two bedrooms, one bath, and a kitchen/dining area. I previously thought the space would be significantly smaller than normal, since it is in fact NYC, but it’s actually larger than I expected! I will post pictures once we purchase everything we need for the apartment and get it cleaned up a bit.

Night in the city from atop the Empire State Building

We’ve had a week of orientation activities full of things to do and sights to see around the city. My parents, who have never toured NYC, stayed until Wednesday, and we visited sites as far north as Central Park and the Trump Tower in Uptown to the Financial District in Downtown. [Shown is a view from the top of the Empire State Building.] Tomorrow a couple of girls and I are headed to Brooklyn to find a Target, see some boutiques, and get some really good pizza.

Times Square

Classes begin on Monday and I’m preparing myself for no life haha. But I’m going to love it, that I’m for sure of. I’ve signed up for Fashion Week and have purchased a couple of concert tickets, so I plan on still enjoying what the city has to offer alongside working non-stop.

The Fashion District

I’ll try and blog as much as possible. In the meantime, I hope everyone back at Purdue has a great fall semester. I’ll miss all the tailgating and games on Saturdays – Go Boilers!!

Summer Adventures of 2009

Washington, D.C. May 16th – 21st

My first trip of the summer was to Washington, D.C. for the 2009 Leadership Honors Boot Camp. I went there on a full scholarship sponsored by AAFCS (American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences) because of my national involvement with the organization. I went there having no idea what to expect. I was under the assumption that it was going to be a regular conference with many students from around the nation there. I met my roommate who was from Texas A&M and we figured out that we both had family and consumer sciences majors. So we figured this conference was for those leaders in different FCS fields. While, preparing for the first day of the conference, we walk into a room in a Hilton Suites Hotel to find 11 other students there.

This was a conference like I never had been to in my life. There were a total of 14 students there age ranges from college freshman to a graduate student, and we came from all over the nation. One student was from Washington State, a couple from Texas, a few from Kansas, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Georgia, and of course Indiana! This week-long conference helped me build new leadership skills and helped me understand more about my own personal skills and how they can be useful in a team-building atmosphere.

We did business all day and partied at night. We did things from playing Frisbee next to the Washington Monument to visiting the Holocaust Museum. We went out to eat at amazing places like Sequoia (which is right off of the Potomac River) and the Old Ebb Bar and Grill across the street from the White House. We visited Georgetown University and even went on a night tour of the monuments, riding in style, in a Cadillac Escalade Limo.

AAFCS Conference June 24th- 28th
Knoxville, Tennessee

This was quite a wonderful adventure for me. AAFCS stands for the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. I was a national officer last year and this year I was installed to not only be the Chair (President) for the Student Unit nationwide, but I also was inducted onto the Board of Directors for this organization. This is quite a responsibility, but I am up and ready and super excited for this upcoming year.

Here are some pictures taken at this meeting. The student unit (who are mostly comprised of graduate and undergraduate students) sold tattoos at this meeting to help raise money for one of the funds they have for this centennial celebration. We raised over $1,400 dollars!!

AAFCS celebrated it’s 100th birthday at the conference in Knoxville! How exciting to be a part of something that is in its 100th year of existence!

--Larissa

My Summer as an Intern

I am currently sitting outside, enjoying the weather that FINALLY feels like it’s the middle of July. I just drove up back home to Elkhart after concluding my internship with Anthropologie at the Keystone Fashion Mall in Indianapolis last Saturday. For those who don’t know, Apparel Design majors are required to have two internships prior to graduation – one retail for at least 140 hours and one design for at least 280 hours. I decided to do my retail internship this summer.

When applying I set my goals high, and applied at BCBG corporate in NYC, Gucci in Costa Mesa, Orange County, CA, and called multiple other stores including Burberry, Banana Republic, and Nordstrom. Unfortunately, I could not find housing in NYC for the summer, Gucci decided to take local students from FDIM, and the others weren’t offering internships. Around March of this year I was still trying to apply at local boutiques back here in South Bend and Mishawaka when I looked up stores located at the Fashion Mall. To my pleasant surprise, Anthropologie was listed. [You may be more familiar with Anthro’s parent company: Urban Outfitters --- U.O. has three sub-companies: Anthropologie, Free People, and Terrain.] I called them and BCBG both. Though BCBG wasn’t offering any store internships, Anthropologie told me to submit a resume and follow up in a week. Long story short…I got the internship!

I also knew a lot of friends from school who lived near Indy, and I ended up staying with a friend who’s also an Apparel Design major—Natasha—in Zionsville (her driveway view is the picture above). I drove about 20 min to work each day, which was on the North side of Indy close to Carmel, and I was able to visit downtown Indy, Brownsburg, Avon, Danville, and Purdue with ease. On weeks where I only worked a couple days, I also visited home, which was only a 2 ½ hour drive. To many this seems like a long time haha but I got used to driving so often, anything under an hour is nothing really now.

My internship with Anthropologie was absolutely wonderful. The first two days I worked, the entire staff showed up at 6 AM to do their yearly stock of inventory to account for losses. Loss prevention is unfortunately now a major deal with multiple retail organizations due to rises in theft, mostly attributed to the economy. During the rest of my month and a half there, I worked part time, paid, with weekly hours ranging from 10 to 32. (Hours and schedules for internship hours vary between companies–with Anthropologie I was treated like a regular retail associate.) Dress was very unrestricted, aside from no shorts, no logos aside from Anthro’s brands, and no flip flops–other than that it was just expected you dressed well and in a way that reflected the lifestyle of an Anthro girl. I was trained on inventory, censoring, re-stock in the mornings, fitting room service, loss prevention, customer care, retail procedures such as floor management and upkeep, and closing procedures in the evening.

I believe the best part of the internship came from the atmosphere. Anthropologie’s overall aims and mission as a company fit so well with my individuality and the general direction I wish to go with my career as a designer. For inspiration, corporate sends each retail outlet an “inspiration board” with themes the store is trying to represent for the season. Artistic freedom with retail display is then up to each outlet. We have five major departments: women’s apparel, women’s accessories, home, bedding, and lounge. Other sections include general green (a section geared toward environmentally-focused living,) children’s books/animals/learning objects, and multiple books throughout the store with themes ranging from recipes to the history of Valentino. I should also mention we as employees had quite a good discount, so it was all I could do to tell myself I needed to save for school haha. Of course, I did take advantage of it, though.

My co-workers were all very amiable and took the time to get to know me, while still maintaining professional attitudes. I found that one employee and two managers also had graduated from Purdue; the managers had obtained degrees in retail management. Many of my co-workers and I shared similar interests, including art, design (2 had majored in fashion design), fashion, and Starbucks haha. On the Starbucks note, during one week we had a contest for someone to win a Starbucks gift card. Whenever you added on items to a fitting room, signed someone up to for an Anthro card, etc, you put your name on a piece of paper which was then put into a drawing. I ended up winning, oddly enough, and plan on saving that card for when school commences again. :) Now I am good friends with many of them, and we’re all planning on staying in touch via good-old Facebook.

The only hard thing about my internship was the distance from home. I usually okay with my independence, but since I’m leaving for New York City in a little under 4 weeks and having been away earlier this summer for Maymester classes, I missed out on a lot of things with my friends and family back home. I did get to meet up with a friend here, and a friend there, but it was definitely a test. I grew a lot this summer, including both educational and life lessons learned from my internship. I look forward to spending the rest of my summer with friends and family back here in Elkhart, and one last stop at Purdue :) before I leave for FIT.

I’ll try and do a few posts when I can in NYC. In the meantime, I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their summer! And good luck to all the new freshmen as you embark on this journey known as college.

Oh! Ha and a plug for Anthro – if you’re interested more about Anthropologie, visit http://www.anthropologie.com/.

The burgers are calling me to grill them, so I’m gonna peace out.
*ashley

Summer Coming to a Close

This summer sure has gone by fast! It has been very busy this summer with record-breaking numbers of people coming into Yellowstone. Over 644,000 people visited in June alone, which broke the previous record by 40,000. All 9 hotels and 5 campgrounds have been filling up non-stop and phone calls are still coming in! It has been truly incredible.

Although this summer has been busy with work it has also been busy outside of work. We have been hiking nonstop as well. Caroline and I managed to hike 312 miles. It was well worth every hike. I have attached three of my favorite photos from the summer hikes. The first is me on top of Electric Peak which is on the NW Side of the park, a 20 mile roundtrip mountain climb. The second is me fording our first river in the NE section of the park; the ford was .2 miles into the hike so you ended up being wet at the beginning and the end. The third is a picture of Caroline in front of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone; this is a great picture simply because the background of the picture looks fake as though you are in front of a green screen. But I can tell you it is definitely real and very beautiful!

Yes, this summer is coming to a close very rapidly. On August third I will be back in West Lafayette for R.A. Training which I am very much looking forward to!

See you all soon back on campus!
Josh