EXCLUSIVE: FIT Marks Progress Updates at Social Justice Center
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FIT is furthering its commitment to expanding education for all.
On Monday, the college announced its first group of Social Justice Scholars and the appointment of Nicole Finigan Ndzibah as executive director of the Social Justice Center at FIT.
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FIT’s Social Justice Center launched in December 2021 — with the financial aid of partners PVH Corp., Capri Holdings Limited and Tapestry Inc. — to support social equity for students of color pursuing degrees in creative industries.
As part of the first scholarship cohort, 11 first-semester students (whose names were not all disclosed) will receive full scholarships on behalf of Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Capri Holdings and Brett Johnson. Carolina Herrera will also support the professional transition of the scholars by providing paid internship and apprenticeship gigs for the long haul.
“For me, the SJC started as a vision — a theoretical concept,” said FIT president Joyce F. Brown. “Nurturing it to reality, watching it take shape as a viable program that today has recruited students for the fall semester, has been invigorating and gratifying, and it has created a new sense of hopefulness, not only for FIT but among enlightened corporations, especially those that are supporting our efforts.”
Wes Gordon, creative director of Carolina Herrera, and supporter of the program said it’s an “honor” to award FIT student Paloma Sanchez Maria as the first recipient of the Carolina Herrera Social Justice Scholarship, supporting her with finances and resources during her first year at FIT.
“For Carolina Herrera and the entire fashion industry, it is critical to have access to a diverse pipeline of talented individuals who bring fresh perspectives and new ideas,” said Gordon. “We are working closely with FIT to overcome the underrepresentation of BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] female students in educational institutions and in the broader creative industries. We are pledging resources toward the Carolina Herrera Social Justice Scholars Program, which will support one female student through four years of study at FIT.”
In addition to the scholarship news, Ndzibah will take on the role of executive director of the Social Justice Center at FIT.
Holding retail training and management roles at the likes of Tommy Hilfiger and Macy’s, Ndzibah was instrumental in implementing professional development programs for Black employees, among other efforts. She has been an adjunct faculty member teaching fashion business courses at both FIT and LIM for eight years. Her personal triumphs lend to the power of the program.
“As someone who has worked in the fashion retail industry for most of my career, I have seen and experienced firsthand the challenges faced by people of color,” Ndzibah told WWD. “The feeling of needing to be twice as experienced, educated and skilled is a real concern of many BIPOC employees. I am encouraged that so many companies are shining a light on inequities and are willing to address systemic issues at all levels and I am excited to join with them to create long-lasting solutions.”
In the year ahead, Ndzibah aims to foster a greater sense of community with the launch of campus-wide programming that engages students across disciplines.
“We are working to establish clear benchmarks to track impact and measure success — this is critical to the advancement of the Social Justice Center,” she said. Benchmarks will revolve around increasing admission, retention and employment for Social Justice Center talent.
