VOL 96 : 09 NOVEMBER 14, 2018 torchonline.com
The award-winning independent student newspaper of St. John’s University
FAS H I O N I N G A N EW C PS M AJ O R
LONG-AWAITED FASHION STUDIES MAJOR TO BE OFFERED NEXT FALL TORCH PHOTO/ALEX YEM
Beverly Danquah Once upon a time, there was a phenomenon called Fashion Studies at St. John’s. A moment described by Dean Katia Passerini as historic, most St. John’s students are unaware of nor could they know about the obstacles, time and windy road that led to creating a fashion studies major at St. John’s. From studying students’ reception to fashion-related courses to gearing up the right team, Dr. Andrea Licari, Prof. Catherine Ruggieri and Dr. Almerinda Forte spearheaded this program, a move that has been in the works for years now. As part of the university’s Vincentian mission and ethical perspective, the Fashion Studies major particularly examines the business and ethical aspects of this industry. This August, the major was approved as a state-recognized program at St. John’s. “It started with Dr. Licari, a couple of years ago she said that she wanted to start a pre-session [mini courses offered in May], and she would teach fashion and take students on field trips,” Ruggieri explained. Ruggieri is the Fashion Studies program creator and a fashion management professor. Her hope is that the major would inspire students to go out and make change in fashion. “I thought it was a great idea,” Ruggieri said. The pre-session course then ran for a few summers and then Licari spoke to her division about implementing a minor. Licari came to St. Johns from the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T) in the 80s, and wanted to have fashion courses at St. John’s.
“At the time, I was told that that would not work,” Licari said. In the 2000s, the fashion club, Red House, asked Licari to be their moderator. “I became the club’s moderator and many students in the club were interested in a fashion major,” she said. “I asked about the possibility of a program again, and was told ‘that’s not the strength for where St. John’s comes’.” After another rejection, Forte, professor and chairperson for the Division of Administration and Economics, suggested implementing a minor. Approving of the idea, Licari proceeded to ask Dr. Joyce Boland-DeVito to teach fashion law for the minor. “Boland-DeVito decided to go to Fordham University to do a bootcamp on fashion law, and I was very happy that she did that,” Licari said. Licari asked Ruggieri to teach management, and asked Forte to teach ethics. “It’s almost like you have to wait until the right time, where you can get support,” Licari said. “It wasn’t until the 2000s that I got that support.” Licari said Forte’s support was pivotal, as she was able to convince the administration to get behind a fashion minor — a minor students reacted very well to. In the summer of 2015, Licari decided that they needed to actively work on a degree, despite discouraging responses in the past. “While I was teaching courses for the fashion minor, Forte asked Prof. Ruggieri if she could package what we had to make a Bachelor’s program,” Licari said. Story continued on page 10
MIDTERM ELECTIONS RECAP and reactions | stories on Page 4 and 9