The College for the Business of Fashion • The Alumni Newsletter • Volume 5 , Issue 1 • Fall 2008

Message from the President

Dear Alumni,

We are pleased to present the Fall 2008 issue of Scoop, the

newsletter of LIM’s Alumni Association.

The College is in the midst of a wonderful period of growth and development. We will soon add 16,500 square feet of space

to our 216 East 45th Street location. This expansion will include

the addition of a College bookstore, an extended-time testing

room, a Library Archive Room, and possibly a small café. And at LIM’s 54th Street building we plan to open a 4,500

square-foot Career Services Resource Center, which will be four

times larger than our existing Office of Career Services. This will become an important destination for one of the most

significant components of an LIM education. Construction will begin shortly and all phases of the expansion are

scheduled to be completed in time for the start of the Fall 2009 semester.

August 13, 2008 was also a significant day in LIM’s history, as nearly 400 of our students moved into the brand-new,

amenity-filled 1760 Third Avenue Residence. Its opening brought all of the College’s student housing under one roof,

furthering the sense of community that we have always prided ourselves on.

As a result of all this amazing growth, we decided to begin a formal rebranding process last year. After much research and deliberation, the decision was made to formally change the name of the institution from “Laboratory Institute of

Merchandising” to “LIM College,” which captures both our unparalleled past and our vibrant future. We will “go public”

with the College’s new name and visual identity, as well as a completely redesigned College website, in August 2009.

All of these exciting developments, which you can read about in more detail on the following pages, allow us to strength-

en our programs and services and provide our students with the best educational facilities and resources available. As alumni, you remain valued members of our College community and we hope that you will continue to play an important

role in LIM’s future.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth S. Marcuse

President

SCOOP

LIM’S FUTURE: BIGGER AND BETTER

From the Townhouse to the Internet

You can now log on to MySpace (www.myspace.com/limalumni) and Facebook (www.facebook.com then search LIM Alumni) to keep

connected to the LIM community. From alumni to industry associates, our Friends lists are growing and they are a great way to find lost

classmates or expand your personal network. These LIM alumni pages also provide information on LIM news and upcoming events

and allow you to view photos from recent events you may have missed.

And if you’re a blogger, or just enjoy reading blogs, you can check out The Face of Fashion (http://thefaceoffashion.blogspot.com).

From bands to brands, LIM alumni use this new blog to cover fashion and its many inspirations as well as the latest industry news.

We are very pleased to announce that LIM will soon add 16,500 square feet of space to our 216 East 45th

Street location. We will occupy the lower level, mezzanine and ground floor of this building, creating a

highly visible, street-level presence and new main entrance for the College. We will also take over the entire

eighth floor.

This expansion will embrace the existing design philosophy of our campus and the ground floor will house

reception, a large student lounge (including a quiet study area), a College bookstore, and possibly a small

café. The lower level and mezzanine will be home to a blend of classrooms, studios, and computer labs. The eighth floor will house class-

rooms, student and faculty lounges, and offices.

Additional improvements at 216 East 45th Street include the addition of an extended-time testing room, expanded IT and Academic Af-

fairs offices, and the addition of a Library Archive Room. Our Math Center and Math, Finance & Technology department will also move

into this building.

We are also pleased to announce that we will open a brand-new Career Services Resource Center at our building on East 54th Street . This

4,500 square-foot space will include a reference library, interview and seminar rooms, and computer areas for students to use as they pre-

pare for internships and career placement. This location will become an important destination for one of the most significant components

of an LIM education.

Construction will begin soon and will be completed in time for the start of the Fall 2009 semester. We will continue to keep you informed

as more details become available. We are very excited to expand LIM and encourage you to come back and visit your alma mater.

LIM HAS AN ONLINE COMMUNITY

DO YOU WANT TO DANCE?

It started as a party and morphed into a dance club. On October 15 a group of alumni met at Rhythm Break

Dance Studio for a Salsa Party. The evening turned into more than a dance party. Everyone enjoyed the oppor-

tunity to catch up with friends and network during the cocktail hour. By 6:45 the group was learning some serious

salsa moves and by the end of the night the group had such a great time that they decided to create a Dance Club.

Starting in January 2009 the Alumni Association will meet every month for dance lessons, including salsa and belly

dancing.

Interested in participating? Contact Katie at kfitzgerald@limcollege.edu

Dance Instructors Salsa

YEAR IN REVIEW

In the last few years LIM has grown and evolved dramatically. As a result of all this amazing growth, in August of 2007 the College

launched a strategic rebranding initiative. One area the rebranding process immediately identified was the strong feelings that all of our

constituencies had around the name Laboratory Institute of Merchandising.

While many felt there was strong equity in the name, it was also thought to be confusing, leaving newcomers to the College unsure about

our focus, mandate and credentials. Therefore, the decision has been made to formally change the name of the institution to LIM

College beginning in August of 2009.

LIM has been educating students and preparing them for successful careers in the business of fashion for nearly 70 years. For this rea-

son, it was important that our new name not divorce itself completely from Laboratory Institute of Merchandising. However, an LIM

education extends far beyond merchandising. Students are prepared to enter fields from marketing to management, and public relations

to publishing.

So the decision was made to keep LIM, but de-emphasize what those initials stand for. The addition of the word College was also deemed

important. LIM College, which many in the LIM family have already been using, captures both our unparalleled past and our exciting

future.

As we move forward with the rebranding process, we will also develop a brand-new visual identity for the College, including a new logo,

and launch a completely redesigned LIM website.

The official public announcement of the College’s new name and brand identity and the website launch will take place next August. Over

the next year we will work hard to make all the changes that must occur prior to that time.

We are delighted to share the initial findings of our rebranding initiative and the strategy behind our future plans. We will keep you updat-

ed on this process and look forward to sharing this next, exciting chapter in LIM’s history with you.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

The Association is staying true to its mission to increase com-

munity interest, pride and enthusiasm by offering alumni op-

portunities through events. This year’s highlights include:

Breakfast at Bendel’s... Alumni and friends discovered the latest fash-

ion trends, received makeovers from celebrity makeup artists and left with

goody bags filled with swag

Spa Event...Alumni escaped life’s stresses and experienced blissful spa

treatments with Spa Chicks on the Go

Spring Makeover ...with celebrity hair and makeup stylist Christo

Book Signings...wine, cheese and an evening with author Sally Koslow.

Other book signings included Effortless Style by June Ambrose, Who By

Fire by Diana Spechler and Have You Found Her by Janice Erlbaum.

Altar Boyz Theater Party…..pre-show socializing followed by an

evening of laughter and fun

Networking...staying connected with industry professionals and recruiters

Salsa Party...We ate, drank, and discovered some new moves

We have reconnected with many LIM alumni and look forward

to meeting more of you at upcoming events.

Alumni Theater Event

Breakfast at Bendel’s

Salsa Party Makeover Event

Networking Event

Book Signing

On April 18 Harper's Bazaar and Ports 1961 hosted the first annual “Fearless” luncheon to benefit the LIM Fashion

Education Foundation (FEF). One hundred and ten LIM alumni, students, and parents and fashion industry

professionals turned out at the Ports 1961 showroom on West 26th Street to support the FEF. In addition to

raising scholarship funds, the event also provided attendees with a great opportunity to network.

During the luncheon, Jane Loddo, executive merchandising editor for Harper’s Bazaar, spoke about the mission of

the FEF, and Arianna Huffington, editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post and

author of On Becoming Fearless, served as the afternoon’s featured speaker. All

attendees received a copy of On Becoming Fearless, which aims to motivate

readers to conquer their fears and become bold. Huffington’s message of

fearlessness resonated with the audience as they considered their own efforts to

achieve educational and professional goals.

The “Fearless” luncheon also gave the FEF the chance to recognize and thank Patty

Farmer (Class of 1976) for her generous $50,000 donation to the FEF, which estab-

lished a scholarship in her name. Ms. Farmer has also pledged to match all funds

raised by the FEF in 2008 up to $100,000.

Based on the success of the first “Fearless” luncheon, Harper’s Bazaar, Ports 1961,

and the FEF will join forces again next year to raise scholarship funds for LIM

students. The second annual “Fearless” luncheon will be held on April 24, 2009 at

the Hearst Tower in Manhattan.

LOOK WHO IS PARTNERING WITH LIM

Clockwise from top: LIM students with Eric Daman, Costume Designer for Gossip Girl and Sex in the City and author and celebrity stylist

June Ambrose; LIM student Zerina Akers with June Ambrose; Robert Verdi speaks at Fashion Survey; President Elizabeth S.

Marcuse with John Varvatos at LIM’s 2008 Commencement; Michael Palladino, Director of Client & Studio Services at Henri Bendel

with celebrity makeup artist Paula Dorf; LIM student Jessica Morgenstern with Michael Kors.

FEARLESS LUNCHEON

Patty Farmer, Class

of ‘76 with Patty

Farmer Scholarship

recipient Meredith

Fiesler

Luncheon guests relaxing

on the terrace at Ports 1961

Arianna

Huffington with

WWD reporter

Stephanie Smith

IN MEMORIAM

A Tribute to Professor Leah Ryan

LIM lost one of its most talented and

beloved professors on June 12, 2008,

when Leah Ryan of the Arts &

Communications Department passed

away after a two-year battle with acute

leukemia.

Leah was an accomplished author and

playwright. Her works have been seen

and appreciated throughout the coun-

try, recently in New York, Los Angeles,

and Austin.

In addition to her plays, Leah’s print publications include For Here

or To Go (Garrett County Press, 2005), a book she edited and

wrote about the service industry and its treatment of

minimum-pay workers. Leah was working on a novel, The Other

One, when she passed away.

While at LIM, Professor Ryan taught Creative Writing and

various English classes. She helped organize the Writing Center,

was director of the Creative Writing Club, and a regular

participant in Open Mic. She was deeply inspiring to her students,

and her concern for the College’s weakest writers led her to focus

especially on them, devoting herself to the non-credit Writing

Essentials classes.

Professor Ryan was widely loved and respected at LIM. She

remarked to her mother and friends that the happiest period of

her life was during the years she was working at LIM, where she

began as an adjunct professor in August, 2003. We will all miss

Leah’s kind and generous heart, her unique personality, her wide

talents, and infectious laughter.

The LIM Fashion Education Foundation established a scholar-

ship in Professor Leah Ryan’s name. It will be awarded to an LIM

student who has demonstrated significant growth in his or her

writing skills.

A Tribute to Professor Alan Feigenbaum

Alan was a student of all things. He loved

to learn and he loved to dream.

A full-time faculty member in the Math,

Finance, & Technology department at

LIM, he taught Developmental Mathe-

matics, College Algebra, Excel, Computer

Applications, and Senior Marketing Lab.

Professor Feigenbaum believed mathe-

matics to be an integral component of all

aspects of life. Timeless and universal, he

considered it a vernacular common to all creeds and cultures; a

language defined by numbers, standing as a unifying constant,

faithfully tied to almost every endeavor.

He taught that its relevance in retail is unmistakable. From the

geometries of the selling floor to the algebraic calculation of the

bottom line, mathematics is intrinsically tied to the fashion

industry.

He didn’t merely teach the principles of mathematics, but rather

the practical and creative applications of those principles. An

extremely talented teacher, Alan was steadfast in his commitment

to the success of his students. He loved teaching, he loved his

students, and he loved LIM.

Alan had vision, energy and vitality. He was a good soul, more

concerned about others than he was about himself. Kindhearted

and compassionate, he was quick with a kind word to all. He was

loved and respected by all who knew him.

To recognize Alan’s devotion to teaching and unwavering com-

mitment to student success, the Alan Feigenbaum Scholarship

was established this fall and awarded to Nicole Porco, an LIM

junior who is pursuing a BBA in Fashion Merchandising.

A Tribute to Roberta Gilbert

LIM lost a vital member of its community in June of this year. Roberta Gilbert was an integral part of the

LIM family from 1966 through 1999. During her 33 years as a faculty member and administrator she helped

mold many students’ lives and careers. As Professor of Retail Management, Assistant Director of Placement,

and finally as Assistant Dean, Roberta was dedicated to assisting students as they worked to achieve their

goals. Roberta was widely respected within the LIM community and will be missed greatly.

SCOOP The College for the Business of Fashion

The Alumni Newsletter • Fall 2008

12 East 53rd Street

New York, NY 10022

(212) 752-1530

www.limcollege.edu

Upcoming Alumni Events

December 10, 2008 Holiday Party

January 28, 2009 Financial Seminar

February 19, 2009 Wine Tasting

March 19, 2009 Networking Event

April 24, 2009 2nd Annual Fearless Luncheon

January—June 2009 Dance Club

(3rd Wednesday of every month)