UT in NYC: Help Support TXA Students' Journey to the Big Apple

​​Students from the Division of Textiles and Apparel head to New York City as part of an experiential learning program that takes discovery from the classroom to the Big Apple.

UT in NYC, a program designed to bring students together for an integrated look at the fashion industry with an entrepreneurial focus, is unparalleled, partnering with world-renowned fashion icon, entrepreneur and visiting professor Iris Apfel.

Professor Apfel has created opportunities for students to enter boardrooms, workrooms, showrooms, and curatorial spaces where students learn how leaders in the fashion industry built their careers. Our scholars hear from the industry's most influential designers such as Kate Spade, Tommy Hilfiger and Naeem Khan. During their visit, students are empowered to leave their mark on the industry.

Here's what one student had to say about the program:

"The UT in NYC program was by far the most eye-opening experience I have ever had in my educational career. Not only was every visit enlightening in its own way, the whole trip connected so many concepts together in a way that made so much sense. Each visit helped me clarify what I want and do not want to do in my career. So many of our speakers said you have to know what you stand for and go out and do what you love."

Funding the annual trip is no small financial feat, so we on the TXA faculty have launched a HornRaiser crowdfunding campaign. All funds raised as part of this campaign serve as seed money to create and publish an Iris Apfel Activity Book to be sold to fashion lovers everywhere. Revenue from book sales will support student scholarships to attend Iris Apfel's world-class UT in NYC seminar and conference and help with recurring expenses.