Molly Silsby, a seventh-semester student majoring in Home Products Development at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), State University of New York, has been named the 2015 Carole Sloan Scholar by the college. The award is named for Carole Sloan, longtime editor and writer at Home Textiles Today and Furniture Today, who passed away in January 2011.
Silsby receives $2,500 for achieving the highest GPA in the Home Products Development (HPD) program. “We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of time and gifts from industry colleagues in the Home Products Industry” said Ingrid Johnson, professor and acting chair of Home Products Development.
Stephen Pond, founder of Home Textiles Today and Furniture Today, donated $50,000 to create the endowment. He continues to challenge the industry to match his gift so the Carole Sloan Fund can reach its goal of $105,000.
Johnson added, “Molly Silsby is an outstanding Carole Sloane scholar, as she excels in and out of the classroom. Having achieved the highest grade point average, it is apparent that she prepares well and works hard to learn from her professors, industry professionals, and team project experiences. The Home Products Department is very proud that she is the recipient of the Carole Sloan Scholarship Award.”
Silsby said, “It is an honor to receive the Carole Sloan Scholarship as part of my senior year in the Home Products Development program. I truly respect Carole Sloan’s legacy in the home textiles and furniture industries, and I feel privileged to receive a scholarship associated with her name.”
She went on to say, “The Home Products Development program faculty have gone far and beyond to prepare me and my classmates for success in the industry. Through memorable trips to High Point, the International Housewares Show, and an upcoming trip in January to Maison & Objet in Paris, I feel challenged and inspired to use my education to the best of my ability.”
Tax deductible contributions to the fund can be made to the FIT Foundation, Fashion Institute of Technology, 227 West 27th Street, Room C204, New York, NY 10001. Please note “Carole Sloan Scholar Fund” on the check. For additional information, contact Robert Ferguson, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the FIT Foundation, at 212-217-4109.
FIT’s program in Home Products Development—the only one of its kind in the world—offers studies in both hard goods and textile classifications of home furnishings leading to a Bachelor of Science degree.
The Fashion Institute of Technology, a part of the State University of New York, has been a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology for 70 years. With a curriculum that provides a singular blend of hands-on, practical experience, classroom study, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, FIT offers a wide range of outstanding programs that are affordable and relevant to today’s rapidly changing industries. Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York City location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which to learn. The college offers more nearly 50 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students for professional success and leadership in the global marketplace.