Launching the Newark School of Fashion and Design with Principal Sakina Pitts and Giselle Morell

Sakina Pitts is the Principal of The Newark School of Fashion and Design (NSFD) and Giselle Morell is the Head of Customer Engagement at N Ventures at The New School of Social Research. The duo joins host Mike Palmer in a conversation about the recent launch of NSFD in partnership with N Ventures as they look to expand access to students through entry points, pathways, and relationships in the fashion industry.

We hear Sakina’s origin story as a student growing up in Newark who had a love for fashion and education that has culminated in her role as the Principal of the school as it has come to life over the past few years. Then Giselle shares how she took a chance leaving a safe, corporate gig to align her career with her mission and passion by joining the N Ventures group at the New School. From there we explore what’s involved in launching the school and building partnerships that make an impact on the lives of students and the community. We explore how opening up pathways and relationships in the world of fashion helps equip students with relevant skills and competencies that align with the rapidly changing world of work. Yes, we even talk Chat GPT and generative AI.

Before concluding, we touch on the importance of access, social capital, and representation in fashion as a field and learn about what’s involved in developing a fashion and design curriculum that blends hands-on work with theory. It’s a riveting exploration of the benefits of mission-based industry alignment driving innovation in public education. Don’t miss it!

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