FIT Student Team Wins $10,000 1st Prize in 'Re-Imagine Goodwill' Contest

'Curated' Team Takes First for Presenting Best E-commerce Solution

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Dec 21, 2017, 08:00 ET

NEW YORK, Dec. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. (Goodwill NYNJ) has announced the winners of "Re-Imagine Goodwill," a contest that Goodwill sponsored for students in the Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology at SUNY's Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). Curated, a team of four students, were named the winners for conceiving, designing, and presenting the best e-commerce options for a virtual Goodwill store. Goodwill NYNJ will present a $10,000 check to the team in exchange for the right to implement their design.

Meeta Roy, an assistant professor in FIT's Fashion Business Management Program, said: "The Goodwill contest gave our students the opportunity to consider the many factors that go into designing e-commerce solutions for an organization—and what better organization than Goodwill. It is real-world opportunities of this kind that set an FIT education apart and prepare our students to enter the workforce."

Katy Gaul-Stigge, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, said: "We were delighted to partner with FIT in this contest to inspire innovation for our 100 year old social enterprise that serves over 60,000 people a year. 'Re-imagine Goodwill' is part of our Vision 2020 to proactively address the changing shopping behavior of American consumers and to provide a more convenient shopping experience for our customers."

The panel of judges was comprised of Katy Gaul-Stigge, Goodwill NYNJ president and CEO; Lennox Thomas, Goodwill NYNJ executive vice president, retail operations; David Duplantis, president and CEO, Iconic Consumer and Retail Brands; and Brian Fallon, FIT associate professor and director of the Writing Studio. The panel judged the projects based on presentation, professionalism, applicability, research, and feasibility.

The winning team members are Brianna Destratis, Alexis Helbert, Alin Intravisit, and Lara Voronkov. Members of the runner-up team are Megan Good, Caitlyn Kennedy, Corinna Sanni, and Gabriella Stevens.

Goodwill NYNJ is committed to advancing the career goals of young adults through innovation and sustainability projects. The social enterprise sponsored the contest to engage students of FIT and to provide them with an educational opportunity to creatively apply their studies to a challenge that would result in exposure to the professional world.

About FIT
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 over 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 50 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students for professional success and leadership in the global marketplace. Visit fitnyc.edu.

About Goodwill NYNJ
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which operates 41 retail stores throughout the region powered by donations of clothing and household items and is one of 161 national organizations. Goodwill translates those donations into workforce development services for the unemployed and people with disabilities. For over 100 years, our mission has been to serve individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain independence through the power of work. Annually, Goodwill NYNJ provides services to thousands of Greater New York area residents - in workforce, disability services and retail training leading to employment to build better lives for themselves and their families. Learn more about Goodwill NYNJ at http://www.goodwillnynj.org

Learn more about Goodwill NYNJ at www.goodwillnynj.org. Follow us on Twitter: @GoodwillNYNJ, and find us on Facebook or Instagram: GoodwillNYNJ.

CONTACTS:
Jose Medellin
Director of Communications
Goodwill Industries of Greater NY and Northern NJ
Phone: (646) 238-9133
[email protected]

Cheri Fein
Executive Director of Public and Media Relations
Fashion Institute of Technology
Phone: (212) 217-4718
[email protected]

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