Goodman, Shirley, 1915-1991 (1915-1991)
Person
Dates
- Existence: 1915-1991
Biography
Shirley Goodman came to the college in 1949 to help draft the legislation making FIT part of the SUNY system. She was a key figure in the college’s development and served for many years as the executive vice president of FIT as well as the executive director of FIT’s Educational Foundation for the Fashion Industries (now the FIT Foundation) until her death in 1991.
Found in 10 Collections and/or Records:
Alan Fishman interview about his mother, Shirley Goodman, 1996 May 21, 1996 May 21
Item
Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.4.3
Scope and Contents
Alan Fishman, the son of Shirley Goodman, discusses Goodman’s role in the early days of FIT. Goodman had worked on the World’s Fair with Grover Whalen, and was eventually introduced to the group of successful businessmen who were founding the institute out of the High School of the Needle Trades. Fishman describes his mother’s intense and lasting advocacy for the institute, though she came in without fashion industry experience. Fishman began working in the FIT mail room during his high...
Dates:
1996 May 21
Alfred Sloan interview, 1994 November 1, 1994 November 1
Item
Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.4.6
Scope and Contents
In this interview with Dr. Alfred Sloan, Jr. he discusses his 1958 arrival at FIT following two years of teaching at Orange County Community College, another SUNY school. He was a veteran of World War II and had spent over ten years working in the fashion industry. Sloan discusses FIT’s first home at the Central High School of Needle Trades and their eventual move to the C building. Sloan lists various founders of the school and their roots on 7th avenue in the garment industry. He describes...
Dates:
1994 November 1
Barry Ginsberg and Joe Costelli interview, 1994 December 15, 1994 December 15
Item
Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.4.2
Scope and Contents
This is an interview with Doctors Joe Costelli and Barry Ginsberg of FIT. Costelli was the chair of the math and science department at the time of the interview and Ginsberg a retired professor emeritus. Ginsberg begins by describing his start at the institute in 1956 under former Department Chair Bill Leider. At the time there were approximately 20 faculty members and 200 students. He describes the tight-knit quality of FIT and weekend trips to the Hotel Grossinger. In tandem with his work...
Dates:
1994 December 15
David Zeigler interview, 1994 November 11, 1994 November 11
Item
Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.4.13
Scope and Contents
This is an interview with David Zeigler who began at FIT’s continuing education division in 1956 following a transfer from the Board of Education. At the time, the school was still based in the Central Needle Trades High School. Zeigler discusses contentions within the English department, the formation of a union in response, and how he came to be elected as the first faculty president of FIT. Zeigler mentions various faculty in his department and emphasizes how deeply he became entrenched...
Dates:
1994 November 11
Edith Sancroft interview, 1994 November 22, 1994 November 22
Item
Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.4.25
Scope and Contents
Edith Sancroft, professor of health and physical education at the time of this interview, and former Dean of Liberal Arts, joined FIT in 1964. She immediately began a large expansion of the school's dance program and talks about the introduction of an intermediate level of dance for her more advanced students. Sancroft sees choreography and dance as a natural partner to fashion design; her students benefit from the knowledge that body movement has to offer. She pays homage to the 1960s as a...
Dates:
1994 November 22
Jack Rittenberg interview, circa 1994-1995, circa 1994-1995
Item
Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.4.24
Scope and Contents
Dean Emeritus at the Department of Business and Technology at the time of this interview, Jack Rittenberg discusses his many roles while at FIT between the years of 1963 and 1992. He talks of the development of degrees within the baccalaureate program such as those in advertising and menswear, the latter being a degree that Rittenberg co-developed with Ted Roberts. He talks extensively about the school’s early existence in the C Building and the growth of the physical campus as FIT became...
Dates:
circa 1994-1995
Jean Ellen Giblin interview, 1994 November 21, 1994 November 21
Item
Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.4.17
Scope and Contents
Jean Ellen Giblin, the Vice President of Academic Affairs at the time of this interview, explains how she came to FIT as an economics professor in 1970. She was later Chair of the Social Science Department as well as the curriculum committee. After a time, she was asked to work on the development of the new upper division program which had a marketing option in international trade. She talks fondly of that creative work and how it led her to become the acting Dean of the Business and...
Dates:
1994 November 21
Judith Parkas interview, 1994 November 10, 1994 November 10
Item
Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.4.20
Scope and Contents
Judith Parkas, the Executive Vice President of FIT’s union, discusses her many roles at FIT. In addition to her union work, Parkas was a professor of Biology and Physical Anthropology as well as the project director of the Tech Prep Grant. Over the years, she helped develop and evolve FIT’s curriculum. She discusses the inception of the union and their early contentions with the Board of Trustees. There were also initial difficulties in unifying adjunct and full-time faculty, but Parkas...
Dates:
1994 November 10
Richard Streiter interview, 1995 May 9, 1995 May 9
Item
Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.4.29
Scope and Contents
Richard Streiter wore many hats at FIT, but at the time of this interview he was the executive director of the Educational Foundation for the Fashion Industries. Streiter joined FIT from Pratt Institute as Dean of Students in 1973. He discusses his recruitment by Marvin Feldman and his immediate push for the creation of a comprehensive primary care health service at the school. Streiter fondly remembers the raucous four-year stint of Mardi Gras costume balls held in concert with other art...
Dates:
1995 May 9
Susan Rietman interview, 2019 February 20, 2019 February 20
Item
Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.10.23
Scope and Contents
Alex Joseph, Managing Editor of FIT's Hue Magazine interviews Susan Rietman, a professor from FIT's Textile Service Design and Fabric Styling program. Susan recalls her childhood and how her life led to fashion, particularly how a serigraphy course led her into the field textiles. She talks about her mother's designer clothing collection that she has kept, and about her move to New York right after college in 1961. Her first job was with Leslie Tillet at "D.D. and Leslie Tillett" where she...
Dates:
2019 February 20
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