Department of Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design
Spring Splash '05!
The Department held its second Spring Splash Fundraiser in April to celebrate its ties with the Textile and Fashion Industry. More than 200 people attended the event in URI's Memorial Union Ballroom following a reception at the President's House sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Palmer. The event raised $40,000 to support the department's activities in the form of student scholarships, guest speakers, field trips, and so on. Aeropostale took the lead in sponsoring the event, donating $20,000 for student scholarships. TJX were also major sponsors.
The evening began with a reception at the President's House. Guests then moved to the Memorial Union where they were entertained by a Fashion Show: “Fantasize, Materialize, Realize". The show consisted of 47 designs by 21 designers selected by a pre-judging panel of URI professors David T. Howard (Costume Design, Theater Department), Barbara Pagh (Chair, Art Department) and Diane Martin (Coordinator, Master Seamstress Program) from more than 100 entries.
At the conclusion of the show, dinner was served, and judges Jeffrey Butterworth (Professor, Costume Shop Manager, CCRI), Lorraine Howes (Professor emerita, RISD) and Kristyna Kane (Style Director and Fashion Editor of CO-ED Magazine) retired to consider their verdicts.
Following dinner, the Department introduced three new members to its “Wall of Fame” of successful alumnae. Cynthia Cooper, Nancy Olson, and Shelley Wollseiffen were inducted. We took the opportunity to thank companies who have given support to our program : Aeropostale, TJX Corp., and Griffin Manufacturing were the recipients.
Since this was the second Splash!, money raised from last year's event was presented to 4 students in the form of $500 scholarships. They were awarded to Jenny Doucette of Candia, New Hampshire, Monica Flynn (Charlestown, RI), Loida Lebron (Woonsocket, RI) and Deryn Sumner (Abington, MA).
After due deliberation by the judges, the winners of the fashion show were announced. First place and a prize of $1000 went to Annick Gouin, a junior from Charlestown RI. Jacqueline Galto of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey won second place ($750), and was also chosen to receive the Co-Ed Magazine award, with a chance to have her collection featured in that magazine. Kirsten Obermiller (of Manchester, New Hampshire) won the $500 third prize. Honorable mentions and $250 each went to Allison Mallardi (Jupiter, Florida)and Kate Seavey (Rochester NH).
Photos from URI News Bureau and photographer Michael Salerno
| From the evening..... | ||
|
|
|
 |
|
TMD Chair Linda Welters and Karl Aspelund set up the pre-show |
URI President Robert L. Carothers with TMD Advisory Board Chair, Glenn Palmer |
Cranston Print Works' Richard Malachowski with Bob Beagle, URI VP of Advancement and Linda Welters |
 |
|
 |
|
James Buford of Aeropostale with companion Lisa Telfer, and URI's Bob Beagle and Linda Welters |
2004 Wall of Fame Inductee Evelyn Commentucci with husband Fred |
TMD Faculty Sook-Hyun Kim and Yvette Harps-Logan share a joke |
 |
|
 |
|
Linda Welters with designer and scholarship winner Loida Lebron |
James Buford, Aeropostale's Vice President, Director of Inter-Collegiate Athletics Division with TMD Faculty member Martin Bide |
Michaela Mooney of URI's Development Office with daughter Meaghan (a TMD major) and husband Thomas |
| From the Fashion Show.... | ||
|
|
 |
|
| Some final adjustments.... |
Sarah Young (second from right) with four of her designs. |
Angela Williams models a jacket dress that she co-designed with Amanda Williamson |
 |
|
|
|
|
Annick Gouin was awarded first place for designs such as these. |
A piece by third-place designer Kirsten Obermiller |
A design by Jennifer Hanover | |
| The Alumna Hall of Fame. Professor Abby Lillethun welcomed new members... | ||
 |
 |
 |
|
Cynthia Cooper |
Nancy Olson | Shelley Wollseiffen |
| Thanks for support from.... | ||
 |
|
 |
|
James Buford of Aeropostale |
Gene Laudon of Griffin Manufacturing |
Dennis Watson of TJX Corp with Dean Lynn McKinney |
 |
 |
 |
| The designers await the judges' verdicts..... | Susan Hannel with first place designer Annick Gouin | Advisory Board Chairman Glenn Palmer winds up the evening with an additional donation of $4000. Thanks Glenn! |
Return to the TMD home page
