2025 FIT Capstone Event
by Marlena Sullivan, Exhibit City News
You will connect with the students better than I. You’re their age, Pat Friedlander, long time judge of FIT Capstone event and one of my mentors told me as I prepared to attend this year’s events. Held on December 13th, 2025 in New York City, NY, this year’s students did not just ask “what is the future of design” but empowered their audience to “learn how to see.”
A common concern within the events industry is how the future will progress when there is a labor shortage and a worry that recipes are being lost. As the Old Guard stands tall and slowly begins to retire there is the question of what will come next? But equally placed there is a fear in the younger generation on “where do I fit in?” Will I leave a mark when I leave? Will my work ultimately matter? In an industry so rich in a tradition of connection and relationships, how can I make an impact that will allow me to grow and progress?
There is a deep insecurity within my generation, a fear of having the rug pulled out from under us. We are afraid to place roots, because “what if…” We want to build a better world that we can see so clearly in our imaginings but find it difficult to articulate. That doesn’t stop us from trying.
The FIT Capstone students tempted the audience to look beyond what they knew and envision what could be. The students showcased spaces that emphasized a reclamation of culture, a remembrance of unspoken stories, and invoked memories that were accessible to all viewers. They said we will create a future centered on designs that are intentionally complicated yet simplistic, effective and revisited, time and time again.
Each student’s passion and knowledge of their topic shed light on their dreams while supporting the communities that mattered to them. They offered designs that forged paths forward through the unknown. Through their diverse backgrounds, they showcased the direction of growth for the industry. As these students step into the world of experiential design, their dedication to community will lead them to branching success and greater impact within the industry.
“You have demonstrated what it means to push design boundaries and create meaningful experiences. You have learned how to tell powerful stories and evoke emotions that can truly make a difference in our lives and communities. So, you can now see that you have the opportunity to shape how people experience the world around them and how they connect with one another,” said Christina Lyons, chairperson and professor of the FIT Graduate Exhibition and Experience Design Department.
As we consider the changing guard, we must look to the generation who are asking people not just to see but to see beyond, to listen thoroughly, and to ask questions that may have been kept silent before. The future of design is in excellent hands, of those who are ready to shape the world into what they believe in. In an industry where “what if” drives innovation and progress, the future generation is here, and they are going to bloom.
To the student, new employee, individual who is just beginning their career, unsure that there is a place for you here, do not fear. Kellyn Nettles said it best when she quoted poet June Jordan in her presentation, we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
This story originally appeared as a truncated version in the Q1 2025 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 28. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/ecn_q1_2025/28.
