ITAA . . . That stands for International Textile and Apparel Association, an amazing organization comprised of college educators who focus on everything fiber, fashion and design related. These are professors and graduate students who have a passion for texture, weave and drape, history and more . . . and are committed to sharing their knowledge with others. Nearly 400 of ITAA members convened in Seattle . . . and PiPN was there.

We chose to set up our table in the Career & Recruitment area, which turned out to be the perfect spot. By the end of the session, we had talked with educators from schools such as University of Alabama, Stephens College, Wayne State University, SUNY, Savannah College of Art & Design, the Art Institute of San Francisco, the Art Institute of Denver at Colorado State University, Seattle Pacific University, Kansas State University, Lasell College, Oklahoma State University, Kent State University and Ohio University. Everyone wanted to know how their students could get involved.

Because of the changes in the PiPN format this year . . . the addition of the two new routes (internship only and apprenticeship only), more schools are getting involved, enabling more students to access the opportunities.

In the meantime, we’re still adding new hosts to our list and will be posting a more complete list soon. Check back, or contact me at bdirect@columbus.rr.com.