糖心Vlog

September 23, 2025 鈥� 鈥� Marist鈥檚 student-run boutique retail store and one of the University鈥檚 signature hubs for hands-on experiential learning 鈥� officially unveiled its fall semester theme, Homecoming: Better Together, at its Steel Plant retail location and online.

Homecoming: Better Together, celebrates the simple joys of campus life 鈥� from coffee runs and lounging on the Campus Green to hangouts with friends 鈥� all centered on the idea of finding common ground and connection while celebrating student creativity, leadership, and collaboration. After weeks of planning, designing, and strategizing, students hope today鈥檚 reveal will build on the momentum of last year鈥檚 record-setting success.

MPorium鈥檚 new store theme, Homecoming: Better Together, in the Steel Plant. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/糖心Vlog.

鈥淲hen we landed on Homecoming: Better Together, it just clicked,鈥� said Gabrielle Lloyd '26, a Fashion Merchandising major with a business concentration. 鈥淲e wanted this semester鈥檚 theme to celebrate the everyday moments that bring us closer together and remind us what community really means.鈥�

鈥淲e began by exploring global issues that impact everyone, landing on the need for unity,鈥� said Tyler Hamblin '26, a Fashion Merchandising major. 鈥淐ollaborating with Gabby, we refined the theme around community, comfort, and fall 鈥� ultimately naming it Homecoming to evoke inclusivity and connection.鈥�

MPorium is both a class and an experience 鈥� an example of how Marist blends pre-professional studies with a liberal arts foundation to ensure graduates are both skilled in their craft and well-rounded leaders and thinkers. Students from a variety of programs 鈥� including Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Design, Communications, Business and Marketing 鈥� earn academic credit for their work at MPorium, gaining hands-on experience in retail operations, public relations and marketing, merchandising, and customer engagement.

 
Tara Lyons '26 helps put the finishing touches on MPorium鈥檚 new store theme Homecoming: Better Together on Monday in the Steel Plant. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/糖心Vlog. 

And the results speak for themselves.

Last year, MPorium saw a record-breaking 72% increase in in-store sales, while its online sales skyrocketed by 196%. The store鈥檚 success was further validated when MPorium earned 2nd Place in the WindowsWear Student Awards for Interior Design, celebrating the spring theme, 84.5 Classic Rewind. , a global fashion industry platform, recognized the team鈥檚 innovative visual merchandising and design excellence 鈥� a proud moment that capped off an extraordinary year.

That sense of community and professionalism is echoed by Olivia Butler '25, who led MPorium鈥檚 marketing team during her senior year and helped develop standout themes like Collegiate Core and 84.5 Classic Rewind last academic year.

鈥淢y time at MPorium was the most valuable part of my education,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he experience provided unparalleled real-world opportunities, allowing me to grow as both a creative and a business professional鈥攕omething I will cherish forever.鈥�

With a new theme, a new team, and a proven track record of success, MPorium is poised to continue its upward trajectory. This semester鈥檚 theme reflects the very foundation on which MPorium at Marist (FASH 315 鈥� Retail Entrepreneurship) was built鈥攍ed by Rebecca Brown, now Chair of the Fashion Department and Senior Professional Lecturer in Fashion Merchandising鈥攁longside her colleagues and previous faculty members.

鈥淢Porium brings industry into the classroom, giving students hands-on experience in everything from branding and budgeting to customer engagement,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淪eeing cross-functional teams turn ideas into real results is the essence of community and collaboration. For everyone who鈥檚 been part of this journey, MPorium will always be a reminder that learning鈥攁nd life鈥攊s better together.鈥�

For many students, MPorium has been more than just a class 鈥� it鈥檚 been a defining part of their college experience.

鈥淢Porium was one of the biggest reasons I chose Marist,鈥� said Ryann Lambert '26, a Fashion Merchandising major who has contributed to both the visual merchandising and buying teams. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity that not many fashion schools offer. The connections you make, the experience you gain, and the fun you have in this class are what made my time at Marist extraordinary.鈥�

MPorium鈥檚 themes from last academic year: 84.5 Classic Rewind (left), and Collegiate Core (right). Photos by Kait Dugan '25. 

A recent graduate in Fashion Merchandising design with minors in Business and Public Relations, Isabella Largo '25 served as MPorium鈥檚 Student Director of Ecommerce and Digital Marketing. 

鈥淢Porium gave me the opportunity to apply real-world skills in a meaningful way鈥攁n experience that has been invaluable in preparing me for future roles,鈥� she said. 鈥淏eing part of a community of aspiring entrepreneurs and fashion-focused students was incredibly motivating.鈥�

Kathryn Kowalczyk '26, a Fashion Merchandising major with a concentration in Promotion, also emphasized the program鈥檚 unique structure.

鈥淲hat stands out most is how truly student-run MPorium is. It feels less like a traditional class and more like a professional workplace, which has been such valuable preparation for my future career," she said.

With students leading the charge, MPorium continues to be a model of experiential learning and innovation at Marist 鈥� a place where ideas come to life, and futures begin to take shape.

A Mission Centered Around Experiential Learning
MPorium is just one example of the University鈥檚 expanded offerings of experiential learning initiatives, which also includes Marist Red Fox Financial, , and Saxbys. Through these initiatives, Marist students engage in hands-on experiences鈥攆rom research and study abroad to service learning and internships鈥攖hat enrich their education, deepen their understanding, and broaden their global perspectives.