FIDM.....FIDM DEBUT 2014 Open House and Alumni Panel Discussion: RECAP

Nick Verreos--FIDM March 2014 Open House, Grand Hope Park FIDM L.A. Campus

This past week was FIDM DEBUT WEEK for the FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, my Alma Mater. As the Spokesperson for FIDM, I had the honor on Thursday to host and MC one the first events surrounding this fabulous DEBUT week: the FIDM L.A. March 2014 Open House and more importantly, the Open House Alumni Panel Discussion. Open House is a uniquely FIDM event where anyone interested in fashion design, graphic design, interior design, visual communications or any of the other majors offered by FIDM, can see for themselves what it's like to be a student, take a tour of the campus, check out the classrooms, library, meet faculty, alumni and much, much more.

A Full House: The "Open House" tent at Grand Hope Park in the FIDM campus was PACKED! Right as I came out to begin my hosting duties, I had to take several pics of the crowd! I have hosted many FIDM Open House's but this one was probably the BIGGEST turnout! Imagine walking out onto a stage and seeing a SEA of hundreds and hundreds of people....and somehow having to get their attention! Well, I tried with some fun pre-Alumni Panel Discussion "entertainment":

Welcome Everyone!!! Nick Verreos MC's the FIDM March 2014 Open House, Grand Hope Park FIDM L.A. Campus

Good Hair: I mingled with attendees and spotted one particular guest who had some FAB hair and naturally I had to make him stand up (yes, in front of 500 people!) to highlight his great pseudo 'fro! He was a good sport as I got all touchey-feely with his hair as you can see from the photo above.

Next was my Nick Open House Catwalk "Blessing":

Open House Supermodel: It's become a bit of a tradition (or at least I am now making it one!), to begin the FIDM Open house with a Runway Walk, only because...

A) I like to do a runway walks and,

B) when you have this long, long "runway" already there, well, what else am I going to do?? LOL!

Dad Catwalk Contest: It's also become an Open House tradition for me to bring some of the attendees up to do an impromptu "Catwalk Contest". Usually I'll get some of the "younger" guests, but sometimes, I feel "cheeky" and get the parents. This time, I chose seven DAD'S--yes, the DAD's!--in the audience and they all did GREAT! Super Great in fact. The crowd went KRAZEE and their sons and daughters in attendance (and their wives or girlfriends) LOVED it! Take a look at some of the Dad's on the Open House "runway":

You Better Work: Dad's on the FIDM Open House "runway"--FIDM March 2014 Open House Catwalk Contest, Grand Hope Park FIDM L.A. Campus

Alumni Panel
Hosting: Nick Verreos with (L to R) Natasha Endrei, Erica Williams and
Jonathan Gitlin--FIDM March 2014 Open House, Grand Hope Park FIDM L.A.
Campus

Following the "Dad Catwalk Contest" (and my other Open House shenanigans), I got to my main duties: to moderate the FIDM Open House Alumni Panel Discussion. My guests were two FIDM graduates and one current student: Natasha Endrei who works for ModCloth, Jonathan Gitlin, who is Creative Director as well as director of Gaming, TV and New Media at Create Advertising Group, and Erica Williams
who was just accepted into FIDM's Advanced Study Program in Theater
Costume Design.

Moderator Nick: This "Alumni Panel Discussion" is always an enlightening way for attendees--both
the students thinking about coming to FIDM and their parents--to get a
feel of what it's like to attend FIDM, get some "Insider Dish" on how to
get the most out of all that FIDM offers and hear from graduates who
are working in the industry.

Afterward, it was Photo-Op/Meet & Greet Time: