In the past, consumers would purchase products whenever and wherever they had access. In contrast, today's retailers must go above and beyond to create a visual and memorable experience for the consumer. To take on this industry challenge, students enrolled in the TMFD 314: Textiles and Apparel Merchandising and Promotion course utilized the principles and elements of design to draw in the consumer, promote the product, and provide a memorable experience.

Just like every superhero (and villain) has an origin story, every person with a chronic illness has a diagnosis tale. Sometimes they are long, painful, and wrought with missteps before the final verdict. Sometimes they are abrupt and definitive. I fall into the second category of my grossly over-generalized scale. I had a weird symptom, saw my general practitioner, was sent to a neurologist, had an MRI, and then I had Multiple Sclerosis.

Artist Sheila Talblitzer's work explores the hurdles she has encountered in reconciling her diagnosis through the art of quiltmaking, embroidery, and photography.