September 23, 2025 — MPorium — Marist’s student-run boutique retail store and one of the University’s signature hubs for hands-on experiential learning — 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 — from coffee runs and lounging on the Campus Green to hangouts with friends — 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’s reveal will build on the momentum of last year’s record-setting success.

MPorium’s new store theme, Homecoming: Better Together, in the Steel Plant. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University.

“When we landed on Homecoming: Better Together, it just clicked,” said Gabrielle Lloyd '26, a Fashion Merchandising major with a business concentration. “We wanted this semester’s theme to celebrate the everyday moments that bring us closer together and remind us what community really means.”

“We began by exploring global issues that impact everyone, landing on the need for unity,” said Tyler Hamblin '26, a Fashion Merchandising major. “Collaborating with Gabby, we refined the theme around community, comfort, and fall — ultimately naming it Homecoming to evoke inclusivity and connection.”

MPorium is both a class and an experience — 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 — including Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Design, Communications, Business and Marketing — 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’s new store theme Homecoming: Better Together on Monday in the Steel Plant. Photo by Nelson Echeverria/Marist University. 

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’s 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. WindowsWear, a global fashion industry platform, recognized the team’s innovative visual merchandising and design excellence — a proud moment that capped off an extraordinary year.

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

“My time at MPorium was the most valuable part of my education,” she said. “The experience provided unparalleled real-world opportunities, allowing me to grow as both a creative and a business professional—something I will cherish forever.”

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

“MPorium brings industry into the classroom, giving students hands-on experience in everything from branding and budgeting to customer engagement,” Brown said. “Seeing cross-functional teams turn ideas into real results is the essence of community and collaboration. For everyone who’s been part of this journey, MPorium will always be a reminder that learning—and life—is better together.”

For many students, MPorium has been more than just a class — it’s been a defining part of their college experience.

“MPorium was one of the biggest reasons I chose Marist,” said Ryann Lambert '26, a Fashion Merchandising major who has contributed to both the visual merchandising and buying teams. “It’s 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.”

MPorium’s 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’s Student Director of Ecommerce and Digital Marketing. 

“MPorium gave me the opportunity to apply real-world skills in a meaningful way—an experience that has been invaluable in preparing me for future roles,” she said. “Being part of a community of aspiring entrepreneurs and fashion-focused students was incredibly motivating.”

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

“What 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 — 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’s expanded offerings of experiential learning initiatives, which also includes Marist Red Fox Financial, Marist Poll, and Saxbys. Through these initiatives, Marist students engage in hands-on experiences—from research and study abroad to service learning and internships—that enrich their education, deepen their understanding, and broaden their global perspectives.