Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), has been named a recipient of City & State magazine’s 2013 Above and Beyond Award. Dr. Brown, who is being honored in the Public Service category for her achievements as an educator and academic administrator, is celebrating her 15th year as president of FIT, a college of the State University of New York (SUNY) system.
Dr. Brown, along with 24 fellow recipients, will be honored at a gala on March 13. She will also be profiled in the March 11 issue of City & State and on its website.
City & State, which covers politics, policy, and the personalities of New York City and New York State government, established the Above and Beyond awards in 2011 to recognize public- and civic-minded women who have shown leadership in the areas of business, public service, journalism, nonprofits, and labor advocacy.
“These awards were created to not only recognize outstanding intellect, but reward a dedication to service in the public and civic space,” said Andrew Holt, a co-founder of the Above and Beyond awards and director of marketing at City & State. “We look forward to honoring the accomplishments of the 2013 honorees at our Above and Beyond gala.”
In addition to being a highly regarded educator and academic administrator, Dr. Brown is a strong advocate for public higher education. Appointed the first woman president of FIT in 1998, she previously held senior administrative posts at the City University of New York (CUNY), including acting president of Baruch College and vice chancellor of the university.
She also was professor of clinical psychology at the Graduate School and University Center of CUNY, where she is professor emerita. Dr. Brown served as a New York City deputy mayor for public and community affairs during the David Dinkins administration.
Dr. Brown earned her doctorate and master’s degrees in counseling psychology from New York University and her bachelor’s degree from Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY, where she served as a trustee from 1994 to 2000. She also received a certificate from the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University.
Dr. Brown serves on selected corporate boards and is active in numerous community, civic, and professional organizations. She has served on statewide commissions and task forces on the black family, child care, and domestic violence.
FIT is a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology, with a wide range of programs that are affordable and relevant to today’s rapidly changing industries. The college offers more than 45 majors leading to the AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees.
