Student Behind the Scenes With Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival

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Katie Harris

Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival thrives on students’ creative projects, but what goes into putting the festival together? Katie Harris, fourth-year advertising and public relations major, found out this year as a co-op with Imagine RIT during spring quarter. As an active member of the RIT campus, Harris enjoyed learning about the student projects and believes students can do anything if they just put their minds to it.

Question: Where are you from?
Answer: I am from Castleton, N.Y.

Q: What brought you to RIT?
A: I applied because my brother went here and RIT was my safety choice. When the other choices did not work out, I enrolled here with plans to transfer after freshman year. Orientation week made it pretty hard to keep those plans. By the end of fall quarter I had already fallen in love with it and could not leave.

Q: What has been the best part about working behind the scenes for Imagine RIT?
A: I have visited and volunteered at the festival in the past, but I’ve never been this involved with it. I think the coolest part is reading all the proposals that come in and learning about everything students are doing on this campus. There is so much happening across campus that I would have never even known about. It is really incredible.

Q: How does this year compare to your first Imagine RIT?
A: My first Imagine RIT was freshman year and I didn’t really know much about it so I just went to my friends’ exhibits and didn’t explore too much. This year I will try to see as much as I can in my free time.

Q: What is exciting about this Imagine RIT?
A: This year at 9 a.m. is President Destler’s E-Dragster Race, where Dr. Destler will race against 14 teams who have built electric vehicles. This will be a great kickoff to the festival. We also have a new scavenger hunt style mobile application called Tiger Trail where visitors can use their smart phones to earn points towards awesome prizes.

Q: Will you be working during the festival?
A: I am the captain of “visitor engagement,” which means that I am in charge of all the game tables that will be promoting Tiger Trail as well as Imagine Your Future, a board game for younger kids.

Q: What are your plans for after graduation?
A: I do not exactly have any plans yet, but I am hoping to work in the Rochester area for a year and then move to Spain for a year or two.

Q: What is something about you that most people do not know about you?
A: I once won the high jump at a high school track meet—I was about 4’11” at the time, it is proof that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.

Q: What other activities are you a part of?
A: I have worked for New Student Orientation, Undergraduate Admissions, and as a peer mentor for the Department of Communication. I also work on the weekends at Victoria’s Secret.

Q: Any advice you would give to other RIT students?
A: If you ever feel like you are bored at RIT, you just have not looked hard enough. There is always something to do, and in the four—or five—years you are here you will never have enough time to do it all. Take advantage of all this campus has to offer.

Brittany Remington compiles “Student Spotlights” for University News. Contact her at bjr8272@rit.edu with suggestions.