RIT School of Individualized Study

We are excited to welcome Julia Freeland Fisher, our 2025 School of Individualized Study (SOIS) Napier Fellowship Speaker, to RIT for a thought-provoking discussion on how social capital shapes student success and how AI could help—or hinder—human connection. Julia Freeland Fisher, Director of Education Research at the Clayton Christensen Institute and author of Who You Know: Unlocking Innovations that Expand Students’ Networks, will deliver a keynote on "Social Connection in the Age of AI" on Tuesday, April 1 at 2:00 PM at The Wegmans Theater in Magic Spell Studios. This event will feature a keynote presentation, a fireside chat with SOIS Dean James C. Hall, and an interactive audience Q&A. Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gyvjDDBt Event contact: Meg Walbaum

Congratulations to all 2024-25 SOIS Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar Award Recipients: Sarah Appel, Kylie Aquaro, Mary Beth Rawlins, Maya Sapozhnikov, Alba Cikaqi, Erinda Elezaj, and Hana Kaja. ??

Our very own SOIS student, Katherine Hollembaek, had the incredible opportunity to interview Rochester Institute of Technology's next president, Bill Sanders, as part of Reporter Magazine’s recent sit-down on March 3. This conversation was one of many during Sanders’ recent visit to campus as he prepares to enter his new role as RIT president on July 1. We love seeing SOIS students at the forefront of meaningful conversations —way to go, Kath! #RIT #HigherEd #RITNews

?“Through the?Rochester Institute of Technology's [School of Individualized Study], I’ve been able to merge my love for technology with life sciences, creating a tailored major that aligns with both interests,” said 2024 Napier Fellow, Emmanuel Boakye, whose concentration is in Software Engineering and Neuroscience. Over the summer, Emmanuel used his entrepreneurial skills when he joined the team that developed OnCall, a startup that connects nurses with available shifts. Reflecting on his Napier Fellowship, he says, “The experience helped me refine my personal brand, build a network of like-minded individuals within the college, and enhance my communication skills.” We’re so excited to see what the future holds for Emmanuel and his Napier Fellowship cohort! ??

“Every single person I have met in this program thus far has welcomed me with open arms and made me feel both welcomed and wanted,” reflected Kayden Miller, one of our 2024 Napier Fellows, on his SOIS experience. Wanting to combine his major of Management Information Systems with Audio Engineering, Kayden went to SOIS to make it happen. With the SOIS Music Connection, an affinity group specializing in music careers, he found resources and a community that supported his interests. Kayden attended the Napier Experience on November 1st, which he describes as a “life-altering opportunity.” At this networking and career development event, Kayden learned about the importance of making connections and keeping them, something that he has taken to heart. We’re so proud of Kayden and our other Napier fellows this year! Stay tuned for more student profiles.

I would like to take a moment to reflect on one of the most incredible experiences that I have been blessed to be a part of. I am so gratefully anouncing that I was a recipient of the 2024 Napier Fellow Award and Scholarship. The Napier Experience was a full day of learning, making connections, and building upon both our professional and personal brands. It became evident that Partners + Napier are true pioneers and leaders within their industry. Having the opportunity to tour their inspiring office space and learn about their values and company story was truly enlightening. What stood out most to me was the chance to apply these invaluable lessons to our own journeys and personal brands. This experience has given me an abundance of long-term life and career value. I want to extend a profound thank you to Sharon Napier, everyone at Partners + Napier, Meg Walbaum, James C. Hall, and the RIT School of Individualized Study for making this remarkable opportunity possible. I am incredibly proud to say I am a Napier Fellow for life. I am forever grateful for this opportunity and will continue to strive to LEAVE A MARK while encouraging others to do the same.

Join us in celebrating our sixth annual Napier Fellows Gathering at Partners + Napier in Rochester, NY.???The RIT School of Individualized Study has taken intentional steps to build into its curricular and advising structure important emergent work on the relationship between tangible social mobility and students’ abilities to shape high quality and sustaining career networks.??(Thank you Julia Freeland Fisher and the Clayton Christensen Institute for research and bibliographic support!).?The Napier Fellows program brings twenty diverse students each year to a professional work setting and provides instruction and testimony as to the long-term career and life value of nurturing professional and personal networks.??With the generosity and care of staff at Partners+Napier, students have the chance to explore professional storytelling and communication, networking, personal branding, managing social media presence, requesting advice and counsel, interviewing and letter writing techniques – all with an eye to helping students learn to curate and sustain networks and not to simply assume they will happen naturally, or that all networks are equal in impact. ? We are amazed at and deeply appreciative for the kinds of care that Partners+Napier staff bring to our visit.??It’s inspiring to be able to engage with a diverse group of professionals about the care they bring to their work, their deep love of collaboration and problem solving, and to see their rich willingness to share learning with young people plausibly outside their specific professional domain.???Many, many thanks to Sharon Napier and Partners+Napier for their generosity, leadership, and care.???Thanks too to Julia Sibley and Meg Walbaum for all their logistic efforts and careful cultivation of our program. ? Our work will continue in the spring semester with the announcement of a Napier Lecturer following upon the superb advice and counsel provided to our community by Peter Felten of Elon University.??The lecture will assist and build our efforts to promote and raise awareness of this work amongst the whole of our campus community. ? We would love to see this model duplicate itself at other campuses and would be happy to share our learning from the past half dozen years.???Please feel free to reach out. #RIT #SocialCapital #HigherEdInnovation #RITSchoolOfIndividualizedStudy

? Join us in celebrating the 6th Cohort of RIT School of Individualized Study Napier Fellows! This year’s Napier Experience brought together 20 exceptional SOIS students for a full day of learning, connecting, and expanding their professional repertoire. As the 6th cohort of fellows, they join an impressive and growing community of Napier Experience alumni, and we can't wait to see how they shape the future with their collective ingenuity, leadership, and creativity. With guidance from industry leaders at Partners + Napier these fellows explored the themes of professional growth and the power of owning their unique stories to fuel their personal brands. A heartfelt thank you to?Sharon Napier, RIT Trustee, alumna, and founder of Partners + Napier, for making this experience possible and inspiring future generations of SOIS students. Signature experiences like this make the School of Individualized Study what it is: an enriching environment where students can design degrees as imaginative as their dreams, supported by hands-on experiences, mentorship, and RIT’s pulse of innovation and community of entrepreneurial thinkers. ?? Take a look at some of the highlights from this year’s Napier Experience. We’re excited to see the impact this cohort will make!

Reflecting on my journey with the SOIS Music Connection program at RIT makes me incredibly grateful! Through this program, I had the chance to explore my passion for music, media, and marketing in a hands-on, creative environment alongside dedicated students and mentors. One standout inspiration has been Travis Rankin, a SOIS alum who launched The Rochester Music Lab to offer music lessons and community outreach. Travis’s story is a powerful reminder of the impact we can have when we share what we love. His vision—fueled by his rich experiences with music and encouragement from mentors—is inspiring proof of how music can shape lives, foster community, and open doors to lifelong connections. Learning from mentors like Travis and others who understand the transformative power of music has strengthened my commitment to using music to make a difference. I’m excited to take the skills and lessons from this experience and continue pushing forward in the industry, connecting with others, and creating meaningful work. Thank you to all who have been part of this incredible journey with the RIT School of Individualized Study Music Connection! #MusicIndustry #RIT #SOISMusicConnection #Marketing #Media

Rochester Institute of Technology grad and School of Individualized Study(SOIS) Alumni Travis Rankin turned his passion for music and teaching into The Rochester Music Lab, a space for music education and community outreach. “Many classes I took in SOIS challenged my thinking and helped me grow. I wrote a business plan as a class assignment for what would turn out to be Rochester Music Lab and the things we would do.” Now, his studio in East Rochester offers lessons, music camps, and community programs for all ages, creating a space where students can explore their creativity. Recently, Travis welcomed a group of current SOIS students to tour the studio and even invited them back to use the space for their projects. Read the full story: