Second Buff State x New Era Design-a-Thon facilitates applied learning, networking, and interdisciplinary collaboration

Video by Ken Giangreco and John Myers, Buffalo State Marketing and Communications.

Buffalo State fashion and textile technology and graphic design students took part in Design-a-Thon 2025, hosted by Buffalo State and New Era Cap, which tasks participants with creating an avant-garde piece of art from New Era Cap sample products. 

The challenge provides an immersive creative experience, prompting valuable skill-building and networking. Each member of the winning team is awarded a cash prize, New Era Cap goody bags, and, most significantly, a paid summer internship with New Era Cap. 

Through opportunities created at last year's inaugural Design-a-Thon, multiple Buffalo State students landed full-time and freelance roles with New Era Cap.

“We established this relationship between Buff State and New Era for two reasons,” said Jennie Jonmaire, director of human resources for New Era Cap. “We employ close to 400 people right in Buffalo, so we wanted to really expose them to our brand. Secondarily, we wanted to build a talent pipeline, and where better a place to start build that talent pipeline than right here at Buff State?” 

Students are divided into teams during a Friday night opening party and then, on Saturday, spend the day in Buffalo State’s Technology Building, creating pieces that are not only visually appealing but also have a story and selling points. On Sunday, participants return to put on finishing touches and present to the judges’ panel, which selects the winners. 

This year’s event embraced two notable changes: the inclusion of graphic design students and the incorporation of the Art and Design Department’s Tech Hub, a multiuse classroom/research lab that offers interdisciplinary digital fabrication services.

“It was just a perfect fit, bringing on graphic design and the Art and Design Department,” said fashion and textile technology lecturer Erin Habes. “[We can] bring even more students into New Era and fulfill jobs.” 

“We’re able to offer our students not just the introduction these skills and the opportunity to develop them,” said Shasti O'Leary-Soudant, assistant professor of art and design, “but also the opportunity to learn about how you engage in commerce being a creative professional.”

The winning mannequin, entitled “The Foundation,” was created by fashion design students Julia Erbacher, Frank Giammarinaro, Zoi Mastoras, and graphic design student Nicholas Daniels, and will be displayed at Bengala, the university’s annual scholarship foundation gala. Their collaborative sculpture, made entirely from New Era caps and apparel, honors the brand’s four major licensed partners—MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL. The team said their design celebrates not just sports, but also legacy, creativity, and future vision.

The rest of the mannequins will be displayed at Runway, the Fashion and Textile Technology Department’s annual student-run fashion show. Following the conclusion of these events, all designs will be available for viewing in New Era Cap’s retail store for approximately six months.

“With New Era being right down the street from us, it’s really nice to know that there is opportunity here,” said Lillian Skubis, a fashion apparel and design major. “It’s really cool to meet people.” 

“It gets us a little intro into what we’ll be doing after we graduate,” added fellow fashion apparel and design student Venasia Beckford, “and [lets us] get into the real world.” 

Photos by Alexander Harold, '19, Creative Connect; courtesy of New Era Cap.