The College of Visual and Performing Arts will present its 2011 New York City gala honoring renowned actress and recording artist Vanessa Williams ’85 on Thursday, May 19, at 6 p.m. at JPMorgan Chase, One Chase Manhattan Plaza, 60th floor.

Williams, an alumna of the Department of Drama, will receive the college’s 2011 Icon of Style Award. The event will also honor JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Administrative Officer Frank Bisignano, who will receive the college’s Dean’s Award of Distinction. Special guests for the evening are SU men’s basketball and Hall of Fame coach Jim and Juli Boeheim.

The gala includes a 6 p.m. reception and 7 p.m. fashion show at One Chase Manhattan Plaza featuring the top collections from fashion design seniors in the Department of Design followed by an 8:30 p.m. benefit dinner for the college at the Vault at Bobby Van’s Steakhouse, 25 Broad St.

Williams and Bisignano will receive their awards at the fashion show and be honored guests at the benefit dinner. Juli Boeheim, who is known for her elegant sense of style as well as dedication to the Central New York community through the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation and other charitable organizations, will co-present the Icon of Style Award to Williams with VPA Dean Ann Clarke. The Boeheims will also be special guests at the benefit dinner; Jim Boeheim will give remarks.

Tickets and sponsorship
Tickets are $500 for all gala events, which includes prime seating at the fashion show and benefit dinner; $95 for general admission to the reception and fashion show only; and $44 for general admission to the reception and fashion show only for SU alumni who graduated from ’02-’11. Tickets may be purchased online at invite.syr.edu/vpafashionshow, by mail via our ticket order form (download PDF), or by contacting Cynthia Jones at (315) 443-7095. Seating is limited.

For sponsorship information, contact Jeffry Comanici at (315) 443-9727 or jjcomani@syr.edu. Sponsorship information is also included on our ticket order form (download PDF).

Awards and honorees
The Icon of Style Award honors SU alumni who are bold, innovative and visionary in the world of fashion. Read more about this award and Vanessa Williams.

The Dean’s Award of Distinction is presented to individuals who, in their careers and service to the college and community, exhibit the values expressed in the mission and vision of VPA. Read more about Frank Bisignano.

Fashion show
VPA held its first New York City fashion show in 2008 to showcase the high quality of design and craftsmanship created at SU to designers and the media in New York. The designs featured in this year's show have been selected by a jury of both fashion and retail industry professionals and VPA faculty and staff.

The following fashion designers from the Class of 2011 have been selected to show their work at the 2011 gala: Morgan Julia Bisignano, Marteal Boniello, Sara Louise Coccioletti, Torrey Hancock, Syreeta Chantal Herbert, LaTimberly Simone Johnson, Leilani Maldonado, Andrea McInnes, Hannah Slocum, Dayna Shay Teitelbaum, Naomi S. Tilewick, and Jocelyn Trotta.