Nancy Sheridan of Garden City, is the recipient of a Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching from the State University of New York. Sheridan, an assistant professor of Fashion Merchandising Management (FMM) at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City, received the award at FIT's commencement ceremonies at Radio City Music Hall on May 19.

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching is presented for extraordinary professional achievement. The primary criterion is teaching skill. However, scholarship, professional growth, and assistance to students are additional selection factors.

Professor Sheridan came to FIT in 2000 after a career in merchandising and product development for the Federated Merchandising Group and Ann Taylor Stores. Her industry experience enhances the courses she teaches at FIT and makes it possible for her to arrange field trips to major fashion companies. She also works with FIT's School of Graduate Studies and presented a seminar in 2007 on "Private Label and Profitability" for students pursuing a Master of Professional Degree (MPS) in Global Fashion Management, the only program of its kind in the U.S.

Professor Sheridan has taken a leadership role in curriculum development. She revised the International FMM curriculum for FIT's school in Florence to meet the needs of foreign students, resulting in a doubling of enrollment figures over the previous semester. She created and conducted a graduate-level course in Team Development and Negotiating Skills at the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. In 2008, Professor Sheridan was selected by FIT to teach a class in Retail Merchandising at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School. She is currently designing lectures and a curriculum in this subject for Wharton graduate students.

Her other contributions to FIT include serving as International Coordinator to work with faculty and advise students at FIT schools abroad. She is a member and past chair of the search committee for new faculty.

Professor Sheridan received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Maryland in 1984 and an MPS degree in Global Fashion Management from FIT in 2006.