Thousands of students, alumni, their families, and others have already registered to attend at least one of dozens of events Oct. 17-19 during Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend. Some events, such as the popular New York Dueling Pianos and Mt. Hope Cemetery historical tours, have reached capacity. But others, such as the Build-A-Tiger workshop, have added supplies to accommodate more participants due to higher-than-expected demand. Tickets are available for most events, including Emmy-winning animation veteran Dan Povenmire, co-creator and executive producer of Disney’s Phineas and Ferb, who will be this year’s Student Government speaker. He provides the voice of the evil Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz on the animated series and has amassed more than 7 million followers on Tik Tok and Instagram. He is also creator and executive producer of Disney’s original animated superhero series Hamster & Gretel. ‌ Provided Dan Povenmire, left, co-creator and executive producer of Phineas and Ferb, is this year’s Student Government speaker Oct. 18 during Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend. Comic Craig Robinson, from ‘The Office,’ takes the stage on Oct. 17. With more than 25 years of experience in directing, storyboarding and writing, Povenmire has worked on multiple critically acclaimed animated series including Family Guy, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Simpsons, Rocko's Modern Life, and Hey Arnold! His talk is scheduled for the afternoon of Oct. 18 in the Gordon Field House and Activities Center. Comedian, actor, and musician Craig Robinson is scheduled for Oct. 17 in the Gordon Field House. Currently executive producer and star of Peacock’s Killing It, he’s best known for his portrayal of Darryl Philbin in The Office. Men’s hockey vs. Clarkson University is scheduled Oct. 18 at Blue Cross Arena, and two free women’s hockey games vs. St. Lawrence University are planned in the Gene Polisseni Center. A new clear bag, no backpack policy is now in force to enter the Polisseni Center during hockey games. “From comedian Craig Robinson to Emmy-winner Dan Povenmire, hockey, and family-friendly events, this year’s Brick City Weekend offers something for everyone,” said Lisa Stein, executive director for events and conferences at RIT. “It’s a fun and vibrant celebration that brings together the entire RIT community of alumni, students, faculty, staff, and families alike.” On Friday, visitors are invited to the University Gallery’s Vignelli Center for a conversation and gallery tour with artist Keisha Scarville, ’98, and student curator Chinenye Ozowalu, a fourth-year photographic and imaging arts major, into the making of Call and Response, a photo  exhibit that explores memory, identity, and transformation through the layers of body, time, and landscape. The exhibit is on view through May 2026 in the RIT Photo Alum Gallery on the first floor of Wallace Library. Golden Circle events are planned, including a light breakfast, a tour of the SHED, VIP parking, and golf cart shuttles, for returning alumni from 1975 or earlier. Visitors are urged to sign up for text alerts for important announcements that may be issued that weekend. Text “BrickCity” to 888777 to receive updates. Reservations and tickets for all events are available from the Brick City website.

Four RIT alumni and former student-athletes have turned locker-room bonds and an entrepreneurial drive into a growing company. Their venture, MULUS, began with a simple question: what if a bag could be tough enough for athletic pursuits, yet versatile enough for daily life? For founder Christopher Cherami ’11 (graphic design), the idea was struck during a family trip to the Jersey Shore. His sisters-in-law each carried a different style of bag—one a stiff rubber tote, the other a soft neoprene backpack. “I wouldn’t use either,” he recalled, “but if those two were combined, I knew I would.” After weeks of agonizing, his wife urged him to stop talking and start building, and before long Cherami was sketching prototypes and collaborating with fellow RIT lacrosse alumnus A.J. Tingle ’12 (industrial design) to shape the first MULUS model. ‌ Provided MULUS co-founders, from left, Christopher Cherami, Colin Jesien, and Jerry Ragonese during a jiu-jitsu training session, jokingly called their “karate weekends.” The venture quickly became a team effort as Cherami, a former men’s lacrosse player at RIT, brought in three Tigers alumni: fellow lacrosse alumni COO Colin Jesien ’06 (packaging science) and CMO Jerry Ragonese ’10 (photographic and imaging arts), as well as former RIT wrestler CFO Zach Greenberg ’06 (finance). Their approach to running MULUS is based on honest feedback and the trust that each teammate will carry their share of the load. “We’re always talking,” Greenberg said. “It might be a late-night group chat or a quick call between work meetings, but we’re constantly bouncing ideas around.” Their bond extends well beyond the company. The four still make time for traditions that grew out of their athletic roots, like their tongue-in-cheek “karate weekends,” when they meet up for jiu-jitsu training. Jesien likes to joke about how much fun it is to tell people he has a “karate weekend” planned, even if the workout is grueling. They also find ways to weave family and friendship together, whether it was through alumni lacrosse games, spontaneous road trips, or dinners with spouses and kids. Greenberg and Jesien are close, as Greenberg married into Jesien’s extended family. Behind the fun is serious progress. Each founder splits time between full-time careers and building MULUS. Greenberg is a product manager at Bloomberg, Jesien is the Director of Continuous Improvement at DYMA Brands, Ragonese wrapped up a successful professional lacrosse career and is the co-founder of the Face Off Academy and Pro Athletics, where Cherami spent over 13 years as a director and graphic designer. Cherami also works in franchising expansion and development for a private firm. The MULUS bag combines the structure of a rugged tote with the flexibility of a soft backpack, designed to carry everything from athletic gear to cameras and everyday essentials. Greenberg highlighted what makes the bag unique, noting that the design gives him confidence whether he’s carrying jiu-jitsu gear, hiking equipment, or camera gear worth thousands of dollars. “It’s different enough that it could be something people notice,” Greenberg said. “The style and components set it apart from other backpacks on the market.” Ragonese also described the brand’s personality in more playful terms. “The bag is that charismatic friend you can’t quite pin down,” he said. “One day he’s sailing in the Amalfi Coast, the next he’s at a networking event shaking hands and making everyone feel like they’ve known him for years. It’s just as useful for an athlete carrying gear as it is for a parent juggling diapers, snacks, and a good book.” Early runs of the bag were produced overseas, requiring careful planning around shipping costs and delivery schedules. Their collective goal was to build a durable product but keep it affordable for the market they wanted to reach. The unpredictability of that supply chain showed itself right away. One of the company’s earliest shipments was delayed for weeks after a major bridge accident in Baltimore shut down a critical shipping lane. The founders joke about it now, but at the time it was a true lesson of patience and perseverance. “We had this whole plan mapped out, and then suddenly everything was sitting on the water,” Jesien said. “It was a crash course in how little control you really have once a product leaves your hands.” MULUS gained traction last summer with a mention in Esquire and has continued to build word-of-mouth among athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. Cherami said the team is exploring new designs beyond the original backpack, from fanny packs and weekenders to outdoor gear such as beach chairs, shoes, and sunglasses. For the founders, the goal is creating a brand with staying power amongst a crowded market.