Hometown: San Diego, California
Major: Fashion Merchandising
What was your educational experience before transferring to LIM?
I had studied Merchandise Marketing at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). During the pandemic, I unfortunately lost my retail job, so I relocated to a little beach town north of Cabo where I quarantined and tried to figure out my next move.
A FIDM professor of mine knew that the business of luxury, fashion, and retail were always my passion, so they recommended I look into LIM and its remote learning options. I signed up to meet with a counselor online and started furthering my education in the fall of 2020, through LIM鈥檚 online bachelor鈥檚 program in Fashion Merchandising.
What has your experience at LIM been like?
Once you get yourself involved, LIM is amazing at organically creating relationships that lead to more opportunities and experiences. Some of my favorite examples of this have been joining the Sustainability Club and Sustainability Task Force, being involved with the National Retail Federation, and participating in the Fashion Scholarship Fund. I鈥檝e also participated in some amazing extracurricular programs that revolve around my passions for DEI, sustainability, and environmental justice.
What is learning online like?
Flexible! Not being held to a fixed schedule means you get to set your own boundaries. I often find I say 鈥測es鈥 to more things than I should because I want to experience it all 鈥 but I wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way; I love what I鈥檓 doing. I miss having in-person chatter with my peers, but I鈥檝e developed strong relationships with faculty. I have met some great mentors, advisors, and friends for life.
How is LIM helping you work toward the next phase in your professional life?
Speaking with the mentors I have formed close relationships with has granted me access to some amazing career opportunities. Particularly, being a finalist in the 2022 National Retail Federation (NRF) Foundation Next Generation Scholarship competition has presented me with a path to ultimately fulfilling my career goals.
What advice would you share with other students enrolling at LIM?
Get involved in as many programs and opportunities as you can! This is where the real connections that will ultimately drive you come from.