Student
Student Spotlight: Jackie Kuo's' Life-Changing FIDM Journey
Jackie Kuo was born and raised in Paraguay where she attended the bilingual Liberty School of Education. “Something not a lot of people know about me is that I'm half-Taiwanese because of my father,” she said. “I love the fact that my upbringing was centered around both cultures, which are the total opposite.” Jackie had her sights set on FIDM early on, and is expected to graduate with a degree in Merchandising & Marketing in 2023. We caught up with her to learn more about her FIDM journey from Paraguay to Los Angeles.
How did you decide on FIDM? Right from the beginning, I knew FIDM was the perfect fit for me and ultimately the school of my dreams. I chose FIDM because the school operates distinctively, something that ended up being quite appealing to me. The one thing that made me fall head over heels for FIDM was the endless opportunities and resources the school offers. FIDM provides its students with all the tools to have a successful career. FIDM prepares you for the fashion industry, unlike other schools. Its courses are thoughtfully designed to propel you to greatness.
Any favorite FIDM memories so far? The whole FIDM journey has been amazing and life-changing. For me this was a major transition that involved moving overseas, something very exciting but at the same time quite daunting. I have the pleasure to say that this experience has taught me so much! It's almost one year since I've come here, and I feel like a totally different person thanks to FIDM, which has granted me a safe space to develop creatively and professionally. Moreover, because of FIDM I met the most incredible and inspiring folks that became my best friends.
What is a class project or favorite lesson you've learned at FIDM? To constantly challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone, something that's easy to say but hard to put into action. Another valuable lesson I've gleaned is to be open to learning about anything and everything. In order to be successful in the fashion industry it is crucial to be well-rounded in other topics such as art, science, technology, and more. Inspiration can come from those places too!
What are your career goals? When I started my journey at FIDM I thought I wanted to do something within the marketing realm. After taking a couple of classes I realized I preferred everything that was related to the retail/logistics side of fashion. In order to narrow down what I want to do within the fashion industry, I plan to start doing some internships this summer. So who knows where fashion will end up leading me! But the one thing I'm sure without any doubt is that I want fashion to take me around the globe. I want to travel as much as I can with my future job because I love and enjoy immersing and learning about other cultures.
Categories: Merchandising & Marketing International Student
