Alumni

Online Learning Grad is Marketing Specialist at Mercedes-Benz

Amber Addington earned her Digital Media degree from FIDM on the LA campus, then continued with FIDM's online learning program with her Bachelor’s of Business Management degree. She graduated in 2013 and is now a Marketing Specialist for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services in Atlanta, Georgia, where she acts as a brand liaison for MBFS and MBUSA. She said the best part of her online learning experience at FIDM was the relationships she built with classmates as they worked together in study groups. We caught up with her to find out more about her career and FIDM experience.

Tell us a little about yourself: I started in the Digital Media program at FIDM Los Angeles in 2011. Originally, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, my move to Los Angeles was frowned upon by most, but I knew I could handle whatever came my way. I was embraced with loving arms the second I moved into housing at FIDM. I loved every second at FIDM, and made a tough decision to move to Florida the summer of 2013 after I completed my Associates program. I have since then moved to Atlanta, Georgia, which launched my career in the luxury automotive industry. I am inventive and creative, determined and passionate. 
 
Tell us about your role as a Marketing Specialist at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services: My role at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services is one of a kind. I sit in the MBUSA headquarters office in Atlanta, Georgia and act as a brand liaison for MBFS and MBUSA. I am involved in a broad range of topics, mainly marketing focused, but also dealer driven. The automotive industry is a fast-paced environment that is always evolving. One day you’re buying cars in a dealership, and the next you are buying online. At the end of the day, I make sure both companies are aligned on topics and act as the communication funnel between the two groups. 
 
Why did you choose FIDM? I fell in love with FIDM the moment I stepped into their booth in Detroit, Michigan. Everything about it felt right for me. I have always had a passion for graphic design and digital media and I knew that FIDM was going to challenge me, push me, and prepare me to be the best in any industry.
 
How do you feel FIDM prepared you for what you are doing now? In each of my roles over the past six years the customer has been differently defined, however FIDM taught me how to work with different teams and how to keep focus on what it is you are trying to achieve. FIDM not only provided me with teachers, but mentors. FIDM taught me to stand out. How to network with people, who then became good friends. How to push past all the boundaries that I had set up for myself and how to dig just a little deeper.
 
What went into your decision to enroll in FIDM's eLearning program: Making the decision to enroll in the eLearning program wasn’t an easy one. I made the decision to move from California to Florida and knew that I couldn’t stop what I had started at FIDM. I was ready to take a deep dive into a career field and felt that an online program would be my best option.
 
Tell us about your online learning experience -- what was the best part? The best part of eLearning was the relationships I had built online. A few classmates’ names I had recognized from other on campus events started to pop-up in my online classes and we formed a study group and would call each other often to talk through the lesson plans. I was able to work while still attending online classes, which taught me a lot about time management and prioritizing. It wasn’t easy but it taught me so much. In my career now I have to do lesson plans and take courses online, and if I never had the FIDM opportunity like I did, I’d say this time would be a lot more challenging. 
 
Any advice for current FIDM Students who are experiencing online classes for the first time? Focus. Focus as much as you can on your classes and take the time you’ve been given to prioritize your goals. My second piece of advice would be to keep the communication lines open. If you used to look forward to meeting your friend on the steps at 12:00 every day, then call your friend at 12:00 every day. If you can, text or call your teachers, friends, and classmates. Don’t let the fear of the unknown scare you! You got this!
 
What is your biggest goal right now? My biggest goal right now is to learn something new. I carve out time for reading or watching online courses about self-improvement, marketing techniques, and small business start-ups. I want to come out of this stronger than ever and by doing that I want to exercise my brain. The time I’ve been given has not only allowed me to catch up on work, but to also start planning my business ideas for the future. 
 
Anything else you’d like to share? “Many times, the thought of fear itself is greater than what it is we fear.” ― Idowu Koyenikan, Wealth for All: Living a Life of Success at the Edge of Your Ability

FIDM has been offering eLearning courses and entire majors online for over 15 years. We’ve been able to build on that foundation to deliver a true FIDM experience for our students currently experiencing an online-only quarter. FIDM's holistic approach focuses on academics, research, student activities, and career planning. Please contact FIDM Admissions to apply.

Categories:  Business Management Digital Media Alumni