Alumni
Online Learning Grad is a Brand Advocate at Lowes
Since graduating from FIDM with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 2016, which she pursued entirely online, Alison Baldwin has worked for Gap Inc. as an Associate Product Manager, as a Visual Merchandiser at Party City, and Bed Bath & Beyond, where she was an Assistant Buyer. She recently accepted a position as a Brand Advocate at Lowes. We caught up with Alison to learn more about her new job, studying at FIDM, and the advice she'd share with new online learning students.
Tell us a little about yourself: I recently moved to Charlotte, North Carolina with my boyfriend and our three cats. I enjoy hiking and have just signed up for my first 10K race.
What is your new position at Lowes like? As a Brand Advocate, I work with brands to create and execute their web strategy for Lowes.com. This ranges from working with SEO to partnering with core merchants to expand product lines. It is a job where I am working closely with many different teams and am able to bring together the diverse experience I have in retail. Some days I am using marketing skills, other days it is more merchant and sales experience, which has made it a very fun position.
Why did you choose FIDM? I felt that the programs had a focus on retail but provided a broad skill set that could be applied to many different categories.
How do you feel FIDM prepared you for what you are doing now? I really feel that I got such a great foundation at FIDM to start my career. The classes and instructors were up to date with the industry, business trends, and strategies, so once I had graduated and started my career I felt ready and capable to start building off that foundation.
What went into your decision to enroll in FIDM's online learning program? I had initially taken all classes with FIDM at the Los Angeles campus for my Associate of Arts degree in Merchandising & Marketing, but to allow more flexibility for working while being a full-time student, I started taking a couple of classes online. Then in 2015, I moved to New York City and finished my Bachelor’s degree completely online.
Tell us about your online learning experience: While taking online courses at FIDM, I was working as a Merchandising Manager at Banana Republic and my schedule was always changing with the business so it was really helpful to be able to have a flexible schedule for coursework.
Do you have any advice for current FIDM Students who are experiencing online classes for the first time? Organization is super important to help manage your time. Having all of your deadlines mapped out will help you see when you need to prioritize which projects and help you maintain sanity through the end of the quarter.
What is your biggest goal right now? Like I mentioned above, I signed up for a 10K and have been starting to train for it. I ran cross country in high school, but have not run much since then, so this has been a challenge!
Anything else you’d like to share? Good luck on your journey at FIDM. There will be days (and long nights) where you may want to pull your hair out, but it really will all be worth it! You will get out of FIDM what you put into it, so enjoy it while you are there and take advantage of as many opportunities as you can.
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 Merchandising & Marketing Alumni
