Student
Just Accepted Student Ava Milne Eager To Start in Fall 2019
Newport Beach native, Ava Milne just got accepted to FIDM to study Merchandising & Marketing in Fall 2019. Her interests include competition cheer, fashion, traveling, and volunteer work with special needs children. Her goal is to become a buyer and open her own store in the future.
Admissions Advisor: Susan Pope
Tell us a bit about yourself? When I was a little girl, if ever I was consistently defiant my mom took away all my pink clothes, because she knew the devastation it would cause me and she knew I would straighten up my act. That memory always makes me laugh, but it also says a lot about who I have always been when it comes to fashion. I have a wide range of hobbies and interests: competition cheer, taking fashion pictures, traveling, exposing myself to cultural diversity, and volunteer work with special needs children. Nevertheless, my heart and mind always lead back to fashion. Fashion has played an important role in my identity starting with over-the-top dress up, assisting friends with styling, as well as closet/wardrobe organization, and of course researching and shopping the latest trends. Now I am ready to pursue my passion and fulfill my childhood dreams.
What are your proudest accomplishments so far? One of my proudest accomplishments would be completing over one hundred hours of community service this past summer by volunteering at a special needs summer camp. The relationships I’ve developed with many of the kids has had an incredible impact on my personal and outward perspective, and it has made me pivot from actively engaging in teenage nonsense to really wanting to have purpose with anything I involve myself.
What made FIDM right for you? When considering and researching college options, and knowing who I am, I believe FIDM will provide the education I am seeking to attain the vision I have for my future. With FIDM’s industry instructors, hands-on learning, group-oriented projects, diversity, career-oriented purpose, and required on-the-job experience, all while completing my desired degrees, well, this is absolutely the type of environment in which I will thrive.
Who has been your biggest supporter/influencer in guiding you to FIDM? Both of my parents are incredibly supportive with my passions and various interests. However, they also require well thought out reasoning as to why I want to be part of something before they give their support. When I approached them about my desire to attend FIDM, rather than a traditional university, they required me to research everything about the school and then they had numerous conversations with me over a period of five months. I am confident they were waiting me out to see if I would change my mind multiple times about which college over those five months. When they realized my interest was (and is) steadfast, they gave me their 100% support and then I made my first appointment with FIDM to start the admission process!
Describe your entrance project: I typically associate the word “project: to dreadful work, but I found the entrance project to be far from dreadful, actually, quite the contrary. I had a great time throughout the entire process. I put a lot of thought of how I wanted to approach the entrance project, and decided the best way was to represent who I am and my vision, not what I thought anyone wanted me to be. The effect I wanted my project to have on someone reading the storyline and perusing my created looks, would be intrigue and to be left wanting more of what I have to offer. I think the time I spent on my project, researching, creating a brand, and paying attention to even the finest of details, I produced an impressive product accomplishing what I set out to do. In addition, I am also very competitive (I mentioned I did competitive cheer) and I wanted my entrance project to stand out and be used as an example of “how to” for the next applicant.
What are your career goals? Through internships and jobs during my school years, I plan to start as a buyer. During that time, I plan to travel the world attending fashion shows, and showrooms for research and then predict fashion trends. Ultimately, I will create and open my own store whether it is an online store, a brick and mortar, or both. With the success, reputation, and network contacts I anticipate to earn through hard work, I definitely plan to start a charitable foundation for special needs education.
What do you expect to learn at FIDM? I expect to greatly benefit from FIDM’s hands on approach and the immersion into my field of interest from industry educational professionals at FIDM. I am aware my talent is young and “raw,” and I have a lot to learn to hone my skills, my knowledge, and how to trust, yet define, my fashion instincts. I honestly believe this is what FIDM is about when they identify and accept new students. I am eager to commence my FIDM education to learn, absorb, take advantage of every opportunity, and become a successful businesswoman in the fashion industry.
Categories: Merchandising & Marketing Student
