Alumni
Business Management Grad Mazarine Ebengho Is Procurement Officer for the Port of Seattle
Born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and later Washington state, Mazarine Ebengho is a former FIDM Fashion Club President who earned degrees in Apparel Industry Management and Business Management. After graduating from FIDM in 2018, she moved back to the Pacific Northwest to pursue a masters degree in Supply Chain Management from University of Washington. She worked as a Supply Chain Specialist for Boeing for over two years before becoming a Procurement Officer for the Port of Seattle. During the pandemic, she became a Board Member of the Women Empowerment DRC.
How did you come to attend FIDM? Fashion was my first love. I knew that I wanted to work in fashion since I was about 10 years old. When my family moved to the U.S., I knew right away that I had the opportunity to make that dream come true. I found out about FIDM and FIDM Fashion Club during my first year at Clover Park High School. I was immediately drawn by everyone’s creativity and embraced by their kindness.
Although I was intimidated to join because English was my third language, everyone welcomed me with open arms and the Fashion Club became my small after-school family. By my second year, I became the Fashion Club President. It was not only my first leadership opportunity, but also an opportunity to expand my creativity and develop new artistic skills. After winning the FIDM Fashion Club Scholarship in 2016, I finally had the opportunity of attending my dream school.
What made you choose Apparel Industry Management and then the Business Management Program at FIDM? I chose Apparel Industry Management because I was very interested in the operational side of fashion. Even though I was creatively gifted, I was fascinated by what happened behind the scenes to bring clothes to the market. Things like manufacturing, retail buying, and freight forwarding really interested me.
My ultimate goal while attending FIDM was to learn how to improve manufacturing processes in fashion, shorten lead time, and offer customers high quality garments. Both majors helped me reach those goals. I was able to develop business acumen, leadership skills, and industry knowledge. The skills I developed while at FIDM and the diversity of experience I acquired came in handy throughout graduate school and in the workplace.
What were some highlights of your time at FIDM? The Industry Expos were definitely my highlights. I really enjoyed attending those career events and got the opportunity of networking with talented individuals and expand my horizons. Furthermore, having the opportunity of interning for Michael Costello, BCBG, and Halston were life-changing opportunities. They allowed me to learn and see the world under different lenses, especially when it came to supply chain management in the fashion industry.
Through those internships, I understood how an efficient supply chain, combined with industry knowledge, can be a differentiating factor and a source of competitive edge for a fashion company. Another highlight was attending the DEBUT Fashion Show each year.
