Julia and her sister Monica are newly enrolled into FIDM where they will major in
Merchandise Marketing and both plan to earn a
Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from FIDM. Julia begins her studies this fall, while Monica will start after she earns an A.A. from Irvine Valley College. "It is definitely a plus to be able to attend FIDM with my sister," said Julia. "By the time she is done with her AA at the community college, we will be at the same level and will be able to take classes together and work as a team. We have talked about working together in the future and maybe owning a company together, but the opportunities are infinite." In our latest interview, we find out more about this dynamic duo from Philadelphia, PA.
Name: Julia Suh
Age: 17
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
FIDM Start Date, Major, and Campus: Fall 2010, Merchandise Marketing, LA Campus
Admissions Advisor: Roxy Deguzman
Tell us a little about yourself: I moved to California about 2 years ago because of my mother's occupation and finished out at Northwood High School located in Irvine, CA. I participated in the early graduation program and graduated a whole semester early. I was able to use that extra semester to attend Irvine Valley College. I took some general education classes as well as a marketing class for interest. It gave me time to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life and obtain college credits on the side. I currently reside in Riverside, CA with a single mother and a brother (8) and sister (19). I am an ambitious, creative, confident woman who takes an idea and does not stop persisting until that idea is accomplished. I am an inquisitive person who is extremely eager to learn.
What is one of your proudest accomplishments? As much as I am proud of my educational achievements, I have a far more meaningful accomplishment that I personally feel is at the top of the list; being the best sister to my brother as I possibly can be. From the moment my brother Lucas was born, I had a new outlook on life. I no longer put myself first, but put him ahead of me. I helped my mother raise him and have a never-ending love for this kid.
How did you know that FIDM was the right college for you? I requested information on FIDM my junior year in high school and also visited the LA campus for a small tour. It was not until this past June that I was approached for a meeting with a counselor to see if this school was right for me. I was given an interests quiz and it came out that I was matched up with the major that I had originally said I wanted to pursue. I was very impressed with the Merchandise Marketing program and loved the fact that FIDM is so intertwined with the fashion industry and the rate of success is impeccable. I needed a school that focuses on the business in fashion and FIDM is the best choice for me.
How did you choose your major? My father, who passed a few years ago, had a lot of influence on my choice. He pursued marketing as a career as well. He was an entrepreneur and had many accounts that I was able to watch and learn. Growing up, he would give us life lessons and advice about what and what not to do in the future, based on what was going on with his job. When it was time for me to decide what my major would be, I knew I definitely wanted to do something with marketing and business. My love for fashion has always been there with me so I put the two together to get the major Merchandise Marketing. I get the best of both worlds in that I get to work with fashion and also work with the business aspect of it. When I was presented with information and the program for this major at FIDM, I liked what I saw and decided to definitely go with this major.
What are you most excited to learn in your first quarter? My first quarter will no doubt be challenging. I will be transitioning into a more structured college compared to the semester I attended at IVC (Irvine Valley College). I am anxious to learn anything and everything in the fashion industry. I am excited to put my creativity and knowledge into projects in the real world and succeed in the end. LA is a city of opportunity and it truly inspires me. I cannot wait to experience LA for what it is and appreciate all that it has to offer.
What do you expect to gain from attending FIDM? I expect experience. This school has so many connections and has a total of 4 campuses that all deliver opportunities for students to succeed. FIDM has a very good reputation in the industry and networking is a huge advantage. Because of the tight connections this school has with the industry, FIDM is able to get information and news quickly, which transfers to what the students will be learning in the classroom. I expect to gain knowledge in this field that can support me when I am done schooling. This college wants you to succeed and makes it happen, both career-wise and education-wise.
What is your ultimate career goal after graduating from FIDM? The opportunities are infinite when speaking of a career goal for myself. I am open minded to any job in the industry as long as at the end of the day I am satisfied with my life and the work I have done. I am not 100% sure which specific occupation I want to work in, but I can see myself being at the top of a company of some sort, whether it be my own company or an already established one.
Name: Monica Suh
Age: 19
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
FIDM Start Date, Major, and Campus: Fall 2012, Merchandise Marketing, Los Angeles
Admissions Advisor: Roxy DeGuzman
Tell us a little about yourself: I recently moved to California from the East Coast. Since I moved here, I completely changed my life around. I set my goals straight, reflected back on my past inspirations, made some new ones, and just grew up a little. I'm always learning, open to new things, head strong about the things I believe in, and I try to be two steps ahead on everything.
What is one of your proudest accomplishments? I keep thinking about an answer to this question, but I can't think of just one. Probably a lot of proud accomplishments would be back in elementary and middle school when we had to do projects such as the science fair. Although it seems mediocre to the common person, to me, I feel like I went the extra mile every time. I would start with plain poster boards and cover them in paint, tissue paper, etc. making them into presentations rather than simple projects. I remember one time I had to depict a terrain of a mountain and I went bought cement and sculpted a sample of the Appalachians, even including detail of the snow and greens with other materials. Being able to use my creativity at a young age really helped me find my artistic center.
How did you know that FIDM was the right college for you? I've always had a traditional outlook on life after high school, however, upon moving to California, my perspective has changed completely. I realized that competition today is tougher and more rigorous than any, for example, ivy league track sheet. I need a school that is going to teach me how to apply my education to the real working world, where it matters most. I believe FIDM can provide that for me.
How did you choose your major? I knew I wanted to study this major for as long as I can remember. When my father was alive, he made his career as an Entrepreneur and had his own business. Watching him pick and choose his own projects was probably something that inspired the leadership aspect of myself and the interest I have in this major. As I grew older, more aspects of Marketing attracted me more and more such as traveling, networking, and openness for creative input. Marketing is essentially about making an idea into a reality. To be able to have 'say' in the process of creating anything, is truly inspiring and is eventually what sold me.
What are you most excited to learn in your first quarter? I'm just excited to start the next chapter in my life. I actually took a few business classes, being that I am currently completing my AA before going to FIDM for my bachelors, so i do have some education in this field.
What do you expect to gain from attending FIDM? I expect to gain a better understanding of the business world through FIDM. Because they primarily work with people in the industry, I hope to gain knowledge not of textbook explanations of how to be successful, but learn and know why they are successful.
What is your ultimate career goal after graduating from FIDM? Ultimately I would like to own my own business. I hope to just get a decent job and then maybe even further my education with a Master's degree. The possibilities for what kind of business I would create is endless, but that's the beauty in Marketing; potentially, you can sell anything.
