Ever since freshman year, I have been a devoted member of FSU’s Collegiate Merchandising Association (CMA). It only made sense that I ran for office in the fall of my sophomore year. This organization is open to ALL majors so whether you are a fashion major or just obsessed with fashion, you will find people who share your same passion. Need more convincing?
1. Make New Friends & Network- At any CMA meeting, you will find a great group of diverse people who all share a similar interest – fashion! The group is rather large but don’t ever be overwhelmed – ask any officer, at one point or another we all went to the meetings alone & were intimidated. Don’t be afraid to talk to the officers & other members & put yourself out there. At each meeting, we try to do a fun ice-breaker game in smaller groups which is how I met a lot of people in the beginning. And of course, you can say hi to me when you sign in! I will always be sitting behind the desk so don’t be shy!
2. Gain Hands-On Fashion Experience – Where else in Tallahassee can you gain hands-on fashion experience? CMA gives you the opportunity to work behind the scenes at a fashion show, magazine & other major events. College is all about building your resume & making yourself look marketable for an employer – being active in CMA can do just that!
3. Get Involved with CLUTCH Magazine – I already stated that you can gain hands-on fashion experience but more specifically, being a member of CMA allows you with the opportunity to get involved with CLUTCH Magazine including voting on colors & covers, writing articles, editing & interviewing for a director position. You can join different committees ranging from PR (my team) to graphic design to advertising.
4. Scholarships – CMA gives out two scholarships to outstanding seniors at Intern Brunch. If you are a Retail Merchandising major, I am sure you are aware that you have to complete an intern block your last semester of college. CMA hosts an intern brunch for all graduating interns during their last week of exams, right before they head off to their internships.
5. Run for Office – A great resume builder is showing that you have leadership skills. In order to do this, you need to run for office. The Collegiate Merchandising Association is composed of 9 officers while CLUTCH Magazine is composed of 18 directors – plenty of positions available for you to join in on.
Other Fun Facts:
- We are the largest fashion organization on Florida State’s campus
- CLUTCH Magazine was the first successful student run fashion publication on Florida State’s campus
- In 2007, CLUTCH Magazine was featured on MTV’s Total Request Live (TRL). You can view the video here.
- Lauren from La Petite Fashionista is also a CMA officer
Convinced yet? Our first meeting will be on Wednesday, September 8th at 7pm in Oglesby 314-315. I included our entire fall 2010 meeting schedule on the events page so that if you can’t make this meeting, hopefully you can make the next one. I hope to meet some of you there!
If you are a fashion merchandising major at Florida State University (or just have a passion for fashion), then joining the Collegiate Merchandising Association is a MUST for you!