The Freshman Experience: Kathleen Salamon

Degree:

B.A. in Fashion Merchandising and Marketing

Hometown:

Tulsa, Okla.

What brought you to Marymount?

I was born and raised in Tulsa, Okla., but I have an aunt who lives here in Washington, D.C. I would visit her over the summers and I instantly fell in love with the city. When I started looking at colleges, I wanted to focus on the DMV area and Marymount was the only school with a Fashion Merchandising and Marketing program. I knew this area would offer me networking and internship opportunities that I just couldn’t find in Oklahoma. So, I moved here to the DMV and have been loving it ever since!

How has your Marymount experience been so far?

I’ve had a great experience taking interesting classes, meeting new people and making lots of great friends. I’ve enjoyed going out on the weekends, going to new places and attending events around the DMV. I went to Alexandria and I loved it—it was so cute and I loved getting to explore. I’ve also recently gone to Tysons and Georgetown. I’ve had the chance to go all over the city and have new and exciting experiences, which has helped me feel comfortable in a new place.

What have you gotten involved in on campus this year?

I am super involved in the Fashion Merchandising and Marketing program and I’m going to be a model in this year’s Portfolio in Motion fashion show, which I’m looking forward to. I was also lucky enough to receive the Rising Star Scholarship to attend the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) annual conference in New York City, where I got to network and learn all about internship opportunities in the fashion merchandising industry. I also had the opportunity to work backstage at a fashion show and work with representatives from Saks Fifth Avenue and Carolina Herrera, which was absolutely amazing! 

As much as I love fashion, I also really love sports! Earlier this year, I got together with a few other students and started a pickleball club so we could bring the game to the University community.

What are you looking forward to most over the next three years?

I’m looking forward to expanding my network within the fashion and marketing industries. Eventually, I would like to get an MBA to complement my degree in fashion merchandising so I can be well versed in both the business and creative sides of the industry. I am actively looking for personal and professional opportunities that align with these overarching career goals. I plan to be very busy and I couldn’t be more excited!