Born and raised in Huntington Beach, California, Ella McMurray attended Edison High School where she served as president of her FIDM Fashion Club. We recently caught up with Ella, who just finished her first quarter in the Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing major, to learn more about her journey:
How did you first hear about FIDM and Fashion Club? I heard about FIDM when I was researching colleges online. My Admissions Advisor at FIDM mentioned Fashion Club. She recommended I start one when I asked how to be involved with FIDM while I was still in high school. The scholarships are a great bonus!
What did you enjoy most about being president? I loved getting everything set up and choosing which meetings or speakers we’d have based on what my members wanted. Attending all the events at FIDM, like the Fashion Club day, Open Houses, and DEBUT Pre-Party and Runway Show were amazing, but you don’t have to be a president to do that!
How do you think Fashion Club helped prepare you for FIDM? It kept me involved at the actual campuses both in LA and OC. It allowed me to meet people like Barbara Daley, who taught some amazing workshops, which was a great experience. Also, being a club member and president made me qualified for an amazing scholarship, which was very helpful!
What was your favorite Fashion Club memory? The Fashion Club DEBUT Pre-Party and Runway Show was truly breathtaking and incredible. The party they had for Fashion Club members was so well put together and entertaining. They had gift bags, photo spots, a glitter bar, food, and a dance floor for us before the show. The show itself actually left me speechless. To know that students made this happen blows my mind and just shows the absolute talent that FIDM caters to!
How did you know FIDM was right for you? FIDM takes care of their students and sets them up for a career, which is what I can say sets them apart from other colleges. Their passion for creating the best possible environment for their students is undeniable and the connections they provide to all their students is amazing. Truly, you can accomplish anything here at FIDM and you will get out what you put in 100%.
What are you enjoying most about being at FIDM? My favorite thing about attending FIDM so far is that I actually enjoy the classes I am in and the homework and projects I do. The teachers really try to incorporate your major into what we’re learning even if it is a general education course. It truly makes everything you do purposeful and creative and fun!
What are your plans after your Beauty degree? I plan to continue to a bachelor’s program later on, in either Business Management or Social Media.
What’s your advice for other high school students thinking about starting a FIDM Fashion Club? It is a great idea and will expose you to many other things FIDM-related, and get your feet wet before you’ve even started attending! If you love FIDM or are interested in FIDM, why not? Get involved! Get a group together and attend the Open Houses and free workshops. They give you all the resources you need, so take the first step. The experiences you get from it are more than worth it!
Keep up with Ella on Instagram @ellemcmurray
