Looking for a way to be involved on campus while still being able to work in style?
CMA is the Collegiate Merchandising Association here at ETSU. The purpose of this club is to promote the merchandising program on campus and also seek out opportunities to support related endeavors in the community.
In the past, CMA has collected hats and scarves during first semester to donate to Appalachian Helping Hands, a non-profit organization that gives to residents in need.
This semester, CMA is focusing on opening up its officers and members to different professional routes in merchandising.
There are so many options within this field, such as being a buyer for a company, writing for a fashion publication or marketing for a brand or company.
CMA officers have planned a panel of professionals in the merchandising field on Feb. 15. It is a great way to listen and learn from different perspectives for someone that is unsure about the field.
There is more to merchandising than just looking at clothes (though that is part of it), and being involved with CMA opens up those doors while being surrounded with people that share a common love of fashion.
One of the more exciting trips CMA is taking this semester is to the Biltmore Estates in Asheville for the “Fashions from the Classics” exhibit, showcasing costumes from movies made from the books loved by George Vanderbilt.
If anyone has ever wondered what really goes into fashion — the real bulk of it — then consider CMA. This organization might lead newcomers to the merchandising program and to a future in the ever-changing fashion industry.
Fashion Beats is a fashion column by Kathryn Norungolo, a general-assignment reporter at the East Tennessean. Norungolo is majoring in journalism and minoring in merchandising at ETSU.
