Student Story

What are you currently studying and what are your future hopes/plans?

"I am currently studying Merchandising with a minor in Fashion Design and a minor in Dance. I hope to be a product developer at a retail company in the future."

What IU experiences have been the most impactful for you, both inside and outside the classroom?

"The most impactful experiences I have had at IU was reconnecting with a professor I met when I was attending an IU Explore Day my sophomore year in high school. I attended an information session about the Merchandising major, and I was able to meet Professor Olsen. After listening to the presentation, I knew that I wanted to study it once I got to college. When I arrived at IU and took the Merchandising introduction class, she remembered me! It really showed me that the professors do care about you. My program also provides a great student organization called Retail Studies Organization that has given me so many opportunities that I would have never gotten if I went to a different university."

What advice would you give to a student who is still trying to figure out choosing a major or career path?

"I would say take courses that you are interested in to see if you end up liking it or not. I never thought I would add a minor in dance, but after taking a dance class for fun, I found my passion for dance again after not dancing since I was younger. You never know what your passion is about until you take a course that might interest you."

What is one campus resource that has been especially helpful to you?

"I would say the Disabilities Services on campus have been very helpful to me because they were able to help me get the extra time I needed to take exams."