Experience

My Journey at LAU

Tiya Rassaa

I joined the Event Organization Club in my freshman year because I like to take on responsibilities. Through it, I gained a lot of exposure as we spoke to celebrities to get them on board campus events, and persuaded businesses to sponsor gala dinners.

I learned so much throughout the process — both from the disappointment of rejections as well as the thrills of approvals — not to mention building a network of contacts and valuable communication skills.

These are the “free” opportunities for learning that LAU offers, which are up for grabs for whoever is willing to put in extra work.

During my foundation year, I helped backstage at the Play graduate fashion show, and that is when I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in art direction, for the thrill of the attention to detail and meticulous organization.

Coming back to campus this year, I found out from a friend about an internship opportunity with ELIE SAAB during Paris Fashion Week, so I applied immediately and was accepted.  While there, I took the initiative and was constantly around to help, even when I was off duty. I was also eager to learn about the workings of the industry across departments, and gain as much knowledge as possible.

I would say that the key learning from this experience has been not to be intimidated, no matter how high the stakes. Having witnessed a world-renowned designer at work in the heat of the moment, my class-related worries shrank in comparison. It is those types of experiences that gave me a new perspective, added to my confidence, and renewed my sense of possibility.

The fact that I am multilingual with intercultural roots helped me a lot when interacting with top invitees who came backstage following the show. One of them was a fashion entrepreneur who took interest in me and gave me her contact details to discuss a work opportunity in the future.

My advice to students considering this major is this: You are not here just to design a dress. The hard work, sleepless nights, and thrill of adding the last-minute details all make it worthwhile. If they are up for all these, they would be a fit for this major.

I would also add that they should not underestimate the value of a related minor, such as business or communications.

They should also apply to every internship opportunity that comes along, even if it is online, because it can go a long way in helping them paint a full picture of what the industry is like.