Anna Phoung Doan is a third-year international student, majoring in Fashion Merchandising with a minor in Leadership and Marketing at Kent State University.
Deciding to Study at Kent State University as an International Student
Anna decided to come to Kent State because of how it ranks as one of the best schools for fashion in the U.S., and because of the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy. Anna has always loved fashion and wants to have a career in the management of women’s fashion in the future.
Anna’s Favorite Classes as a Fashion Merchandising Student
Anna’s favorite classes here at Kent State have been with Dr. Lauren Copeland, who teaches Fashion Fundamentals and classes on sustainable fashion. She found the classes interesting and Dr. Copeland friendly and helpful, providing her with resources when she needed them.
She found the Fashion Fundamentals course to be a good refresher, as they talk about basic things about fashion, such as history of the industry and what it is like in the present day. In the courses on sustainability, she also learned how to make sustainable fashion by using already existing products.
Learn more about opportunities and courses for Fashion Merchandising majors at Kent State.
Getting Involved at Kent State
While Anna is from Vietnam, she was not too nervous about traveling to Ohio to attend Kent State and has found that Kent campus has a lot of helpful resources and people she can turn to when she has questions. She said that one of the things that helped her feel welcomed were the different events that gave her the opportunity to meet other international students. She appreciates how many clubs and student organizations there are on campus and all the opportunities to meet new people. Because of how big the campus is, Anna said it can be hard to make new friends, but that she has found international and domestic friends alike.
Anna is a Global Ambassador for the Office of Global Education and works in the campus bookstore. She enjoys working in the bookstore, because she gets to learn more about other students and their needs. She is happy to help people out when they need it.
Learn more about opportunities to get involved at Kent State.
Exploring Cleveland and Akron
Since she has been in Kent since her freshman year, Anna has also explored the Cleveland and Akron areas. She said she loves trying new restaurants in Cleveland and finds the food options there better than Kent. Her favorites have been trying Japanese and Korean restaurants in Cleveland, especially enjoying establishments with hot pot. Eventually Anna wants to travel more of the U.S. and explore different states. Shopping is one of her favorite things and is something she likes to do when she goes to new places.
Studying Abroad in Florence, Italy
Despite how much Anna enjoys Kent State, her absolute favorite thing she has done since coming to Kent, has been when she studied abroad in Florence, Italy in the spring semester of 2025. In Florence, she got to take a class on luxury fashion and a class on basic Italian conversational skills. She found the walk to classes in Florence was longer from her apartment but loved how beautiful the scenery and buildings were. Anna found it quite easy to meet people in Florence and found most people she met to be very kind. She said her time studying abroad in Florence is something she will never forget, and it’s one of her favorite memories.
Learn more about education abroad opportunities at Kent State.
Ready for a Career in Fashion Management
Overall, Anna feels that Kent State has provided her with a lot of resources and new information for her future career. She has learned about management positions and operating brands. She has also done a lot of research on what goes into making a brand. While there are a lot of assignments to do, Anna believes her classes have been helpful to prepare her for her future career.
Advice for International Students Studying at Kent State
Anna’s advice to other international students is to reach out to others if you have questions.
“Everybody is able to help you.”
She considers Kent State a friendly environment, and encourages international students to ask questions and ask for help when they need it.