Shanna Matari, a 2005 graduate of HHS, now has a promising future in the fashion industry. Matari went on to Boston University (BU) for her freshman year and transferred to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City for the remaining three years of her undergraduate studies. Although Matari loved BU and the Boston area, she realized that if she wanted to go into merchandising in the fashion industry, New York City was the best place to pursue her dream. While attending FIT, Shanna majored in Advertising & Marketing Communications as well as in Fashion Merchandising. Matari also was able to travel abroad twice during her years at FIT, once for a six-week international trade practicum in Rio de Janerio, Brazil and then a six-month study abroad program in Paris, France. She feels as if her experiences in high school prepared her well for her college experiences.

Currently, Matari is working in Columbus, Ohio for Limited Brands in their Victoria’s Secret PINK International Merchandising team. She is responsible for ensuring that the company has all the right product and sizes in all of the stores and analyzing the business to make sure it is doing well. When asked about how she likes her job, Matari said, “It’s a fun job that is the perfect mix between a creative and business mindset. Working in PINK International Merchandising I get the opportunity to work on all the new VS/PINK stores that the company opens outside of the United States, and what I love even more about my job is that I get to travel to these new stores all over the world!”

Thinking back on her high school years, Matari had much to say about the girls soccer and track coach, Gus Schell. Matari said, “I had the pleasure of spending 75 percent of my year with Coach Schell. I think many of the lessons that I learned in high school that have prepared me for “adult life” came from him. From having him as a soccer coach, I learned how to be a team player, and how being a leader through example. I also learned that having a great work ethic leads to great things, and dedication and commitment to a team. From having him as a track coach, I also learned that ‘everyone is replaceable,’  and I think that was one of the biggest lessons for me was to learn that no matter how talented you are there will always be someone better who can take your place, and I think that lesson humbles you and always reminds you to keep working hard, continue to strive for better and to never take your good fortune for granted. “

Matari remembers that there were also other teachers, such as Patti Atkinson, Chris Ward, Danielle Russo, Sean Van Winkle, and others, who constantly challenged the students to give back to the community, think outside the box, challenge beliefs and perspectives and to always strive to be the best as both students and as people. Matari also fondly remembers the small-town atmosphere at Hawthorne High School saying, “I wasn’t 1 of 2000 kids in my high school class, I was 1 of 160 and I was with my friends that I grew up with and cared so much about and with teachers who cared so much about each of us. I would not trade my experience at HHS for the world.”