For Kelly Cimaglia, FCRH ’25, Fordham University was always the future. Cimaglia, who is a New Jersey native, first visited the campus in seventh grade, when her brother was touring colleges as a high school senior.
“I toured it when I was really young, so that was kind of my first impression of any college. I always pictured myself going here because it’s the only college I had ever seen. So, it just worked. It’s also close to home, and I like New York,” said Cimaglia.
At Fordham, Cimaglia is a “Ramfluencer,” sharing lifestyle videos on the university’s official social media accounts. She is also secretary of Fordham’s student-run fashion and lifestyle magazine, Mode Magazine.
Cimaglia, who has amassed over 125,000 combined social media followers, has 96,000 subscribers on YouTube and more than 26,000 on TikTok. She started producing content from a young age, and her videos quickly “blew up.”
“I started making YouTube videos when I was in fifth grade. I would do makeup tutorials because that was super in at the time. I just started because I was so obsessed with all the popular YouTubers at the time, like Bethany Mota, that whole genre of YouTubers. I did YouTube for such a long time. I wouldn’t really say I do it anymore because I’m not consistent, but I feel like no one really does YouTube anymore. I switched over to TikTok and I have been doing TikTok consistently since 2020. That is just kind of how social media changes over the years,” said Cimaglia.
The social media accounts, listed under the usernames, “KellCims” and “KellyMargot,” primarily document Cimaglia’s bustling New York City lifestyle. She describes her content as documenting anything and everything that interests her.
She said, “I do a lot of vlogs, a lot of talking. Sometimes I’ll do mental health stuff. Just kind of whatever I’m feeling; my vibe is very simple. I am an open book online, which is a good and a bad thing. I feel like that is what makes people drawn to me, because I kind of overshare, and people feel like they have someone they can relate to about things that they can’t talk about with other people. I am just kind of all of the above, whatever I want.”
For Cimaglia, the supportive community of subscribers that she has built have become like friends and family. Being able to interact with people online, respond to comments and share day-to-day life tips, has been a transformative experience.
Because of her social media presence, Cimaglia has received several exciting opportunities. She has attended BeautyCon events and created partnerships with many well-known brands, including Skillshare and CASETiFY. Cimaglia has also repeatedly partnered with Princess Polly, a very popular Australian fashion brand.
In 2019, Cimaglia also received the opportunity to attend a private Ruel concert, which was held at the YouTube space in New York City.
She said, “I went when I was a junior [in high school.] It was a 20-person concert, and I got to meet him after. That was one of my favorite moments, because I was such a big fan.”
The opportunity to attend a Ruel concert was exciting for Cimaglia, who is a big music fan. When she is not editing and posting videos, you can find her listening to music, going to concerts and making playlists.
Cimaglia’s social media presence also led to her current internship with Rare Beauty Brands. She said, “I am doing influencer and social media marketing. I think I stood out to them because of my social media presence and experience. It is something that I can take into my future, and it’s really fun.”
Despite Cimaglia’s social media fame, she would rather pursue a more traditional career path in the corporate marketing world while continuing with her social media accounts on the side.
“I definitely want to work a corporate job, but I also never want to stop doing stuff online. I think the two can go hand in hand. It’s something that I want to do for a long time, on top of other things,” said Cimaglia.
As for her dream partnerships, Cimaglia would love to partner with any and all food brands. She immediately mentioned two of her favorite restaurants, CAVA and Chipotle, as dream collaborations. Cimaglia, who is a big Emma Chamberlain fan, would also love the opportunity to work with the famous social media star.
To keep up with Cimaglia’s busy life, follow her on either Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. From one subscriber to another, you won’t regret your choice!
