RMI R E T A I L
M A N A G E M E N T
FALL & SUMMER 2021
I N S T I T U T E
SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY
I S S U E
I X
S U M M E R
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F A L L
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Our Mission The mission of the Retail Management Institute at Santa Clara University is to: Provide a platform for deep collaboration between leading academics and industry innovators to generate shared knowledge Prepare Retail Studies students for success in the new world of technology driven retail
Contents 03 A Note from RSSA President Emily Chao 04 Introducing the RSSA Magazine Team 05 Company Feature: Levi Strauss & CO. 09 Digital Merchandising Certification Program 11 Fall Career Pop-In Events 15 Gina Rudan Profile 18 RMI Prep Camp & Career Building Tips
20 Introducting the 2021/22 RMI Executive Board
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A Note from RSSA President, Emily Chao RMI has greatly impacted and transformed my time at Santa Clara University. The program has helped shape its students into future retail industry innovators with its demanding curriculum, networking events, professional development workshops, scholarships, impressive retailers and Silicon Valley guest speakers, and a strong community. I am grateful to be a part of this wonderful experience and support system and to introduce myself as the 2021-2022 President of the Retail Studies Student Association. My name is Emily Chao from Fullerton, CA. I am a Finance major and double minor in Retail Studies and Ancient Studies, interested in the intersection of analytics and creativity in retail. I applied to retail studies in the fall of my sophomore year and I remember the excitement that I had when I called my parents regarding my acceptance to the program. I have always had a passion for retail and impacting others, and RMI has given me the opportunity to explore the combination of these two values. RMI has taught me a lot about myself and I am thankful to have the opportunity to give back to the program and be a resource for the students. This year is different with the return of in-person activities and the fluidity of our events. I hope to promote a welcoming and open community, where each student can find their passion, empowerment and confidence in their schoolwork and career path. With the innovation and support of our executive board, we have worked together to plan engaging events and adjust to various challenges, while supporting a strong community with impactful opportunities. As many of us have seen, COVID-19 has drastically changed the retail landscape and affected our students. Our academic year comprises some of the most resilient and adaptable students, given the obstacles they have faced during the pandemic. They have had to adjust between navigating the return to on-campus, virtual and in-person classes, the varying nature of their internships and a rapidly changing retail industry. This has taught us to develop the skill to not only adapt but embrace the unexpected. We’ve seen first-hand how retailers innovated and pivoted against the changing consumer needs and preferences and the growth of eCommerce. I’m excited to see our students thrive in this new generation of retail and the successes that will come. I am very grateful for this opportunity to work with such a driven and distinguished community. Thank you to everyone who has supported this program, and I hope you enjoy this edition of the RMI Magazine!
Emily Chao
President, Retail Studies Student Association
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Company Feature: Levi Strauss & Co. Levi Strauss & Co. is an Iconic San Francisco brand and RMI partner for Internships & Career Opportunities. Let us introduce you to RMI alum Omar Herrera Luna '19 who has found his passion for retail at Levi Strauss & Co. 5
Levi Strauss & Co. 2022 Summer Internship Program Levi Strauss & Co. joined RMI juniors to present opportunities for their 2022 internship program. The 10week, paid program provides housing for interns within walking distance of their San Francisco headquarters. Levi Strauss & Co. is a clothing company based out of San Francisco, CA and is widely known for their Levi’s brand denim. As the inventor of blue jeans, the company was brought to life in 1853 and continues to innovate the fashion industry as one of the world’s largest brand-name apparel companies. Levi Strauss & Co. is home to several celebrated brand names, including Levi’s, Dockers, Signature, Denizen, and in recent months acquired Beyond Yoga, expanding their brand with the addition of athleisure apparel. The company is a leader in activism, putting their profits, people, and products to work in over 100 countries to promote equality, support the needs of communities around the world, and build a more sustainable future.
Briana Medley, Intern & Early Career program Manager at Levi Strauss & Co., joined RMI for the Levi’s Watch Party to inform Juniors of Summer 2022 opportunities. Internship opportunities span from Information Technologies, Marketing, Apparel Design, Product Operations, Human Resources, and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. Faith Knox, Aledgia McGriger, Tammie Melton, and Paul Rosas joined Briana to explain their roles at Levi Strauss & Co. and the benefits of joining the team as a Summer Intern. SCU Alumni also joined the panel, explaining the internship program and answering questions for RMI students. Pedro da Silva, who graduated SCU in 2019, spoke about his time as a US Wholesale Planning intern for Levi’s, and his current position as a Planner for the company now. During the course of the internship, interns are divided up into teams of five to seven members and assigned to work on a group project. These individual projects tackle real-world business issues that will directly impact the business. Each project works directly with different departments within the company, giving interns insights into the many different aspects of business. By the end of the program, the project are displayed at the Intern Expo where all Levi Strauss & Co employees have the chance to view their projects. Levi Strauss & Co. may still accept applications for juniors and seniors. To apply, a written application must be completed, as well as an interview with Briana Medley.
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RMI Alum Feature: Omar Herrera Luna @ Levi Strauss & Co. Omar Luna '19 began working with Levi’s as an intern for Global Men’s Bottoms category at Dockers. After completing a successful internship he returned after graduation as a Merchandising Assistant for the Levi’s brand in the Global Men’s Tops category. With a recent promotion, Omar is now a Merchant for the Levi’s Global Men’s Bottoms category overseeing the iconic 501® Original assortment and other premium mainline core product. Here he shares his journey with us at RMI.
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How did you get your job at Levi's and what department do you work in? My journey to becoming a merchant at Levi’s started back in 2018 when I was a Junior at SCU, and I attended the RMI Career Faire where I met Levi’s as one of the companies who attended. Shortly after, I interviewed for a merchandising internship position for the Dockers brand After completing a successful internship for the Global Men’s Bottoms category at Dockers, I came back after undergrad to another team and brand. This time as a Merchandising Assistant for the Levi’s brand in the Global Men’s Tops category. Recently, I was promoted to Merchant for the Levi’s Global Men’s Bottoms category overseeing the iconic 501® Original assortment and other premium mainline core product.
based on perceptions of the products and not on the products themselves. This means you must craft products with the consumer at the center and not try to introduce something new for the sake of it. If they don’t perceive to want it then they won’t buy it. What do you see yourself doing in the future? In the future I still see myself working in retail specifically within the fashion apparel space for a global brand. Currently I’m in a product creation role, but I would like to explore being a merchant in a buying role as well in the future. So instead of overseeing the creation of products, buying from other brands to curate an assortment for a specific region in the world or account within a country. I know at some point I do want to work at Nike and/or Adidas because of my personal passion for sports!
What was your major and minor at SCU? Has the curriculum you followed in college been helpful to you working at Levi's?
Do you have any advice for undergraduates in RMI?
At SCU I was lucky to major in Marketing with minors in Retail Studies and Spanish. Not only were my majors helpful in entering the workforce but it was the Santa Clara education as a whole. The ability to work on group projects, craft succinct yet informative presentations, attend career fairs and be comfortable talking to professionals, were aspects that have paid off throughout my three years in the workforce. From a marketing major standpoint, I still think about my Consumer Behavior class and how the consumer chooses products and services
My advice is to not get caught up in the Santa Clara bubble. Stop following what other people are doing and find your own journey! For me that meant not going into a tech related field even though we are in Silicon Valley. I found myself applying to tech companies for the sake of it. Once I narrowed down on the fact that fashion was my passion, and with the help of RMI I could make a career out of that, my path became clear. Find what that journey is for you by talking to older SCU students, industry professionals, and mentors to help discern.
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Digital Merchandising Certification RMI's collaboration with Bloomreach is the first of its kind Digital Merchandising Certification Program providing the opportunity for RMI students to grasp best in class skills for the future of retailing. Justin E. Daniel, Business Services Consultant at Bloomreach, led the three part certification program. Justin instructed RMI students on how to best leverage the full capabilities of the Bloomreach ecommerce platform, which allows for a continuously improved and measured customer experience.
Professor Kirthi Kalyanam, Executive Director of the Retail Management Institute was integral in the formation of this unique experience. Kalyanam and Founder and CEO of Bloomreach, Raj DeDutta, have known each other for over a decade. Testing each day ensured that students would have the highest probability of success. Students that earn at cumulative score of 80% across all three exams earn the digital merchandising certificate.
Over the last 15+ years, he worked with many multi-channel retailers including Lowe's Home Improvement, PetSmart, HD Pro MRO, and JCPenney. He joined Bloomreach 2020 and trains customers on how to best leverage the platform. Bloomreach, founded in 2009, acts as a leader in the customer experience universe. Their software allows partnering companies such as Staples, Puma and Albertsons to expand their businesses and deliver consistent digital experiences across all channels. The course consisted of three days of instruction. There were three exams each consisting of 20 questions, one exam per day of class.
Justin E. Daniel, RMI Digital Merchandising Program Instructor and Indsutry Fellow 9
De Datta is also an entrepreneur and best selling author of "The Digital Seeker" - a playbook for digital teams to win big. Before launching Bloomreach, he was entrepreneur-in-residence at MohrDavidow Ventures. He has also served as Cisco’s director of product marketing. De Datta also serves on the Council for Player Development for the US Tennis Association as a Founder Partner at Founder Collective and is an individual investor in over 20 start-ups. After collaborating for over a year, RMI and Bloomreach decided to create something novel and valuable for students. “COVID-19 caused a great shutdown in retailing," Kalyanam states, "Many retailing jobs were temporarily and permanently lost. Digital merchandising became a very important focal point with education and human capital lagging in this regard.” According to Kalyanam, digital merchandising is the future of retail. This represents a unique opportunity for participants of the certification program. In the Digital Merchandising Certification Program, students learned how to best utilize ecommerce tools, merchandising functions and their purpose, and highlevel ecommerce analytics terms. AKalyanam also states, the strongest skill participants will take away from this experience is the “ability to create and implement effective digital merchandising programs.”
As technology grows continuously more and more integral in retail, this certification represents further collaboration with important technology programs. The DMC Program was offered exclusively to the Retail Management Institute and over 50 students have participated.and received certification. The enriching knowledge it offers will prove to be an invaluable tool to the future leaders of retail.
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Fall Career Pop-Ins RMI hosted a variety of career pop-in events with companies such as Gap Inc, E&J Gallo and Grocery Outlet.
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GAP Inc. Summer Internship Program Gap Inc. joined RMI juniors to present opportunities for their 2022 internship program. Gap Inc. joined RMI to present their internship program for Juniors and the Rotational Management Program for Seniors. The Gap Information Night featured speakers Katherine Chartz and Taylor Fetter to hear about their experiences working at the retailer and more about the internship program itself. Gap Inc. is headquartered in San Francisco, CA and is a retailer that includes Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta. Both Katherine and Taylor expressed that working at Gap Inc. has helped expand their knowledge of the retail world and by having an internship it will help determine whether a future career at the company is a good fit. They shared with us their favorite parts of the company, such as the culture, people, and values that they are proud of. They also shared how exciting it is to work at a company like Gap, being such a large retailer, so you can work your way up in the company as well, and be proud of the achievements you make along the way.
For the Undergraduate programs, Gap Inc. offers internships in the fields of Finance, Merchandising, and Inventory Management. Regardless of your major, any field can be applied to as long as it’s requirements and job tasks are of interest to the candidate. They shared with us that the internship consists of working with a team on certain projects that the company is currently facing and challenges you to solve problems that are faced on a day-to-day basis. When applying for Gap, it's important to have a good handle on Microsoft applications such as Excel. It’s important to show your passion for retail, with retail experience being a plus. Staying on top of trends and how social media has affected the world of retail are great things to know and talk about during the interview process. They stressed to us that sharing your interest in Gap itself and the initiatives they are taking will make you stand out as a candidate. Both Katherine and Taylor made it clear that the most important part of the interview process is to be yourself and stay confident.
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E&J Gallo Q&A E&J Gallo Winery, a wine company and distributor known for a mission to democratize wine, was founded in 1933 as the largest family-owned winery. Gallo reps Irshad Fardan and Nicole Bouvia. came in person to discuss how E&J Gallo promotes diversity and inclusion including the 7 ERG’s (Employee Resource Groups) that cultivate community within Gallo such as the WOWS (Women of Wine & Spirits) group to help support women through networking events, mentoring, and professional development.
Q: How did you get involved with the company, and how has it helped your career growth? Irshad Fardan: “I wanted to work in a wellknown company in the industry. I wanted to be challenged and tested in order for me to grow” Nicole Bouvia: “I personally wanted the confidence that a company like Gallo has such as the communication skills it requires. I wanted a chance to overcome failures- it’s important to fail a lot in the world of sales”
Something both Irshad and Nicole stressed was the importance of the sustainability initiatives the company is taking. Among many other actions to reduce Gallo's carbon footprint, they are diverting 230,000 pounds of glass and promising to buy and preserve one acre of land for every acre bought for commerical or agricultural use.
Irshad Fardan
Nicole Bouvia
Q: What has been your biggest challenge working at E&J Gallo? Irshad Fardan: “Learning the different roles that people have in the company. For Q: What is something you wish you knew example, it’s important to dig deeper and at the beginning of your career? know why the team, manager, and buyer “Don’t procrastinate- get out there as early want things in a certain way” as possible, whether that’s doing coffee Nicole Bouvia: “Having patience in the chats or messaging on LinkedIn. Picture process. Sometimes it can be hard to deal what success looks like to you. Have the with how growth works and the stresses most time to take the most risks” that can come along with it”
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Grocery Outlet Q&A RMI partnered with Grocery Outlet's Shaneeka Lasartemay and SCU ‘21 alum Meghan Nutti to hear a about the company, their experiences and the 2022 internship program out of Emeryville, California.
Shaneeka Lasartemay
Grocery Outlet has buyers like Nutti who travel the world to find the most thrilling deals on brand name groceries while Lasartemay works in the Human Resources department and as a talent acquisition partner.
Meghan Nutti
Q: What is something you wish you knew at the beginning of your career? Shaneeka Lasartemay: “If you are interested in HR, it may be intimidating at first due to the high amount of exposure to communicating with other people and you might feel out of place. It’s important to keep an open heart and mind to the process and just be yourself” Meghan Nutti: “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You really do learn from them” Q: Do you have any advice for internship applicants for 2022? “Be sure to always tailor your resume to the different opportunities. Also, research the company before an interview and be
prepared to answer why you want to work at the certain organization. Be sure in an interview to highlight your wins and how certain challenges in the past have made you grow” Q: What is the best skill to learn and develop before you start working? Shaneeka Lasartemay: “Interpersonal skills are very important. The best employees have the best attitudes, are collaborative, and are able to work cross functionally” Meghan Nutti: “Having the confidence to present and lead discussions as well as working with people both virtually and in-person are great skills to work on”
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u R d a a n i n G
Gina Rudan talks Cultural Alchemist at X, her work driving diversity and inclusion at Google and Alphabet Inc. and her greatest accomplishments, struggles, and best advice. At X, Rudan leads people side of innovation, accelerating diversity and launching successful Alphabet companies. She fosters cultural impact by identifying challenges and creating systemic and programmatic change strategies.
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“Build your courage muscle. Experiment and push the bar with your courage.” Gina Rudan has been the Director and Cultural Alchemist at X, the moonshot factory, for five years, accelerating diversity and launching successful companies under Alphabet Inc. She is a coach for aspiration and academic challenges and manages a team of seven coaches. She ran her own coaching business for 10 years where Google was a client. Rudan designed Google’s first virtual educational series and is the best-selling author Practical Genius: A 5-Step Plan to Turn Your Talent and Passion Into Success. While she never imagined herself to be in technology or diversity as a career, she has innovated the industry through her 20+ years of ground-breaking work in inclusive innovation. Rudan pursued a master’s in public administration at Baruch College before being the Director of International Marketing at PR Newswire. Shortly after, her life completely changed when an eye infection from surgery threatened potential loss of her sight.
After graduating from Binghamton University School of Management in 1993, Gina found herself working as the manager at a nonprofit women’s research firm known as Catalyst, where she worked on the first ever women of color in corporate management research study. After two years at Catalyst, she was recruited by her first corporate company called Avon. Gina was the youngest marketing manager ever hired by the old school cosmetics company. She worked on multicultural marketing efforts and segmented marketing. This inspired Rudan to leave her corporate position behind and fulfill a lifelong dream: to investigate what it means to be a genius. In an attempt to redefine the term ‘genus’ as a choice, rather than a gift, she wrote Practical Genius, which soon became a national bestseller. According to Gina, genius is the intersection of what you’re good at, and what you love.
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While Rudan occupied many different roles in different sectors throughout her life, she stayed herself in each role and each industry. She launched her own coaching practice and became a visiting author at Google. She was soon recruited by Google within the diversity department seven years ago and led a google diversity initiative. Though she had no experience in D&I, Google believed in her because of her past experience and skill set. During her first year at Google she led a mentorship program and a virtual reality educational program, allowing the chance for users to walk through other people’s shoes. Today, she works as the head of diversity at X, the moonshot factory, where looks at systematic change.
Her position, Director and Cultural Alchemist, focuses on driving the representation of diverse hires within the organization to foster an inclusive culture and tot look at the advancement and career development of diverse populations. While reflecting upon some of her greatest accomplishments and struggles, she told RMI students that she learned early that courage pays off. “Build your courage muscle,” she said, “experiment and push the bar with your courage.” The only way to be courageous, according to Gina, is to confront fears and always try again. She continued, “When we go into organizations, we assume that we need to squash our wild.” She emphasized the importance of not conforming to society’s expectations and keeping a core essence and ingredient of who you are.
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MKTG 168 Guest Speaker Series Petco By Brittany Smith, Ellie Scheid, Bella Kozlak, Brooke Freitas, Alice Lee, and Pratinav Damani
Petco is a company focused on the health and wellness of all different kinds of animals. Not only does Petco offer pet food, supplies, and services; but they also sell select live animals at their stores. Taylor Chamberlain is Petco’s VP of Owned Brand Supplies. She was first hired at Petco as a merchandise manager before being promoted to the director of merchandising. Finally, she stepped into her current role as the VP of Owned brand supplies. In this position, Taylor participates in buying products for the stores and leads the design product development team. Two essential skills in retail according to Taylor are negotiation and public speaking & presentations. Negotiations form an integral part of her day to day job in fields such as cost and inventory management. Presentations and the art of public speaking are second nature in retail. Taylor also mentioned how one should not be too picky for their first job; students should focus on finding a job that is in their field of interests and can teach them the essential skills. Using her example of switching from fashion merchandising to Petco, she recounted her career benefited from branching out.
99 Only
By Clare Grimes, Jackson Morgan, Marissa Tsang, Riely McCullough, and Maya Loeb
The 99 retail stores are known to be a one stop shop that carries over 10,000 SKUs and has a breadth of products. The name used to be “99 Cent Only,” but because they now carry more products, they are changing their name to “99” meaning that they have items that are more than 99 cents. We heard from Bruce who is the chief merchandising officer at 99 and Matt who is the Senior VP. A key takeaway from hearing their presentation is that they are trying to change the layout of stores to make them more modern and appealing to consumers. Additionally, Matt and Bruce emphasized that they prioritize serving the community and providing their customers with quality products at a low price. They are able to have such low prices by cultivating relationships with large suppliers. Matt and Bruce also shared advice on soft and hard skills needed in the merchandise/retail world which included being curious, resilient, passionate, and knowing how to work with numbers. Asking questions and not having all the answers is a major part of merchandising and you need to be able to ask the right questions to be successful. Lastly, Bruce said we need to not be scared of numbers. He said that when he sees numbers they speak to him and mean something, which then helps him create new strategies.
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RSSA's Prep Camp: Top Tips to Land Your Dream Job The Retail Studies Student Association Guides Juniors on finding, applying and interviewing for Internships. Fall and winter brings the time of the year when Juniors and Seniors are on the internship and job hunt. To prepare students for the challenges they may encounter during the job search and skills helpful in the interview process. Students who participated were put into ZOOM breakout groups with RSSA upperclassmen o share their tips and tricks for landing a summer internship. Each breakout session was designated to a different facet of the process such as “Interviewing” or “Resume Tailoring” where students could ask questions and gain a better understanding of what is
a important to remember when preparing for these scenarios. Along with events hosted by RSSA such as Prep Camp, there is an abundance of resources available for SCU students to gain help on landing an internship and through the job search process. Many of these tools are provided by the Career Center. Through interviewing SCU Career Center staff members Noel Kreidler and Priscilla Vallejo, we gained some important information on how students are supported throughout the job search process.
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Q: What support can you offer students both virtually and non-virtually during this time? A: Here are a few key resources that students can utilize to support them in their professional development and career search: 1. Career Center Website - “do it yourself” support on resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn, etc. 2. Big Interview - practice “live” mock interviews 3. Vmock - online resume review tool 4. Virtual Employer Events - from large career fairs to smaller industry pop-ins 5. 1:1 Career Counseling - discuss topics ranging from exploring what you can do with your major to conducting a successful job search
Q: What advice would you give students who are encountering rejection in their job search process?
A: It is important for students to normalize rejection, it is a part of the process. Rather than dwell on the rejection, be reflective and receptive to your experience. Look at it as an opportunity to learn. Sometimes rejection happens because you just weren’t the right fit for the position, regardless of how well you prepared for the interview. And sometimes, maybe you did not prepare enough. It can never hurt to ask for feedback from your recruiters after an interview. It is important to remember not to put all your eggs in one basket, especially now. Students should be open minded, creative, and flexible in their job search. Priscilla and Noel find that these 6 steps for the job search process are important to consider as well throughout the entire process: 1. Self Assessment: evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, what you like and don’t like, what courses you have taken 2. Refine your resume and LinkedIn. Get support: set up time to meet with a career center coach or LSB Peer Career Consultants 3. Find a tool to keep you organized. Eg. create a spreadsheet or other tool to organize your research, tasks, to-do’s, etc. 4. Begin considering possible career paths: join clubs, chat with professors, network with alumni, conduct informational interviews 5. Continue to research more companies and fields that interest you narrow down your list over time 6. Set goals and track your progress
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The 2021/22 RSSA Magazine Team
BROOKE ELDRIDGE
CASEY HILL
MADDIE FISHMAN
Editor-In-Chief
Editor
Editor
I joined RMI my first quarter of freshman year— before I had declared any major, minor, or pathway at SCU. I ultimately seek a career in branding within the fashion or beauty industries; having all encompassing retail management training is thus a pivotal part of my college education.
Right when I heard about the RMI program I knew it would be a perfect fit for me! I joined my freshman year to start gaining knowledge on the business side of the fashion industry which I hope to work in one day.
I joined RMI during Spring quarter of freshman year to allow myself the opportunity for a more wellrounded college education. As a Communications major, I wanted to explore business courses with an emphasis on retail. RMI has led me to discover that I want to pursue a career in personal relations within the retail and beauty.
My favorite part of fall quarter was definitely learning how to lead the RSSA Magazine team. I have really enjoyed writing and designing with the team. Fun fact: My dream job is to be the creative director for a brand within the fashion or beauty industry.
Being a part of the RMI magazine has been one of my favorite parts of the minor along with attending guest speaker events and internship workshops. Fun fact: I learned at a young age how to sew and I enjoyed expressing my creativity through making clothes
My favorite part of fall quarter was the opportunity to participate in Bloomreach’s merchandising certification course. I am looking forward to attending the Shoptalk conference in Las Vegas with RMI this upcoming spring. Fun fact: I will be interning with CMM PR as a Personal Relations Intern this upcoming spring!
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The 2021/22 RSSA Executive Board Team The Retail Management Institute at Santa Clara University has an executive team with a number of different committees. Each position within the committees requires commitment, leadership, detailoriented individuals with good follow through, and most importantly, strong communication skills; qualities that are also important in any career path one may choose. The executive board is composed of the president, corporate liaison, recruiting committee, philanthropy committee, mentoring team, marketing committee, magazine committee, and special projects team.
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Emily Chao Role: President From: Fullerton, CA Major: Finance Minor: Retail studies & Ancient Studies Favorite Retailer: Target
Peyton Darrow Role: Corporate Liason From: Mukilteo, WA Major: Marketing, Minor: Retail studies & French Favorite Retailer: Sephora
Maya Denzel Role: Recruiting Chair From: Singapore Major: Marketing & Psychology, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Nike
Elizabeth O'Hollearn Role: Recruiting Committee From: Denver, CO Major: Finance, Minor: Real estate & Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Free People
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Laura Darza Role: Operations Director From: Cebu, Philippines Major: MIS, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Costco
Katelyn Wong Role: Recruiting Committee
Katelyn Johnson Role: Onboarding Director From: Santa Rosa, CA Major: Business Management & Communications, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Nordstrom
Kelsey Parker Role: Recruiting Committee From: Seattle, WA Major: Communication, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Reformation
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Alex Park Role: Philanthropy Chair From: Portland, Oregon Major: Business Management. Minor: Retail studies Favorite Retailer: Patagonia
Judy Hsu Role: Philanthropy Board From: Taiwan Major: Marketing, Minor: Retail Studies & MIS Favorite Retailer: Sephora
Chloe Schechter Role: Philanthropy Board From: Los Angeles, CA Major: Marketing, Minor: Retail Studies & Studio Art Favorite Retailer: Erewhon
Monica Cedillos Role: Philanthropy Board From: Daly City, CA Major: Marketing, Minor: Studio Art & Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Levi's
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Jaya Kapoor Role: Director of DE&I From: Hillsborough, CA. Major: Communications, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Aritzia or The RealReal
Camryn Yuen Role: Mentoring Chair From: Foster City, California Major: Marketing, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: SSENSE
Carly Cieciura Role: Mentoring Chair From: Chicago, IL Major: Marketing, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Revolve
Caroline Caruso Role: Social Media Director From: Burlingame, CA Major: Communications, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Revolve
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Samantha Santos Role: Graphic Design Director From: Manila, Philippines Major: Marketing, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Aritzia
Anna Becker Role: Marketing Director From: Portland, Oregon Major: Communication, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Nike
Brooke Eldridge Role: Magazine Editor-in-Chief From: Kansas City, MO Major: Marketing, Minor: Retail Studies & Studio Art Favorite Retailer: Everlane
Casey Hill Role: Magazine Committee From: Bellevue , Washington Major: Finance, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Scotch & Soda
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Madison Fishman Role: Magazine Committee From: Westchester, NY Major: Communication. Minor: Retail studies Favorite Retailer: Levi's
Sydney Olson Role: Social Events Director From: Chatham, NJ Major: Communication, Minor: Retail Studies Favorite Retailer: Lonely Ghost
Agency R Agency R, created within the Retail Management Institute, reflects the points of engagement within the RMI Community through strategic focus areas designed to support the retail studies student connections, growth and experiences. The Agency R Team collaborates across the Retail Studies Student Association (RSSA), Program Recruiting, Social Media and Program On-Boarding with each member contributing their ideas, innovative solutions and talents to provide the most amazing RMI experience for our students. With the return to in-person classes and activities, we have worked together to adjust to its changes and challenges, while supporting a strong community with impactful opportunities.
Emily Chao RSSA President
Maya Denzel Director of Recruiting
Caroline Caruso Social Media Director
Katy Johnson On-Boarding Director
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RSSA Fall Events Digital Merchandising Program with Bloomreach: 9/7 - 9/9
GAP Inc Internship Program: 9/21
Junior Prep Camp: 9/28
Levi's Watch Party: 10/12
Innovative Companies Leading Business and Retail Pop-in with CVS, Target, Kohl's and Enterprise: 10/14
RMI Meet the Minor: 10/21
Google's Moonshot Factory DE&I with Gina Rudan: 10/27
E&J Gallo: 11/2
RMI Philanthropy Speaker: Next Door Solutions: 11/16
Grocery Outlet: 11/18
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Retail Management Institute Advisory Board
Faculty & Staff
Barry J. Feld, Chairman
Kirthi Kalyanam, Ph.D., Executive Director,
Kirthi Kalyanam Ph.D.
Retail Management Institute
RMI Executive Director
Wei Shi Ph.D., Marketing Professor
Cindy Cooper, Projects & Programs Director
Kamelia Aryafar, Google Kris Bazán ’92, ’99 MBA, Apple Mark Brashear ‘83, Consulting and Serving on Board of Directors' Soumik Chatterjee, Petco Michelle DeMartini-Wlazlo, JCPenney Barry Gilbert, WineVIP
Retail Studies Student Association Executive Board
Gautam Gupta, M13 Ventures, Co-Founder NatureBox Mark Lavelle, Magento, an Adobe company Jim Miller, Wayfair Matt Murphy ‘02, Montage Ventures Mike Osorio ‘84, Tori Richard Ltd. Gisel Ruiz ‘92, retired, Wal-Mart Michael Schriver, Louis Vuitton John Strain ‘90, Gap Inc.
Emeritus Kent Anderson Ken Duane David Folkman Ellen Magnin Newman Philip Schlein Joseph Tomaselli
Emily Chao, President Peyton Darrow, Corporate Liaison Alex Park, Philanthropy Chair Philanthropy Board: Judy Hsu, Chloe Schechter, Monica Cedillos Jaya Kapoor, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Maya Denzel, Recruiting Chair Recruiting Committee: Elizabeth O'Hollearn, Katelyn Wong, Kelsey Parker Mentoring Chairs: Camryn Yuen, Carly Cieciura Anna Becker, Marketing Director Samantha Santos, Graphic Design Director Caroline Caruso, Social Media Director Brooke Eldridge, RMI Magazine Editor in Chief Editors: Madison Fishman, Casey Hill Sydney Olson, Social Events Director Special Projects and Events Director: Lilly Grace McLoughlin Laura Darza, Operations Director Katelyn Johnson, Onboarding director
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R E T A I L
RMI
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I N S T I T U T E
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