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RETAIL'S FUTURE
SPRING 2019 ISSUE II Our Mission The mission of the Retail Management Institute, RMI, at Santa Clara University is to: Provide a platform for deep collaboration between leading academics and industry luminaries to generate shared knowledge Prepare Retail Studies students for success in the new world of technology driven retail.
FEATURES 03 Editor's Note 04 Retail Exposure in New York 05 Catching up with RMI Alumi 06 Highlighting the Class of 2019 07 RSSA Takes Learning Beyond the Classroom 09 Landing in Vegas: Shoptalk 2019 10 Recap of First Annual Senior Capstone Projects 11 The Newest Members of the RMI Advisory Board 12 A Farewell from Lauren Tauriac '19 13 Cynthia's Thank You to RSSA 2018-2019 14 RSSA Events Galore
EDITOR'S NOTE Hello! Another school year has concluded, and it was eventful as always. In the second and final issue of the 2018-2019 school year, you are going see the Retail Management Institute, RMI, has been very busy since the beginning of January. Our many adventures have taken us to places as close as San Francisco and as far as Manhattan and Las Vegas. My name is Joycelyn George, and I am a second year student at SCU. This is my first year working on the RMI Magazine, and it has been been a pleasure to be able to create this magazine for all of you. I have led the move that took us from a print newsletter to a digital one. I thank you for your patience as we continue to evolve. As you might have noticed, the theme looks a bit different; we’re experimenting with design to find what best fits RMI’s personality. As the News Editor, I am always looking for innovative and creative ways to present RMI. What makes RMI so important to me? RMI is helping me find my place at SCU. I was fortunate to have been able to go to New York for the NRF Conference, and it showed me many possibilities where I could take my career. Being the News Editor allowed me to combine my interests for digital design with business. I look forward to seeing where RMI will lead me next!
PC Sandra Jamaleddine
Thank you for staying tuned to RMI's news and events, and we look forward to catching up with you all in the upcoming school year. Have a great summer and see you in the fall! Sincerely,
Joycelyn George RSSA Editor in CHief
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Retail Exposure in New York Since 2004, Retail Studies students have been able to apply for the Jill Curran Scholarship, which culminates in selected students having the privilege of attending the National Retail Fedeation's (NRF) Retail Big's Show in New York City in early January. It is a true honor to receive the scholarship, started by the late Jill Curran’s family: parents John and Judy Curran, and her older sisters, Jodie (SCU ‘00) and Jennifer.
Indeed, Jill’s spirit is still alive and well here at SCU! Having recently returned from NYC as a Jill Curran scholar, I feel a different kind of appreciation for this opportunity. The sense of connection to Jill and her impact on the SCU community and previous scholarship recipients is significant, as is the gratitude to her family and RMI for fostering such experiences each year. Company visits were a major highlight of the trip. PVH Head Design Michael Flynn met with us in the office's IZOD showroom on Monday morning. SCU alumna and Account Executive Dylan Carlin ('13) also joined us! We talked brand ownership vs. licensing, supply chain management, advertising, design campaigns, and owned brands. That afternoon, the Jill Curran scholars were given a fabulous presentation in the John Varvatos showroom. Over coffee, CEO Mark Brashear (SCU ‘83) and his team showed us who the brand is, JV market penetration and digital transformation, as well as its indexes on the L2 Digital IQ scoring index. We learned of marketing initiatives and the delightfully intricate CRM process. Following our Monday company visits, we had dinner with alumnae Julianna Johnson (‘08), Divisional Merchandise
BY MARLOWE CAMBLIN
Manager at Gucci and Lizzy Sullivan (‘08), Buying Director for One King’s Lane. Some of their words of wisdom included advice to ask pointed questions about company initiatives and culture when interviewing. Johnson believes that one should always know a company inside-out before going to an interview. This usually means visiting stores, websites, and social media pages, and touching product, if possible! "Our close contact with so many alumni over the weekend is a testament to the power of the SCU community. For me, the alumni dinner was the perfect way to keep in mind my reason for being in NYC, and what the Jill Curran Scholarship means: a passion for retail and life in general, and an urge to connect with and uplift our Santa Clara community." On Tuesday, we made the ascent to JCDecaux North America in the Empire State Building. Mark Costa, Chief Digital Officer, presented the ins and outs of advertising firm JCDecaux North America, the company’s French origins, and its global reach. We were educated on security measures and nuances in the street furniture and digital billboard industry, as well as the extensive agreements with cities and the service initiatives the company owns, like bike sharing and public toilets. Mr. Costa was even kind enough to take us to the building’s observatory deck. We lunched with Co-CEO, JeanLuc Decaux, who shared his stories of growing up in Paris and how he connects his roots to his job within the family company. Through our individual New York experiences, we have all been further empowered to become the next leaders in the future of retail and to remain conscientious citizens of the Santa Clara community. (Click here to view the full article) RETAIL MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE
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CATCHING UP WITH RMI ALUMNI VERONICAÂ RIBEIRO '17 Veronica is a Merchandise Analyst for Women's Modern Shoes at Nordstrom and was the RSSA president from 2015 - 2017.
RSSA: As a recent alumni, what do you feel is one of the most valuable lessons you have learned as you have transitioned from the college world to the corporate world? Veronica: College is a time where you can explore your interests in many disciplines and subjects. In the early years at school, that exploration is encouraged and without consequence. As I've taken on my new role, I've tried to take the same approach. None of your jobs are permanent - accept what sounds interesting and learn from it! There's always an opportunity to start over as you become more aware of your longterm interests and goals. RSSA: Can you share a piece of advice about the retail industry or life in general that you learned and always follow? Veronica: Retail is evolving SO very quickly! Every day my role is changing to better meet the needs of the customer and be more aligned with the digital shift that's been happening for some time. Do what you can to embrace the change and the speed at which it's all occurring - you'll be better off for it!
JOHN STRAIN '90 John is currently the General Manager for the Retail and Consumer Goods Industry at Salesforce. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for Leslie's Poolmart and a member of RMI's Advisory Board.
"RMI provided a beautiful blend of philosophical concepts and pragmatic realities that helped prepare me for my career. And, the retail industry background is something that gave me a leg up as I started my career in consulting. I already knew the concepts, so I could focus on executing."
RSSA: Your recently began your role at Salesforce having left Williams-Sonomas as the digital EVP - how has the transition from a retail based organization to a techcentric CRM company been for you? John: Coming from a combined background of both a consultant and an operator, this is the third leg of the stool. The interesting differences have been Scale, Transparency and Collaboration. On the Scale side, Salesforce is a massive company. Just getting my bearings in the context of a company with that size can be disorienting. But, with the scale comes interesting insights. During 2018 Holiday Peak, we sent over 21B emails. Saw 240M visitors to the sites of our 150,000 customers. And, we transacted $2.4B in gross merchandise value. We are operating at a scale with only a handful of companies (e.g., Amazon). From a transparency perspective, I was shocked at how the company is so consistently open with their planning process. On the first three days of the fiscal year, the co-CEO's pulled the top 500 executives into a room and reviewed and asked for feedback on the plans for the year. On top of that, the entire exercise was simulcast to the rest of the company in real time, so anyone who wanted to follow along could. And, on the collaboration front, I am amazed at how quickly and openly the teams share information. Every meeting is a video chat. They have adopted the technology and it is foundationally part of the execution motion. RSSA: What has been your greatest professional achievement? John: I understand that before I joined, they had had seven CIOs in eight years. My job first and foremost was to stabilize the leadership and build a team and a vision that could help support the growing dynamic business at Williams-Sonoma. Ultimately, we had a great run. During our time, we grew our store count to 600, went international and drove our penetration of ecommerce to total sales to 54%. That is a great number for a traditional brick-and-mortar based retailer with over $5B in revenue. We assembled a great team and worked in great partnership to make it happen. My greatest achievement is having been part of that team.
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Discovering their futures
THE CLASS OF 2019 IS TAKING OFF FROM SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY IN SEARCH OF NEW BEGINNINGS AND CONTINUED SUCCESS BY JOYCELYN GEORGE
MARLOWE CAMBLIN MARKETING & MERCHANDISING ROTATIONAL ANALYST, WALGREENS RMI's connection and relationship with the National Retail Federation allowed me to network and land interviews and scholarships with Retail's BIG show my junior and senior years. Becoming an NRF Next Generation 2018 finalist and a Jill Curran scholar for 2019 opened lots of doors for me: meeting alumni, getting inside looks at companies with strong SCU connections, and landing an internship and full-time job are just a few. I'm so grateful that RMI is such a positive, encouraging community where students and professionals alike pool their resources and work together to make it a rewarding experience for all!
KATIE MALUEG MARKETING ANALYST, CRM & DIGITAL, WILLIAMS-SONOMA INC. As a communication major, I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to combine my arts and sciences coursework with a broad-based business curriculum uniquely offered by RMI. Without the program, I would not have been exposed to a variety of business topics, been prepared for internship opportunities or have been extended a permanent offer from Williams-Sonoma Inc.
MIMI NAJMABADI UNIVERSITY RECRUITING PROGRAM COORDINATOR, TWITTER RMI's focus on industry experience and internships helped drive me to find an internship in an industry I wanted to try out. RMI does an excellent job preparing its students for interviews and networking.
LAUREN TAURIAC BUYING AND PLANNING INTERN, NORDSTROM RMI has been my home at SCU for the last four years and the reason why I chose to attend SCU. The second I walked through the Leavey School of Business doors, I knew I had to apply. RMI has given me so much, and I truly don't believe I will even be able to repay an organization that has been so pivotal in my life. RMI has allowed me to grow into the confident, driven, and team-oriented woman that I have always strived to be and helped me in securing my dream job. It has been an honor to serve as the president of this amazing organization during my senior year. My college experience wouldn't have been complete without RMI. Thank you.
LEAH TAURIAC STAFF AUDITOR, DELOITTE Retail has always been a passion of mine. Even though I have decided not to pursue a career directly related to retail, the plethora of skills and lessons that RMI has bestowed upon me are of immeasurable importance to me. RMI taught me how to follow my passions, professionally network, work in a team of amazing women and men, and most importantly, not shy away from change and innovation (similar to the world of retail). So thank you, RMI for everything; it has been an honor to be a small part of such an impactful organization.
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TAKING LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM STITCH FIX CORPORATE TOURÂ by Emily Machado & Sara Solomon
We had the privilege of touring Stitch Fix who has pioneered the data revolution in retail. A panel of seven SCU alums ranging from Class of 1999 to 2018 spoke to us about their experiences at Stitch Fix and what has allowed them to thrive as a styling e-commerce platform. Stitch Fix is often viewed as the intersection between technology and retail, however, they differentiate themselves from the technology stereotype by being a woman-led company and veering away from cutthroat culture. Their environment allows employees to bring their full-selves to work as soon as they start and genuinely want each other to succeed. Employees are organically given feedback rather than asking for it in order to further their growth and development. Stitch Fix is well-known for their mass amounts of data on consumer tastes, item fit, and trends from their 4,000 stylists, which drives their business decisions. They replenish items through an algorithm and utilize their advanced supply chain and merchandising to fill the gaps between their inventory and consumer needs by adding in their own products. These data-driven decisions allow them to tie different pieces of information together to create something they know will be successful. Their Founder and CEO Katrina Lake has been a public advocate of equality in the workplace, leading by example as she took advantage of her full maternity leave for both of her children. Stitch Fix has recently expanded to include men's and children's apparel and is currently working on their international entrance. One of our own RMI alums Julia Pasquarella Class of 2014 packed the first men's fix!
BRINGING RETAIL TO SANTA CLARA ACCENTURE RETAIL INNOVATION DISCUSSION by Mary O'Neill
One of the many perks of the Retail Studies Student Association (RSSA) is the networking events that it hosts. On May 8th, the Retail Studies Student Association in collaboration with SCU Women in Business hosted Accenture for an evening of all things retail. Zack Tobias, a Retail Management Consultant from Accenture’s retail and product division, shared with the audience the latest and greatest technology in retail. He discussed the shift to more experiential retail, and the importance of optimizing the in store experience. He explained how so many retailers are currently trying to compete with Amazon. He argues that instead of trying to beat Amazon, retailers should focus on doing what they do best. For some, that might be E-commerce, but for others, it might be reimagining its in store experience to recapture and maintain customers. After he presented on the latest trends in retail, Sara Buxton, the NorCal Campus Recruiting Manager at Accenture, shared with students career opportunities. She gave tips and tricks for the application process and provided valuable insights into what a career in management consulting can look like. The event was followed by a reception for networking. Students then had the opportunity to ask the Accenture team questions regarding the application process, the retail industry, and what a career with Accenture looks like.
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Landing in Vegas: SHoptalk 2019 "Retail is changing," consumer data is important," "the consumer experience matters most," "brick and mortar stores are not dead, just changing".... these are some of the different phrases that our Retail Management Institute's (RMI) juniors have had thrown at them since they became a part of RMI. Many of us hear these statements but just believe that they are true, without actually fully comprehending the reasoning. For two days at Shoptalk in Las Vegas, the RMI juniors had the opportunity to discover the validity of such opinions, as well as see the interconnection between retail and innovation. Nineteen of the RMI's Class of 2020 Juniors and RMI Faculty had the opportunity on March 3rd and 4th to attend Shoptalk as the first university to ever attend Retail's Best Show - the world's largest conference for retail and ecommerce. With such an abundance of knowledge, it appears as if attendees received a degree in retail. Our students learned as much as they could during the two days of their attendance. They felt that this was a once in a lifetime experience to talk one-on-one with some of retail's best innovators and listen to keynote speakers that lead successful retail companies, such as Erik Nordstrom, the co-president of Nordstrom. Katie Kelley '20 shared, "I thoroughly enjoyed hearing speakers talk about a range of topics from the importance of the consumer emotion and experience (in
BY LAUREN TAURIAC
both brick and mortar stores as well as transferring that to eCommerce platforms) to the ideals of conscientious capitalism and sustainability in the retail industry." Through Shoptalk, students noted how this experience truly embodies one of RMI's key focus of taking learning experiences outside of the classroom. Students also attended a private lunch with Michelle Schumaker, a retail expert at Google, and Brock Weatherup, EVP Strategic Innovation and Digital Experience at PETCO and RMI Advisory Board member. Erica Cabrera '20 recalls the lunch as being on of her favorite parts of the overall trip: "Having that personal feel where we can ask any question and share our experience was very nice." Overall, the students could not emphasize enough how they appreciated the opportunity to go to Shoptalk to become more familiar with the retail industry from an innovation perspective as well as become closer to fellow students that they might not have connected with otherwise. The ultimate goal is for our RMI juniors is to take these learning experiences both about the retail industry and each other as individuals to their Senior Capstone (Marketing 169 with Professor Kirthi Kalyanam) in order to create their own retail innovations.
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Senior Capstone Projects RMI Seniors concluded their senior year with Professor Kirthi Kalyanam's Marketing 169 class, where they cultivated their entrepreneurial spirit and created innovative projects that brought together the intersection of technology and retail.
Study Buddy A service that makes college an absolute breeze and a student an entrepreneur by Taylor Fetter, Mimi Najmabadi, Madeleine Ripley, Adrianna Oliver, Ryba Bhullar & Sara Solomon
ZeroWaste Creating sustainable retail in a store that does not generate any waste by Laine Crowder, Lilli Morgan, Mary O'Neill, Allison Guess & Ellie Girgis (not pictured)
MyChef Where food is not an everyday commodity but an experience by Lauren Tauriac, Gabby Quintana, Heather Alton, Loren Fan & Leah Tauriac
Bamboo Beauty Merging sustainability and beauty by Laura Blake, Addie Farance, Megan Doll, & Alexis Honighausen
Style Swap Making sharing clothes with friends a convenient and money saving task by Marlowe Camblin, Francesca Tiballi, Kaitlyn Gahrmann, Katie Malueg & Mariana Orocio
DeliverUrStore Creating the delivery service for every item imaginable by Meg Rose, Andrea Jiang, Omar Luna, Josie Barsi & Emily Machado Photos courtesy of D. Jedlovec
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THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE RMI ADVISORY BOARD MATT MURPHY '02 Matt is currently a Partner at Montage Ventures where he invests in early stage companies looking to evolve the Finance, HealthCare, and eCommerce markets. He is excited to share his experience in career building and investing in startups with the Retail Studies students.
RSSA: As the retail industry grows and advances, what are you most excited to see develop in the industry? Matt: The brands of tomorrow are being created today. Consumer expectations have evolved forcing companies to rapidly innovate to meet these needs. Its fascinating to watch new retail/commerce brands form and scale over the last few years and become multi-billion dollar corporations, disrupting existing players who have been around for decades. Retail is experiencing this evolution now and moments like this don't come around often. RSSA: Can you share a piece of advice about the retail industry or life in general that you learned and always follow? Matt: When you are young, always say "yes" to new opportunities. As you grow older and your time is more valuable to you than money - you can at that point start saying "no." Saying yes is the quickest and most efficient way to learn.
BROCK WEATHERUP Brock has been able to work in business area that he is passionate about: ReserveAmerica with outdoor recreation, Fathead with sports & entertainment. and pets with PETCO. He also hopes to bring the entrepreneurship perspective to the RMI Advisory Board.
RSSA: What has been your greatest professional achievement? Brock: Seeing the reactions of the teams and especially the core beginning teams that were there from day one celebrating when we closed each sale. It was someone validating the risk, work, sweat, and gamble that each of them made in building the business together. RSSA: As the retail industry grows and advances, what are you most excited to see develop in the industry? Brock: The importance of the customers direct relationship with the product or service brand... and within that how do retailers build and own those "experiences" so the consumers knows it is worth it to take the time to go to a store vs order it online. The industry has been so wonderfully disrupted Live with intention. Plan what you by the D2C opportunities, Amazon and the consumer improvements implemented by the larger want to do personally with the same players of Walmart & Target. intensity that you build a business. It is how you generate happiness."
GAUTAM GUPTA Gautam began his career at General Catalyst, and then took his passion for nutrition to start Naturebox. Gupta brings his entrepreneurship perspective to the RMI Advisory Board.
RSSA: What has been your greatest professional achievement? Gautam: Many brands are created every year, and I'm sure we all lose count of the number brands we interact with on a daily basis. We managed to build NatureBox into a company with 40% brand awareness across the US with over two million customers. That goes well beyond our wildest dreams of what we thought was possible. It's so amazing to hear when someone says they've heard about our company or even tried some of our products. RSSA: As the retail industry grows and advances, what are you most excited to see develop in the industry? Gautam: Undoubtedly, retail is changing in the US and abroad. It is an industry that is pervasive in the daily habits and culture of our country and whenever such a large industry evolves, there is plenty of opportunity for learning and growth. I believe retail is changing to be demand centric whatever the consumer wants, when they want it. Just as catalog retail was a force of disruption long ago, the internet has enabled consumers to shop from an infinite assortment. Consumers now have more information at their fingertips than ever before which means that they can educate themselves on products/brands and price compare in minutes. This access to information is going to raise the bar in retail for retailers and brands, and I'm excited to see how companies elevate the shopping experience as a result.
Photos courtesy of D. Jedlovec
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A FAREWELL FROM THE RSSA PRESIDENT RMI has been the bookends of my college career. My interested started when I opened a Marie Clarie magazine & found an article about a buyer. From then I immediately searched up colleges that had programs related to retail, and RMI at Santa Clara University was the first one that caught my eye. Now, it is the conclusion of my senior year, and I have had the absolute honor to be the RSSA president from 2018 - 2019. At the beginning of this year, I had written down three clear goals for myself: create a community, curate growth, and cultivate awareness. These were all very lofty goals, that if I'm being honest, I thought were going to be a long-shot. However, with the help of the amazing, committed RMI staff as well as the most brilliant, executive board these once lofty goals have now become a reality. In flipping through the pages of this magazine, I hope you can just see the sense of community that is here among all of our students, regardless of their major or grade. We are a community of like-minded individuals who love retail and want to be disruptors in our own ways. At times we may compete against each other for jobs or that once in a lifetime internship, but we are here to help each other every step of the way. Our growth is evident in our rising junior class, (50 members and growing)! I am so excited to see more people join RMI and seeing the opportunity that is right here at Santa Clara. Lastly, this growth would not be possible without curating awareness. Through asking students to complete various surveys, we have found that we have five different touch points where we have the opportunity to interact with students: our digital presence, SCU Preview Days/Involvement Fairs, classroom visits, Meet the Minor Nights, and RMI students' personal interactions. Each time a prospective student gains a different insight into all we have to offer as an organization, and it makes them excited to join. In general, the growth that we have seen this year alone would not have been possible without each and every student that either told their friends about RMI, directed someone to our website, or shared our Instagram story. They are the true faces of RMI, and it has been a privilege to see them shine and succeed. I know all of this success will continue forward in the future plus some with Anelly Allmen, the new RSSA President for 2019 2020, and her passionate executive board. I am so excited for the future of this organization, and as always, it has been an absolute honor and privilege to represent an organization that has done so much for me. It is always hard to end a chapter, but I know the story will continue forward even better! Thank you for everything...
Lauren Tauriac RSSA President 2018 - 2019
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THANK YOU RSSA! FROM CYNTHIA GAMAGE, RMI'S ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR It is with extreme gratitude that I recognize and thank the Retail Studies Student Association Executive Board. This year they have accomplished amazing work and I couldn’t be more thrilled on how they expanded the retail studies program. They put their heart and soul into creating visibility and essential branding for the Retail Studies Minor. I’m most excited how their collaborative efforts showed up in the Class of 2021, our current sophomore class, which now stands at 52 students. This has great impact and the distinction of being RMI’s largest class in our 40 year history! I have always said, it’s the students that make us great. 2018/19 was a busy year! They not only organized company tours, classroom recruiting visits, but they are involved with community outreach raising money through bake sales and being of service through clothing drives focused on underprivileged teen girls. This was all accomplished through our student President, Lauren Tauriac. She leads a team of 14 made up of a Corporate Liaison, Fundraising, Mentoring, News Editor, Social Media Director, Mission Outreach, Recruiting and their supporting committees. Lauren works in the RMI office and leads her team in all ways possible. She is also office support and helps guide us on best practices regarding student interest. I want to thank Lauren and the following students for taking leadership positions: Lauren Tauriac, President; Mary O’Neill, Senior Vice President; Emily Machado, Corporate Liaison; Leah Tauriac, Fundraising Chair; Loren Fan & Taylor Fetter, Mentoring Chair; Joycelyn George, News Editor; Lilli Morgan, Social Media Director; Betsy Alderman & Gabby Quintana, Mission Outreach Chairs; Sara Solomon, Recruiting Chair; Claire Edwards, Cecilia Fan, Olivia Mannion & Lyssa Urrutia, Recruitment Committee. I also want to thank the students who were helpful to each team leader; to make things happen and to keep us focused on what’s important Educating the whole person by developing the student with the best opportunities in support of their time at SCU. We wish them much success in their future careers. Bravo to a wonderful group!
Cynthia Gamage RMI Associate Director
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RSSA Events Winter & Spring 2019 RMI TAKES ON NEW YORK Jill Curan Scholarship students visit the Empire State Building (above). After attending sessions at Retail's Big Show, RMI students were able to explore New York City, and one of the activities included watching Mean Girls on Broadway (below, left). A big congratulations to Olivia Mannion, a top 25 finalist in the Next Generation Scholarship (below, right).
JUNIOR INTERNSHIP FAIRE Every year, RMI hosts the internship faire for juniors who are looking to find an internship in the upcoming summer for BUSN 198R. Partnering companies included: Cost Plus World Market, Target, Nordstrom, DFS, Levi's, Gallo, Growth Collaborative, Albertsons Companies, Crate & Barrel, Mercado Global and Gap, inc. (above).
January 10-14: NRF Conference and NYC January 31: Internship Panel for Juniors February 6: Internship Faire February 13: Stitch Fix Corporate Tour March 1: The Nines Charity Drive March 18: MKTG 169 Project Presentations April 11: RSSA Spring Social April 16: Chipotle Fundraiser April 24: Meet the Minor April 26: Gap HQ Tour May 8: Accenture Panel May 15: Mendocino Farms Fundraiser May 16: Adobe Collaboration May 22: RMI Advisory Board Meeting June 14: RMI Graduation, Adobe Lodge June 15: Class of 2019 Graduation
MEET THE MINOR RSSA hosts a Meet the Minor panel where students of all majors can come learn about what RMI is all about. Panelists in this session were Olivia Mannion, Emily Machado, and Lyssa Urrtua (above). RETAIL MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE
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SENIOR CAPSTONE PROJECTS RMI hosted it's first annual Senior Capstone Project presentations. The capstone projects were done in Marketing 169, taught by Professor Kirthi Kalyanam. Judges on the panel were: Professor Kalyanam, Jodi Goldberg (Google Retail), Gautam Gupta (Naturebox founder, Venture Capitalist and RMI Advisory Board Member), Brock Weatherup (Petco and RMI Advisory Board Member), and Matt Murphy (Montage Venture and RMI Advisory Board Member) Congratulations to all the seniors! (below)
GAP INC. RMI students visited Gap Inc.'s headquarters in San Francisco, CA. (left)
GIVE BACK NIGHT WITH MENDOCINO FARMS RSSA hosted a Give Back Night with Mendocino Farms, Santana Row. 20% of all proceeds were donated back to RMI (left). SPRING SOCIAL Thank you to RSSA Mentoring Chairs, Loren Fan '19 and Taylor Fetter '19 for a fun evening of conversation and refreshments!
ADOBE WORKSHOP Adobe Ambassadors came to SCU and hosted a headshot & resume workshop. RMI students got headshots taken, and learned to use Adobe Lightroom and InDesign to create a resume. RETAIL MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE
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Retail Management Institute RMI advisory board Barry J. Feld, Chairman—Cost Plus World Market Kirthi Kalyanam Ph.D., RMI Director Kent Anderson—Gear UP Consulting Lisa Bougie ‘91—Brand Advisor, Former Stitchfix Mark Brashear ‘83—John Varvatos Enterprises Soumik Chatterjee—Petco Michelle DeMartini-Wlazlo—Target Ken Duane—Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. Tom Fanoe ‘68—Thomas Fanoe Consulting Barry Gilbert—WineVIP Gautam Gupta—NatureBox, co-founder and VC Mark Lavelle—Magento, an Adobe company Amy Montagne ‘93—Nike Matt Murphy ‘02—Montage Ventures Mike Osario ‘84—Tori Richard Gisel Ruiz ‘92—Wal-Mart Michael Schriver—Louis Vuitton John Strain ‘90—Salesforce Chantel Waterbury ‘97—INSPR Brock Weatherup—Former Petco
Emeritus David Folkman Ellen Magnin Newman
Philip Schlein Joseph Tomaselli
PC Jedlovec
Our Faculty & Staff Kirthi Kalyanam, Ph.D., Director, Retail Management Institute Gail Kirby, Ph.D., Marketing Professor Wei Shi Ph.D., Marketing Professor Cynthia Gamage, Associate Director, RMI Cindy Cooper, Project & Programs Manager
2018-2019 RSSA executive board Lauren Tauriac, President Mary O’Neill, Senior Vice President Emily Machado, Corporate Liaison Leah Tauriac, Fundraising Chair Loren Fan & Taylor Fetter, Mentoring Chair Joycelyn George, News Editor Lilli Morgan, Social Media Director Betsy Alderman & Gabby Quintana, Mission Outreach Chairs Sara Solomon, Recruiting Chair Claire Edwards, Cecilia Fan, Olivia Mannion & Lyssa Urrutia, Recruitment Committee
MEET ANELLY ALLMEN "As the new RSSA President for the 2019-2020 school year, I’m very excited to get to know everyone and I look forward to being an approachable resource on campus. I hope to foster a strong community amongst the current members to make RSSA the best it can be for all those involved. I believe that laying down a good foundation within the community itself will encourage others to join the program. I believe that RMI is the best kept secret at SCU and would encourage everyone to participate in what we have to offer as an organization." RETAIL MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE
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Santa Clara University Retail Management Institute 111 Lucas Hall Santa Clara, CA 95035-0399
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