RMI Magazine Edition: Winter/Spring 2022 by Retail Management Institute @ Santa Clara University

RMI R E T A I L

M A N A G E M E N T

WINTER & SPRING 2022

I N S T I T U T E

SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY

I S S U E

W I N T E R

S P R I N G

2 0 2 2

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 Magazine Editor-in-Chief Brooke Eldridge and Editor Madison Fishman 04 A Farewell Note from Cindy Cooper 05 Introducing Casey Hill - 2022/23 RSSA President 06 MKTG 165 Classroom Visits 08 Annual DE&I Check-in 10 RMI Brings Select Students to Shoptalk 11 2022 Trends in Business Attire 14 thredUP Company Feature 16 Swap for Good 18 RMI Alumni Buying and Merchandising Tips & Tricks 20 Merchandising 101 22 Visual Merchandising with Faherty 23 E&J Gallo Coffee Chats 24 Crate & Barrel Internship Program 25 A Conversation with Afterpay 26 Williams Sonoma Post-Grad Opportunities

Notes from RSSA Magazine Editorin-Chief, Brooke Eldridge & Editor Madison Fishman Hi everyone! My name is Brooke Eldridge, and I am the Editor-in-Chief for this magazine. This is my second year as a part of the magazine committee, but I have been in RMI since my first quarter of freshman year. Before SCU, I lived in Kansas City, Missouri, since I was three years old. Though the midwest is home, the west coast has always been a big part of my life because my entire family lives in California and Arizona. As I'm studying Retail Studies alongside Marketing and Studio Art, I am passionate about the creative translation of businesses into cohesive brands. Thus, I think the best word to describe me is "storyteller." I ultimately strive to explore the creative aspects of retail branding. I am looking forward to my Visual Merchandising internship with Crate & Barrel this summer and am currently pursuing post grad opportunities in brand design and development. From copywriting, to design, to any form of presentations, my passion for storytelling takes a lot of forms! RMI has definitely encouraged me to hone in on each of my interests, and it has allowed me opportunities to learn more about brand development in the retail space. As for now, I am so excited to see what's next for me, and I know RMI will be with me every step of the way.

Brooke Eldridge

Brooke Eldridge, RSSA Magazine Editor-in-Chief Hi RMI! My name is Madison Fishman and I am a junior Communications major and Retail studies minor. I've had the honor of being a part of RMI’s magazine committee this past school year, and wanted to express my gratitude for both RMI and all of the opportunities it provides. Being a member of RMI has given me an academic community where I feel constantly supported and recognized. Being on the executive team, I have been lucky enough to foster connections within RMI that will last a lifetime. RMI is a differentiator that allows its members opportunities like no other. Whether it be through the cutting-edge curriculum, certification courses, professional networking events in NYC or Las Vegas, or community engagement, RMI empowers its members to get involved, build connections, and grow as individuals, students, and leaders. Thank you to my amazing team members, Brooke and Casey, for such a wonderful magazine committee experience. I am looking forward to contributing to the magazine next school year, and am excited to continue to watch RMI develop and grow.

Madison Fishman

Madison Frishman, RSSA Magazine Editor

A Farewell Note from Cindy Cooper Hello RMI Community I love RMI! My experiences and being a part of your journey has been wonderful! Seriously. I have been blessed and grateful that for the nearly 7 years I have been a part of a Program that continues to evolve, connect with the industry, and offer impactful opportunities and programming for its students. I'm really really proud of that, and of All of You. It has been a tremendous pleasure to watch the vibrant RMI Community grow! RMI and its differentiator, a distinction, recognized by retailers and its important alumni connections. You'll no doubt discover many amazing opportunities. I'm excited for you. I'm happy to share all I have learned from RMI and bring it into my new SCU role as Program Director with the Ciocca Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CCIE.) You will always be an important and meaningful part of my time with RMI. Thank You for that!

Wishing you All the Best!

Cindy Cooper Cindy

Announcing the 2022/23 RSSA President

y H e s i l a l C

Meet Casey: Casey is a Finance major alongside her Retail Studies minor. She is from Bellevue, Washington and is excited to get to know everyone in the amazing community and especially to uphold the legacy Emily has left for the program. She can't wait to begin planning career skill-building workshops and implementing a broader range of companies into internship events for the upcoming year!

A Look into the Retail Minor Courses MKTG 165 Classroom Visits

Paul Johnson

JC Haydon

Angelina Hazzouri

Founder, Republican Red & BAUBO

Senior Director of Growth and Strategic Transformation, Avid

Associate Merchant, Coach

As part of their course requirement, RMI Juniors take the MKTG 165 Customer Centric Retailing, taught by Professor Steve Skotzke. Students learn the importance of the omnichannel experience in today’s retail world, as well as how retail creates value for consumers. The ins and outs of finance and marketing strategies are discussed, as well as how products are priced as well as promotions that stores may conduct. Among many others, this class emphasizes the retailing process and

skills needed to solve real-issues faced in the industry. Students enrolled in the course were able to see a variety of guest speakers who were alumni of SCU and the Retail Studies Program. The class got to hear from an SCU alumni and his innovative companies such as “Republican Red Wine” along with the feminine hygiene products brand he is planning to launch through the Bronco Accelerator Program with his wife called “Baubo”. He emphasized that to create a successful company, you must find a passionate market of people who will engage with your

product especially if it aligns with their values. The class also heard from Associate Merchant for Handbags at Coach Angelina Hazzouri. Angelina asked the class questions about the differences between a buyer's role and a merchandiser's role in a company, as well as emphasizing how nowadays, an omnichannel presence is critical for success. She also walked us through a day-to-day life in her job, and how merchandising has expanded her abilities to make decisions on the fly and how she has the freedom to share her own creative ideas towards executives. The course material, and the experiences learned through guest speakers prepare Retail Management students incredibly well for roles in the industry.

marketing strategies to target particular segments. He broke students into groups and had each group plan a marketing plan to target younger demographic segments.

Finally, the Professor Skotzke invited Avid's Senior Director of Growth and Strategic Transformation JC Haydon. JC spoke to the class about digital

Annual DE&I Check-in with Executive Director of DE&I, Jaya Kapoor Junior Jaya Kapoor was named the RSSA director of DE&I in winter of 2021. Kapoor is a Communications major and a Retail Studies minor and has been a part of the RSSA executive board since fall of 2020. Kapoor has devoted the past year to improving RSSA's diversity, equity, and inclusion effort.

Hear from Junior Jaya Kapoor, our DE&I Director about events and initiatives for the program that she has conducted this year, as well as her upcoming hopes for the year ahead: Within the past year, RMI has made significant leaps towards cultivating a diverse and inclusive community as well as educating Santa Clara University students about what it means to work in DE&I. This year we had the amazing opportunity to hear from Gina Rudan and Monica Poindexter who are both high achieving executives at X and Lyft (respectively) and have committed their career to promoting diversity and inclusion within their prospective companies. They hosted career talks for both RMI and the business school where they spoke about the day-to-day responsibilities of a DE&I executive and gave advice on how to pursue a career in this space.

Inclusion so I plan on leaving a solid foundation that future students can build upon. One of the most exciting plans we have in the works for next year will be to host a networking event where students can meet and speak to a panel of DE&I executives from companies based in the Bay Area. This event hopefully will be in collaboration with the several clubs/organizations that are affiliated with the Leavey Business School with the purpose of providing opportunities to students to learn about DE&I as a career path and develop connections with some of the most successful leaders in the industry.

This year we also have actively made efforts to promote a more inclusive and educated organization on social media by posting occasional highlights on major DE&I initiatives that are happening in the broader retail industry or educating viewers on topics like “implicit bias” and “colorism” via the RMI weekly newsletter. I am very excited for our future plans to continue promoting DE&I within the Retail Management Institute. Next year will be my last year in this position as Director of Diversity, Equity and

RMI Brings Digital Merchandsers to Shoptalk This past April, RMI students had the opportunity to attend Shoptalk in Las Vegas alongside retail’s most renowned and influential industry leaders. As the first student-led group to ever attend the conference, and continued to be a model for student participation at the conference this Spring. Upon arrival, RMI students attended several talks from industry professionals from widely known retailers, including the CEOs of Uber, Instacart, Sam’s Club, Olaplex and more. In between keynotes, students had time to deepen their networking skills through interacting with hundreds of sponsors and companies that work effortlessly to make the process of retailing, across all channels, possible. The following day, students participated in a ‘lunch-n-learn’ titled “Speed Mentoring

and Networking” alongside executive guests Justin Daniel from Bloomreach, Bruce Bower from Swytchback, Cole Patterson from Sytchback, John Strain from GAP and Mike Osorio from Tori Richard. Students had the opportunity to introduce themselves and share a brief background with each executive while enjoying a buffet-style lunch. As one of the only student groups at the conference, RMI has allowed students to build connections outside of the Bay Area, and provides members with once-in-alifetime opportunities like Shoptalk. The conference was an eye-opening, interactive learning experience for students who were lucky enough to attend. Thank you to Cindy Cooper, Kirthi Kalyanam, and Trish Kalbas-Schmidt for making this opportunity possible for RMI!

2022 Trends in Business Attire As RMI students have been busy interviewing for post-graduate or internship opportunities, making sure they have business attire is essential. Whether these outfits are business-casual or formal, there are many recent trends that students have been keeping an eye out on and displaying around our campus. More personalized and flexible business-wear options are allowing a more collaborative and efficient company culture as well.

1. Bright colors Firstly, with summer right around the corner, brightcolored hues in pantsuits and slacks for women are becoming increasingly popular and considered more workappropriate in most job settings. Embracing brighter colors than the traditional black, white, and navy attire lets students embrace their creativity and personalities through their clothing options than ever before.

2. Graphic Tees For a more everyday, business-casual setting, companies have begun to allow graphic t-shirt styles incorporated into their employees’ business outfits. As long as the messages or graphics displayed on these shirts are work appropriate, they can stand out and tell a message to other employees about things such as your values, personality, and things you enjoy in your free time.

3. Mid-length skirts Finally, among many other business trends, specifically for women, is the option to layer or further accessorize items especially as the summer months grow hotter and comfortability is at the forefront for what to choose to wear. For example, midilength dresses or skirts are a perfect option and trend that is expected to trend in the future as well. These midi-length dresses or skirts can be paired with items such as belts, blazers, and a short sleeve underneath to further layer.

RMI Company Feature: thredUP One Bay Area company at the forefront of combatting the rapid increase of fast fashion is thredUP, an ecommerce consignment store based in Oakland. Hailey Eberle, associate recruiter at thredUP and class of 2020 RMI alum and Jenny Lucey, Senior Talent Acquisition Business Partner joined RMI juniors to present opportunities for their 2022 internship program. The 10-week, paid program included opportunities in email marketing, brand design, merchandising, and more.

thredup is the world’s largest consignment fashion marketplace based in Oakland, California. An ecommerce service, thredUP sells secondhand clothing from consignors across the globe. Winter quarter, RMI welcomed Hailey Eberle, associate recruiter at thredUP and class of 2020 RMI alum and Jenny Lucey, Senior Talent Acquisition Business Partner to host a virtual internship information session. RMI was excited to form this connection with the company and is excited to see how the students take advantage of the new relationship. Eberle and Lucey explained that they bring their customer’s style to life with thrilling secondhand discoveries. The basis of their company is founded on selection, value, convenience, and clean conscience. Their seemingly endless selection includes up to 35 thousand brands at up to 90% off with new arrivals being added every hour. Their mission is simple: inspiring a new generation of shoppers to think secondhand first. A circular fashion pioneer, thredUP is reducing fashion’s impact on the planet and unlocking economic value for consumers and brands alike. Their interns benefit from joining a company that is inspiring a new generation to think secondhand first. Interns at thredUp can join the team and help create a more sustainable future for fashion. One notable aspect of thredUP’s business model is their RAAS (Resale-as-a-Service) opportunities. According to Eberle and Lucey,

RAAS is a white-label, turn-key solution for brands to join the future of circular fashion. Using RAAS, brands like Madewell can sell their second hand products back to environmentally conscious customers. Eberle and Lucey explained that as a thredUP intern, you’ll be given a firsthand glimpse at what it’s like to work at one of the largest resale apparel platforms. If you are interested in solving real world problems, tackling high-profile projects with world-class teams, and having an opportunity to make an impact on a business, thredUP is the company for you. With plenty of mentor support, joining their team is a great way to jumpstart your career.

Sustainable Retail: RMI's Swap for Good Event RMI partnered with the SCU Center for Sustainability to bring together ‘Swap for Good’. Swap for Good is a pop-up thrift shop that encourages students, staff, and faculty members to practice mindful consumption by donating and exchanging clothing items. Students were encouraged to drop off gently used clothing on Friday mornings during weeks 7-9. After donating items, the pop-up shop opened. Any items left over at the end of the day were donated to the local nonprofit Hope Services. Swap For Good’s goal is for the SCU community to become more aware of the environmental benefit that exchanging items allows for, instead of buying something “new”. Plus, Mindful consumption encourages buyers participation was free! to only buy when need be, and when they do buy, to make sure the sources reduce The fashion industry is responsible for a emissions, ensure fair working conditions, plethora of negative environmental impact, and minimize waste. Shopping secondas the fashion industry alone contributes to hand allows us to do just that. 10% of greenhouse gasses. Carbon emissions, labor rights abuses, water Swap For Good was a success, as many waste, and plastic pollution are just some students participated in mindful of the environmental problems that arise consumption, while giving back to the within the fashion industry. community at the same time.

Statistics: Day 1: 304 items taken & 81 shoppers Day 2: 470 items taken & 110 shoppers Total: 774 items taken & 182 shoppers 16

Winter & Spring Career Info Sessions RMI hosted a variety of career oriented information sessions on fields like buying, merchandising, and visual merchandising. RMI welcomed alumni from companies spanning from William Sonoma to Ralph Lauren.

RMI Alums on Buying 101

with Williams Sonoma, Grocery Outlet, and Stitch Fix

Meghan Nutti

Anelly Allmen

Grocery Outlet

Stitch FIx

Jacqueline Pendergast Williams Sonoma

Q: What is something you wish you knew before going into buying? A- Pendergast (Williams Sonoma): You have to be a jack of all trades. It’s important to be smart about your decision making processes, have a good eye on trends, and have the numbers skills to making calculations for creating SKU and with Excel and analyze that with different formulas. A- Nuti (Grovery Outlet): Having communication skills is vital, along with the fact that Excel is used on a daily basis, so having a foundation on how to work the application is important. Traveling is also something that was a surprise to a buying career.

Q: Why did you choose the company you are at now?

A- Pendergast (Williams Sonoma): She went to Williams Sonoma on a corporate tour and found out their employees were passionate about their jobs and the products they sold. A- Allmen (Stitch Fix): She realized that being at a company with a great company culture is important. You should love your job not only for the job itself, but for the people as well. If the people aren’t a positive combination of the environment, you may not like it.

Q: What is your favorite part of working in buying? What is the toughest part? A- Pendergast (Williams Sonoma): You are essentially the center of the wheel and no matter your level you are the center of the product life cycle; The weight of business can fall on merchants, and you are constantly putting out the flames of what is going on daily. A- Nuti (Grovery Outlet): Her favorite aspect is being able to develop relationships with suppliers, but it can be tough being the middleman between warehouses and the vendors. A- Allmen (Stitch Fix): New product categories offer so more freedom to try newer ideas; It’s challenging that many situations come up all the time that are new that no one else has solved before

Q: What is something interesting/important that you’ve learned about retail through working in buying? A- Pendergast (Williams Sonoma): Something interesting is how a product is made, for example, different types of wood that are used in Williams Sonoma products

Merchandising 101: with Ralph Lauren and Pottery Barn RMI alumni Olivia Mannion and Natalie Elliot joined RMI to discuss their experiences working within the Merchandising industry. Mannion, Merchandising Operations Assistant at Ralph Lauren, and Natalie Elliot, Merchandising Analyst at Pottery Barn, shared advice and personal experiences within the industry with students hoping to pursue a career in Merchandising.

Olivia Mannion Merchandising Operations Assistant at Ralph Lauren

The following questions were asked and discussed during the panel: Q: What does a typical day as a merchant look like? A- Mannion (Ralph Lauren): Once designers design clothing, Olivia is given slide decks with product information and enters it into the company’s system. A- Elliot (Pottery Barn): Natalie is in charge of site management, changing home page imagery, and sitting in meetings with other merchants.

Natalie Elliot Merchandising Analyst at Pottery Barn

Q: What is something you wish you knew before going into merchandising? A- Mannion (Ralph Lauren): Olivia wishes she knew there were different elements to each role, such as operations-timing, sizing, research and forecasting trends. A- Elliot (Pottery Barn): Natalie wishes she knew how analytical digital merchandising actually is. Q: What is one thing you learned in a class at SCU or one class you took that has been most helpful for you and your career?

Q: What is your favorite part about living in NYC/SF? What has been the biggest challenge of moving to a new city for a career? A- Mannion (Ralph Lauren): Olivia’s favorite part about being in NYC is the new environment and how much there is to do in the city. A- Elliot (Pottery Barn): Favorite part of living in SF is the SCU community, but finds that the biggest challenge is the work-from-home environment that she has entered.

A- Mannion (Ralph Lauren): Olivia said that everything she does for her job couldn't have been taught in class, but is grateful for the soft skills she learned in class at SCU. A- Elliot (Pottery Barn): Natalie expressed her appreciation for OMIS before entering the workforce post graduation. Q: How do you compete with other applicants that specifically study merchandising? A: Both Mannion and Elliott expressed the importance of expressing passion and showing interest in working in the industry. Interviewing skills and work experience are also extremely valued.

Beachwear Apparel Retailer Faherty Hosts RMI at Santana Row Shop RMI hosted a unique and valuable event at the Faherty store to learn more about visual merchandising from an in-store experience perspective. Faherty is a beachwear apparel retailer. Senior and RMI President Emily Chao on her experience: “The RMI event at the Faherty store was very interactive and educational. We obtained a behind the scenes look on how [Faherty designs] their lookbooks and arranges their store and mannequins to fit those looks. We had the opportunity to dress a few mannequins with their current winter and upcoming spring clothes. It was so much fun to be able to go in the store, interact with other RMI students and gain visual merchandising skills from a successful retailer!”

RMI member Katy Johnson on working at Faherty: Q: How has working at Faherty helped expand your knowledge on visual merchandising/What is your most important takeaway? A: “Working with Faherty was a wonderful experience and helped to really emphasize the importance of optimizing presentation to better highlight products. We were able to look at a variety of examples and learn about their process, specifically for dressing mannequins, and then engage with it hands on. It was great getting the chance to not only learn about visual merchandising, but also practice it!”

E&J Gallo: Coffee Chats and Creating Your Personal Brand RMI and all SCU students were lucky to experience a dual-event with a company we have partnered with in the past, E & J Gallo Winery. The first event hosted were the Exclusive Coffee Chats where students had the opportunity to speak one-on-one with recruiters, ask any questions about the recruiting process at the company, and have an overall great learning experience about corporate interaction. The second event turned its focus towards tips and tricks for creating your personal brand, whether that comes to interviews and other career building opportunities as well! At the event students learned about creating their personal brands:

Selling your brand in Interviews: Pursue the recruiter: Reach out to them one-on-one- What makes a good candidate? When will the company be on campus next? Be sure to follow up whether that is sending an email, connecting on LinkedIn, or writing a hand-written note. Prepare for your interview: Do your research on the company- Is the company public or private? Have they had any important acquisitions or purchases you could highlight? Make sure to additionally know current market trends and competition that may be present between companies. For virtual interviews, have notes handy and make sure audio and video is set

up how you want it to be ahead of time to avoid unnecessary delays and to respect the interviewer's time. As always, after the interview send an email or write a hand-written note thanking the recruiter for their time, and reiterate your interest in the company and the position you are interviewing for. During the interview: Be aware of your body language and show that you are engaged in the interview. Recognize strengths and weaknesses and be ready to share specific examples of times where these have been present. If asked to complete an elevator pitch about yourself, try and highlight transferable skills to the role in which you are applying towards and what you can offer to the company.

Summer with Crate & Barrel Crate & Barrel returned to SCU to recruit for their 10-week summer internship program for 2022. Sr. Talent Acquisition Recruiters, Allison Fishbein and Ina Lee, joined RMI alongside eCommerce Product Manager, Justin Wiemer, Marketing Associate, Adrienne Kemp-Rye, Social Media Marketing Coordinator, Remy Miller, and SEO Coordinator, Amanda BarrazaMurphy. Crate and Barrel was founded in 1962 in Chicago and today, the company is approaching 100 brick-and-mortar stores.

The 10-week program spans from June 13 to August 26.

The company focuses on selling modern, high design products from an affordable price point. CB2, the company's lower priced spin-off company, focuses on selling pieces that fit an ‘edgier aesthetic’ and provide a boutique like quality at a mass price. The Summer 2022 Internship Program is for current juniors graduating in the spring or summer of 2023 and for those in the pursuit of a career in retail marketing or ecommerce. Applicants are encouraged to showcase instances in which they demonstrated leadership, teamwork, or critical thinking. The 10 week program spans from June 13 to August 26. The program entails a mix of day-to-day immersion and signature projects with an end of summer presentation. The internship program also allows for weekly networking opportunities, including ‘lunch and learns’ with executive team members, intern cohort connections, and a Chicago trip. Interns interested in E-Commerce are responsible for design, development and performance traffic of the Crate and Barrel and CB2 websites through eCommerce Data analytics, product management, SEO, site merchandising, and UX/UI design. Interns interested in Marketing are put in a data driven group that relies on a customer-centric lens to develop marketing strategies for CBH brands. The marketing team stays in tune with the voice of the customer and drives improvements through brands, data analytics, and digital marketing.

RMI's Conversation with Zahir Khoja from Afterpay On May 3rd, RMI was lucky enough to have a career conversation with GM of Global Platforms at Afterpay Zahir Khoja. Khoja sat alongside executive director of RMI Kirthi Kalyanam. Khoja walked attendees through what Afterpa and the buy now pay later model is doing to change the relationship between retailers and consumers and how we are affected as shoppers.

Zahir Khoja General Manager, North America @ Afterpay

We began the conversation hearing all about his career journey, and how working in different industries all around the world, including some politically unstable countries has shaped the way he has viewed ecommerce and the different ways it can benefit different groups of consumers.

The AfterPay program enables those who wish to purchase items now the ability to provide payment in segments, so less of a direct impact is initially put onto your bank statements.

Something Zahir Khoja drove home to the attendees is how much ecommerce among all generations, and especially those which are younger value more accessible shopping experiences no matter the budget the consumer is on.

Khoja emphasized that AfterPay is a growing company, with over 10,000 companies that use the platform. He believes that AfterPay is a payment model we will eventually see in all retail stores both brick and mortar and online.

Williams Sonoma Inc. Post-grad Career Opportunities Williams Sonoma Inc. joined RMI during Week 8 to discuss post-grad career paths in merchandising and e-commerce with students. Williams Sonoma Inc. was founded in 1956 in Sonoma, California, and since then, has been committed to enhancing the lives of customers at home. The company is one of the largest e-commerce retailers in the United States’ and is home to a family of leading retail brands in home furnishing, Williams Sonoma, Williams Sonoma Home, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, PBteen, West Elm, Mark and Graham, and Rejuvenation. The company values their diverse company culture as well as the health and wellness of their employees. Mackenzie Stitt, recruiter at Williams Sonoma, came to discuss life at the company and future opportunities. When asked “what is your favorite part about working for Williams Sonoma?”, Mackenzie responded saying that the talented people she works alongside are her favorite part of everyday life at the company. She also loves being in-person and getting to interact first-hand with the products.

Congratulations to the RMI Class of 2022! Mackenzie Airhart Lillianne Avigdor Anna Becker Emily Bell Caroline Caruso Emily Chao Joshua Choi Sophie Cichanowicz Caroline Cieciura Christine Coleman Pratinav Damani Peyton Darrow Navya Dhir Miguel Fernanda

Brooke Freitas Clare Grimes Zella Grote Carter Gutz Josephine Koenigs Isabella Kozlak Alice Lee Maya Loeb Olga Luna Kate McKinney Lilly McLoughlin Sara Montenegro Jackson Morgan

Fiona Morris Elizabeth O'Hollearn Kimberly Olvany Kathryn Padrnos Kelsey Parker Choe Schechter Ellen Scheid Gabrielle Serena Brittany Smith Melanie Stone Marrisa Tsang Mariana Warcholski Camryn Yuen

The RSSA Magazine Team

BROOKE ELDRIDGE

CASEY HILL

MADDIE FISHMAN

Editor-In-Chief

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!

RSSA Winter Events RSSA Jeopardy Night: 1/20 Crate & Barrel: 1/25 E&J Gallo: Exclusive Coffee Chats + Selling Yourself with Gallo: 2/3 Merchandising 101: 2/10 Buying 101: 2/15 Visual Merchandising with Faherty: 2/24 thredUP: 3/2 Blanket making for Sacred Heart: 3/7

RSSA Jeopardy Bonding Night RMI hosted “RMI Jeopardy Night”, inviting all RMI students to take a break from school work and play a fun, retail-themed jeopardy game. Hosted by Social Events DIrector, Sydney Olson, the event took place over zoom at 5:30 pm. 28

RSSA Spring Events Shoptalk Conference in Las Vegas: 3/28-3/29 Donut Social: 4/5 Resume Workshop: 5/2 A Conversation with Afterpay: 5/3 Swap for Good: 5/14, 5/21, 5/28 Williams Sonoma: 5/17

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

Retail Management Institute Advisory Board Barry J. Feld, Chairman

Faculty Kirthi Kalyanam, Ph.D., Executive Director,

Kirthi Kalyanam Ph.D.

Retail Management Institute

RMI Executive Director

Wei Shi Ph.D., Marketing Professor

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

Retail Studies Student Association Executive Board

Barry Gilbert, WineVIP 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.

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

Emeritus Kent Anderson Ken Duane David Folkman Ellen Magnin Newman Philip Schlein Joseph Tomaselli

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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