Where did you intern? 

I interned at Signs & Shapes International (Omaha, NE), and Kohl’s (Menomonie Falls, WI).

How did you find the opportunity? What was it like? How did it prepare you?  

Signs & Shapes was a great local opportunity to get hands-on industrial textile experience. Melisia Bieber had shared the position in a mass email to the students within our program. You get the opportunity to work with people and products. It helped prepare me for the real world because you get the opportunity to work as a team, problem solve, sew/seal, and ideate from beginning stages to final product. This job is unique because you get the opportunity to work with big-time clients and proprietary materials. This opportunity will set you apart from the competition, especially if you make the most of it and challenge yourself to grow into these new skills. 

What happened after you graduated? Where are you now?  

The Summer after I graduated, I was a Trend Insights Intern with Kohl’s. Katelyn Sorensen Ph.D. proctored a few of the classes I was enrolled in. After she obtained her Ph.D., she moved to Wisconsin to become the Material Coordinator for Kohl’s. She selflessly came back to UNL to share about the Kohl’s internship program. It is a 10-week opportunity in Wisconsin where they pay you for a 40-hour work week and provide free dorm housing and shuttles to and from the corporate office. It was a good opportunity to network and understand the different facets within a corporate apparel textile company. You get to work alongside many talented individuals who can push you creatively. The biggest benefit was access to their various digital programs that can beef up your resume and portfolio. Many people get a conversion offer after the internship for either the New York or Wisconsin corporate office.  As of right now, I have a written offer from Kohl’s for 2024 where the details of the offer are still in the works.

What advice would you give undergraduates before they ‘go out into the real world’?  

My biggest advice for undergraduates before they “go out into the real world” is to have the perspective that you are the main character in your own movie and that each step within your journey is for the plot. Which ultimately means that being open-minded is the most powerful tool you can give yourself. My journey started with industrial inflatables and was my segway into a fashion forecasting role. You never know where life will take you and what opportunities will present themselves; being open minded to how these opportunities can transform your perspective and skillset is important to recognize and grow from.

What are some things that students should pay attention to while going through the program?  

The portfolio is the most important tool because it is how you communicate your creativity and express yourself visually to the various talent and acquisition teams. I would practice romanticizing the little moments within the program and highlighting aspects of ideation, design details, and finished products. Many companies expect you to work in teams. They are trying to understand how well you can communicate your ideas.