Students, Industry Professionals Offer Advice on Apparel Merchandising, Product Development; Students Also Reflect on Internship Experiences

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Alyssa Connors, an apparel merchandising and product development major, shares her internship experience with a room of industry professionals and juniors who have yet to complete an internship.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Industry professionals and students with internship experiences recently shared advice with students in the apparel merchandising and product development program in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

Kathy Smith, clinical associate professor, organized the event to help and encourage students to seek internships early.   

Students who completed internships last summer talked about where they worked, how they found the positions and what they did. They provided advice to younger students who had yet to complete an internship.

“This type of event allows students and employers the opportunity to disseminate information to rising juniors who are in search of an internship and may help them solidify the type of job they would like to pursue,” Smith said.

Shannon Jones was one of three students from the U of A who worked at Dillard's this summer in the retail management program. Jones used a variety of skills she learned while working with a multitude of professionals. 

“Each week we were there, we were assigned a different manager,” Jones said.

Alyssa Connors, another apparel student, had the opportunity to do everything from helping with basic alterations to building a website while working for Leslie Pennel, an apparel alumna, at her fashion design company, Esque.

Following the presentations, students met industry professionals, including a buyer from Sam's Club, a store manager from Dillard's, and several apparel merchandising and product development faculty and staff members. Smith organized the event early in the fall semester to help junior apparel merchandising and product development majors begin hunting for positions early and to give them the chance to ask older students questions about finding or completing an internship.

“Corporations are looking to hire the perfect fit for their company much earlier each year,” Smith said. “Having this event during this time frame helps open the door for the employers and students to communicate with each other.”

This was the first event of its kind for apparel students, but Smith plans to make it an annual part of the fall semester.