When COVID-19 caused 5X’s campuses to close back in March, Melissa Reynolds, like many other students, was forced to return home. Her goal was to make the most out of quarantine, and when she was sent an email from the school’s industry liaisons regarding the 2020 Kohl’s Sophomore Career Expo, she knew she had to apply.
Every spring, Kohl’s hosts a career expo for undergraduate sophomores who are interested in a career in retail. The goal of the program is to help fashion students find a path that is right for them and help develop their passion. Students accepted into the program spend the day gaining a better understanding of what to expect in a corporate environment at Kohls and more information about Kohl’s internship opportunities open to juniors.
Typically, the expo takes place at Kohl’s corporate headquarters in Milwaukee, but due to COVID-19, the 2020 Career Expo was virtual.
“Despite being virtual, I enjoyed every minute of it and still learned a lot about Kohl’s!” said Reynolds.
Her positive experience at the career expo landed her a first-round interview for an internship with Kohl’s, and after impressing the interviewers, she progressed to the final round.. In preparation for the final interview, Reynolds and the other internship hopefuls were asked to complete a strategy project centered on diversity and inclusion.
Reynold’s created the “Redefining Nude Collection” by Kohl’s, which strives to redefine the historical norm of the nude shade.
“The color nude is often thought of to the light peach shade that resembles the skin of a white person. For years, people of color have had the disadvantage when searching for bras that match their skin tone,” said Reynolds.
Her proposed collection consists of five different bras and mastectomy recovery bra inserts. The bras range from everyday full coverage bras to mastectomy recovery and breastfeeding bras and are available in nine different shades and in sizes 30A through 46DDD. The interviewers were so impressed with her idea that she was offered the coveted merchandising internship.
“This project and my final interview landed me an internship offer in the buying office at Kohl’s! I’m so excited to see where this opportunity takes me and none of this could have been done without Kent State and our amazing Fashion School industry liaisons who inform students about opportunities like these.”
To learn more about the Kohl’s Sophomore Career Expo, please