MLK Spotlight - Carolina: Making the most of an internship

This post is part of the MLK Spotlight, a regular feature on our blog. The goal is to highlight MLK student (or staff) stories, experiences, and perspectives. Have something you'd like to share? Send an email to mlkdesk@umn.edu, or ask your adviser!

Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, I have lived in the United States since the age of nine, allowing me to speak both English and Spanish fluently. Currently I am a senior at the University of Minnesota's College of Liberal Arts where I am double majoring in Global Studies and Political Science. I am also pursuing a minor in management at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. When not working or studying, I enjoy planning events for my family and friends. I love meeting new people and working in teams, and last summer when I interned for Kohl's Department store I got to do just that.

I had never thought about a career in retail, to be honest I thought store managers didn't even require a college degree and definitely did not have a high enough salary to attract people that had one. I was completely wrong. As a store management intern I got the opportunity to gain real leadership experience and was a part of the store's management team from day one. No one at Kohl's ever expected me to go on coffee runs, instead I was treated like an equal and expected to help lead the store. Kohl's gave me the opportunity to interview, hire, train, and lead store associates all while learning the difference components of running a business. What I really loved about the internship was how much responsibility and trust is awarded to you, I was expected to create and implement a project to improve some aspect (sales, people, credit, customer service, etc.) in my store, I chose to work on employee retention and at the end of my internship presented my project to regional and district managers! My internship went so well that Kohl's offered me a full time position after I graduate. I now know that a career in retail, especially one at Kohl's, is for anyone that loves working with people, enjoys an exciting work environment that is never the same two days in a row, and that likes to be challenged.