By Sarah Stone
Wilson College students returned to Centennial Campus this fall with new skills, new experiences, and more defined career trajectories thanks to their summer internships. Undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. students interned for employers ranging from well-known brands like Adidas and Tesla, to startups, to local doctor’s offices. They worked from inside their homes as well as on-location — from Raleigh to Maine to California.
If you’re a current student interested in pursuing an internship, make sure to visit the Center for Academic, Career and Student Services (ACSS).
Daryn Wilkerson ’23
B.S. Fashion and Textile Design, 2023
Timberland, America (Merchandising, Men’s and Children’s Footwear)
Remote
What were your day-to-day responsibilities? Did you work on any special projects?
I had three projects that ran throughout my whole internship. I worked on those every day. I held focus groups, did research on launch culture in men’s footwear, and did research on Timberland’s top accounts.
What did you learn about yourself and what professional skills did you develop?
I learned that I actually can handle ambiguity in my projects. I used to think that I worked better with clear steps and instructions. However, I had a lot of freedom with my projects, and I created better projects because of it. Throughout the internship, I learned how to create aesthetically pleasing and effective presentations. I also learned how to step back from your projects and look at them from the consumer perspective, not your own.
Was there anything during your internship that surprised you? For example, realizations about the industry or lessons you learned.
I didn’t realize how much marketing is involved in every step of the fashion industry now.
Meredith Gaskill ’24
B.S. Fashion and Textile Management, 2024
Marketing, Merchandising and Customer Experience Intern, ASHLEYlauren
Saco, Maine
What were your day-to-day responsibilities? Did you work on any special projects?
Day-to-day, I handled a lot of different responsibilities such as packing orders for various stores around the world, unpacking shipments from factories and putting dresses into inventory, merchandising the showroom, and helping to design and create a theme for their showroom at AmericasMart in Atlanta. I worked on integrating marketing plans before their Atlanta market in order to excite buyers and ensure their attendance in our showroom during the August show!
What was your favorite part of your time as an intern?
My favorite part of my time as an intern was definitely traveling with the ASHLEYlauren team to AmericasMart in Atlanta. Throughout my time at market, I was able to work in the showroom assisting buyers with their various purchases of the newest line of dresses. This was so exciting to me because it is what I see myself doing in the future.
How did this experience impact your college plan/career trajectory? Do you still want to pursue the same types of jobs?
After this internship, I am 110% confident that this is the career path I want to pursue. Working in this industry allowed me to see firsthand the kinds of things I would do, the people I would be around and the projects I would be working on, and I can confidently say I absolutely would love a career that is similar to my internship.
This is an excerpt from an article originally published in Wilson College of Textiles News.
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