Undergraduate students from across the country will spend the summer learning from retail industry experts with a new virtual program from the NRF Foundation and AEO Inc.
More than 250 undergraduates who originally planned to do an in-person internship this summer will instead participate in the inaugural NRF Foundation and AEO Inc. Retail Industry Summer Experience, featuring webinars with American Eagle Outfitters, Gap Inc., Levi Strauss & Co., Meijer, URBN and Designer Brands.
These brands will help college students explore retail career paths at a time when many internship programs have been canceled due to the pandemic. Industry professionals will share their expertise on all aspects of retail, from the product life cycle to professional development and more.
The program provides a way “to educate, inspire and share,” according to URBN, which opened its first Urban Outfitters store on a college campus and has traditionally called upon interns to bring new ideas to their brands.
“We look forward to building new relationships, sharing thoughts and being a part of this digital journey,” URBN Director of Talent Acquisition Mary Grace Clark says.
The Retail Industry Summer Experience started June 15, and because of its virtual format, the program is accessible to students no matter where they are.
This summer program joins other robust educational offerings from the NRF Foundation, including:
- The NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship (25 semifinalists are currently working on an exclusive case study with PetSmart as they compete for a top award of $25,000)
- The NRF Foundation Student Challenge business case competition (undergraduates are forming teams now to act as entrepreneurs and pitch a set of products to Nordstrom, Target, The Home Depot or Qurate Retail Group)
- The NRF Foundation RISE Up suite of training and credentials, developed in collaboration with more than twenty retailers and designed to help people of all backgrounds build employability skills (the introductory course is free to anyone who wants to take it through June 30)
As NRF’s nonprofit 501(c)(3), everything the NRF Foundation does helps people do better for themselves, their families and their communities. Learn more about our impact here.