Sam Houston State University senior Marisol Torres gains hands-on luxury retail experience through prestigious apprenticeship
HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS––Sam Houston State University recently became the third Texas university to participate in the Gucci Program for Scholars, with senior fashion merchandising student Marisol Torres representing the university.
The prestigious, eight-week apprenticeship provides students with a behind-the-scenes look into the inner workings of a luxury retail brand with global reach. As a former employee of the company, Keila Tyner, associate professor of practice, fashion merchandising program coordinator and interim department chair for SHSU’s Department of Human Sciences, leveraged her connections with her former colleagues to extend this unique opportunity to her students.
“Having this type of opportunity for our students can broaden their horizons and expand their understanding of what is possible for their future careers,” Tyner said. “Any exposure like that, especially in a structured program like GPS, further enhances what they are learning in the classroom.”
Torres, a student of Tyner’s, was thrilled to be selected for the program and represent the university. She and 12 other scholars from across the nation grew their knowledge through workshops and calls with Gucci leadership. They then put that knowledge to the test by completing a capstone project and presenting it to the company’s leaders.
“My fashion merchandising courses truly came in handy with our capstone project,” Torres said. “We had to do market research, a swot analysis, and a case study. Thanks to the courses I have taken, I had the confidence to work on our questions and create a comprehensible and informative project.”
While most of the program was completed remotely, Torres and her peers were granted a behind-the-scenes tour of their nearest Gucci locations. She was hosted by Lynn Bridgman, the store director for Gucci’s NorthPark Center location in Dallas. As Bridgman led Torres through the front and back of the store, she learned the role of each staff member and how the store was set up, showing her, “the precision and artistry behind every detail in Gucci.”
At the conclusion of the apprenticeship, the Gucci scholars got to speak with the company’s CEO, Christophe Marque. After getting to hear Marque’s responses to Torres and her peers’ questions, she absorbed his knowledge and experience in fashion, which made her all the more eager to dive into the industry.
“I am very excited and feeling very optimistic to start my career. I am so grateful to all the professors in the Fashion Merchandising Department, who have helped me feel equipped and ready to pursue my dreams,” she said. “I am also very grateful to Dr. Tyner for giving me the opportunity to be part of the Gucci Scholar Program and represent Sam Houston State University. This has definitely been an experience that I will never forget!”