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Anna
Anna MacLellan
Fashion Merchandising Major Excels in Internship with Glamour Magazine

Anna expresses praise for her instructor, Marjorie E. Ruggeri, associate lecturer in fashion merchandising, who is not only a mentor in class, but who has used her personal connection with Condé Nast publications to secure internship opportunities for three of her students. "I was selected to fill one of the coveted positions on Glamour's fashion closet intern team during the summer of 2011."

"I had an interview with Mia Solkin, Glamour's assistant to the senior fashion market editor, the supervisor of the team I was to join, and was hired on the spot," she says. "Mia said I'd be a good fit with the team, and asked me to think it over and talk with my parents. I didn't need to think. I called her when I was on my way home and told her I wanted the position. I think the communication skills I've learned at Cazenovia College, and my experience with our fashion show, gave me an edge."

Anna says that an internship is the only way she could have learned. "People underestimate what goes on behind the scenes of the fashion industry, myself included. I only had a small inkling of the kind of work that goes into producing each monthly issue. From hunting down missing garments to scouring New York to find the perfect pair of Spanx (a brand of bodyshaper) for Rihanna, my grueling 10-hour days were far from boring."

On the first day, Anna commuted from Brooklyn to the Condé Nast Publications building located in the heart of Times Square. "Along my ascent in the elevator I passed the floors of other legendary magazines, such as Vogue, W and GQ, until I reached Glamour on the 16th floor. As I walked through the famous glass doors, I prepared to call this place home for the next three months."

She continues, "The atmosphere is welcoming, but don't let that fool you. They mean business here; after all, a publication that serves nearly 1.5 million readers deserves to be a little intimidating, right? Founded in 1939, Glamour has evolved into the go-to magazine for young women seeking advice and answers to their fashion, beauty, and lifestyle questions."

Anna notes that the work of her team was crucial to meeting the tight deadlines that magazines must follow. "My daily routine consisted of checking in new garments, returning garments that had been used on photo shoots and featured stories, as well as going on runs to showrooms for various pick-ups and drop-offs. The days were long, beginning at 9 a.m., and typically ending around 7 p.m. Because we were on our feet for the majority of the day, comfort was key – oxfords and leggings quickly became my best friends. Despite the lack of a formal dress code, we were expected to conduct ourselves in a professional manner that would reflect Glamour's ideals both on and off the job site."

"I had the unique experience of engaging in daily interaction with fashion and beauty editors, as we are required to assist in preparing for photo shoots," Anna says. "Many of these acclaimed employees began as interns themselves, so it was inspiring to see the career mobility that one can make within the magazine's hierarchy. I quickly learned that creating an influential magazine requires the utmost teamwork."

"The small class sizes at Caz transferred well to the small team I joined at Glamour," Anna says. "My group of fashion closet interns consisted of six people led by Glamour's assistant to the senior fashion market editor. Our days were nothing short of hectic and stressful, so having a dependable team whose members were dedicated to accomplishing the same mission was crucial to our success."

"My experience working at Glamour exceeded all intellectual and social bounds. Each day I was met with new challenges, new highs and lows. It is definitely not an opportunity for the meek and shy individual. I learned more about myself as a professional working in this industry than I could in any classroom. This incomparable opportunity was a life-changing experience I will never forget."

"The small class sizes at Caz transferred well to the small team I joined at Glamour Magazine."

Fashion Merchandising
Baltimore, MD
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