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LONDON CALLINGAmerican Intercontinental UniversityStudy Abroad & Internship ProgramSummer 2011

+The program Freshman year introductory fashion class first interest 10-week program in the heart of London including two

classes (Fashion Journalism and Historical and Contextual Studies of Fashion) and an internship from June 2, 2011, through Aug. 13, 2011.

I had to apply to the AIU program itself, then to the internship program

Internship Coordinator with AIU submitted my Curriculum Vitae and Statement of Purpose to possible internship providers

One other student and I went for an interview with the chosen internship provider (Studio Thirteen)

On the spot we were both given the internship

+The day to day at Studio Thirteen Making tea and coffee for

clients Greeting clients (buyers

from boutiques to Harrod’s) Modeling clothing for

buyers Writing news releases “Hangering” Filing

Calling potential clients Cleaning Mailings Moving, unpacking,

steaming merchandise Visual merchandising

(displays, rails, mannequins)

Business card spreadsheet

+Scoop International Fashion Trade Show Trade show: modeling as stand-up public relations,

making buyers and members of the press want something they did not know they needed. There was even a press lounge.

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+Scoop International Fashion Trade Show

+What I learned To have a thicker skin and not be as sensitive To be bold and to take initiative (pushed myself — and

my employer — beyond mundane internship tasks) Discovered whether a career in the fashion industry is

going to be a good fit for my personality, attitude and career/life goals for the future

I became more culturally aware of English and American cultures by working with English coworkers and clients and gauging their interactions with me

Learned what fashion public relations entails and figured out how it is distinct from fashion journalism

+JMC classes that prepared me

News and Feature Writing Advanced News and Feature Writing Editing and Design Introduction to Public Relations Mass Communication in Society Public Relations Writing (as an afterthought; I’m in this

class now) Apparel & Textiles courses But really nothing trades for the experience itself

+My evaluation Valuable to me as someone interested in fashion journalism

or fashion public relations, but for a journalism student not in these niches I’m not sure how valuable it would be

I learned the other side of it – the public relations side and the business side

When I work in fashion journalism someday this knowledge of what a fashion agency is, how it works and the atmosphere of the industry itself will have provided me life experience

Much of the five weeks was spent at mundane intern duties, but when I finally got the nerve to ask for more and different work the internship improved

Physically more trying than I could have prepared for

+The City of London A thriving diverse city where the

world’s cultures converge for business and pleasure (No. 1 European city for business)

Museums, the Royal Family and history galore

Luxury shopping Fashion shows & the Arts!

A fashion mecca:

-London Fashion Week

-London College of Fashion

-The Fashion Museum

-Home to British Vogue, The Tatler, The Sunday Times, a world media center with CNN, the BBC, CNBC, Associated Press, Reuters…