In the summer of 2024, I had the privilege of interning with the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) at their headquarters in Virginia Beach, Virginia. NEXCOM, a retail organization operated by the United States Navy, serves active-duty and retired military personnel, their families, and other authorized patrons. It operates a network of Navy Exchange stores, comparable to department stores, offering a wide range of products, including clothing, electronics, household goods, and groceries, often at tax-free and discounted prices.

During my internship, I worked in the Center Core department, which oversees categories such as jewelry, sunglasses, handbags, cosmetics, and fragrances. I collaborated closely with my mentor, the Divisional Merchandise Manager, and engaged with professionals across various roles, including Senior Buyers, Assistant Buyers, Associate Buyers and Merchandisers.

Toward the conclusion of my internship, I completed a capstone project and delivered a formal presentation to the company's executives. My project involved restructuring the displays for drugstore cosmetics across all NEXCOM stores, utilizing sales data and competitor assortments. This required clustering stores based on sales performance and linear footage, then optimizing assortments, product offerings, and retail space allocation for each. Due to the nature of the data involved, I cannot share the presentation, as it contains restricted information from both a retail corporation and a government entity.

Overall, my internship at NEXCOM was an invaluable experience, filled with professional achievements and insights that I will carry into my career in fashion buying. Additionally, the connections and friendships I developed during my time there will undoubtedly serve as resources throughout my professional journey.