Stony Brook University SUNY Korea

In their fourth semester, students of FIT at SUNY Korea are offered an internship course program that allows them to get first-hand experience in the working industry. Not only do they get to experience working in an actual company, but they are also trained in working ethics and future career skills. This year, the program has 15 Fashion Business Management students working in well-known global brands such as Sejung Company, bySophie, Banzai Living, and IPark Mall.

Didier Dubot is a jewelry brand under Sejung Company and the department in which 2 FIT students were placed. At Didier Dubot, students were assigned tasks such as market research, brand analysis, and site reviews—all of which aligned with what they learned throughout their previous semesters. With this, students could apply the knowledge and skills they gained from their courses in a professional work environment. The interns were also tasked with a store visit, during which they examined Didier Dubot’s collections at Coex mall while also conducting a competitor analysis by browsing nearby luxury accessory brands.  

Several students were asked about their experiences. Pamela Wang said, “Interning at the HDC IPark Mall at Yongsan, Seoul, I joined the Content Development Team and am working on planning pop-up stores.”  

For Maxine Leye, “Working at the startup company Banzai Living Inc., there are many hats to wear as I get direct insight on how the beauty industry works from product research, packaging selection and digital marketing. Mindful creativity and effective time management are some of the key aspects of the internship.” 

Arim Lee added, “At LIE Collection, I had the opportunity to apply the skills I learned in school, such as Photoshop and Excel, in real-world scenarios. This hands-on experience allowed me to grow professionally and personally, gaining valuable insights and proficiency.”

Overall, the internship program offers students a valuable opportunity to apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings and develop essential professional skills. The upcoming 'Internship Panel Event' on March 3rd, hosted by the Career Center, will further enrich this learning experience by providing a platform for students to listen as their fellow colleagues, who have experienced internships, share their insights and tips on how they were able to search for their internships, the application process, and how they plan to use the experience on their next career path. 

Written by Meann Ho and Jennifer Christiana of IVY Magazine