Internship offers student experience, help for cancer patients

A new internship program is providing Ohio State students with experience in retail management while helping women with cancer look and feel their best.

Hope’s Boutique began hosting internships in the spring semester this year. Located on the first floor of Ohio State’s Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center, the nonprofit retail store caters to women with cancer. The boutique offers a variety of products, from hair pieces to jewelry to breast prostheses and specially fitted bras.

Cancer survivor Wendy Avner founded the boutique in 1998, providing a one-stop resource for women undergoing cancer treatment to consult with trained professionals to maintain their appearance.

Kristin Paulus, senior lecturer in the Department of Human Sciences’ Fashion and Retail Studies (FRS) program, had a similar motivation as Avner when she created the internship for Hope’s Boutique.

“Through my own personal journey of cancer and having all the great services that the Spielman Center provides, I quickly discovered that there’s a fabulous [boutique] sitting on the main floor,” she said.

“I started thinking this might be an opportunity for us to build a bridge throughout the university over into the medical center. I just literally started sharing that thought with anybody that would listen. And the great part is there were a lot of people who listened.”

Paulus founded the internship to augment Hope’s Boutique staff while providing students with practical work experience.

“I sat there and went through the process and observed what all the fabulous staff were doing to help people in my situation,” she said. “I quickly realized that we have these FRS students across campus, not so far away, that are being trained in the same two tracks. One track being product development, the second track being that of merchandising.”

What interns learn, how they support patients

The Hope’s Boutique internship lasts for a semester and covers many aspects of the FRS curriculum, said Ellen Jackson, Hope’s Boutique manager.

“We’ve worked together to … put together a plan for [students’] internships so they’re not just here because they need to fill a certain amount of hours,” she said, “but that it is enriching to their education as well.”

Interns gain experience in essential retail operations, including customer relations, opening and closing procedures, point-of-sale systems, visual displays, inventory tracking and financial reporting.

Hope’s Boutique interns also learn to tailor retail services to the specific needs of individuals being treated for cancer, Jackson said.

“Cancer affects everybody,” she said, “and one of my goals was to make the boutique more accessible.”

While interning at Hope’s Boutique last spring, recent Ohio State graduate Keona Hibbard offered invaluable insights on the retail experience from a young person’s perspective, Jackson said.

“We brought her along on some vendor meetings,” Jackson said. “We met with the presidents of a couple of companies of pocketed bra vendors that we have here. We have one of the largest accounts in the U.S. for all the people we fit, so they gave us a lot of attention.”

Hibbard graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in FRS. She said the Hope’s Boutique internship provided experience that was directly transferable to her current role as a visual merchandiser for retailer Uniqlo in Chicago.

“It’s great, especially if you don’t know what area you want to specialize in,” Hibbard said of the internship. “The manager gives you a lot of flexibility to explore options. It really gives you good experience for your resume.”

Hibbard said she has witnessed family and friends coping with cancer, which made interning at Hope’s Boutique all the more meaningful.

“It’s retail therapy,” she said. “It gives you a lot of compassion.”

For more information, visit the Hope's Boutique website.  For information about breast cancer prevention, visit the National Cancer Institute’s website.