The 2014 Dardis Classroom to Career summer internship program came to a close earlier this month, but the impact of this real-world business experience will carry our interns through their entire careers. Many participants completed sales early on in the process and stretched that momentum through the summer. For others, they faced and overcame challenges to learn lessons they can apply in their first job and beyond.
Kendall Hendrix, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, attributes her offer for a full-time position with a financial services company after graduation to the Dardis Academy.
“Dardis was the sole reason this door was opened to me and is the reason I was able to further refine my interests and ambitions as a professional and narrow down what I want to do in my career,” she said.
She attributes her success to understanding that she’s not only selling clothing – ultimately, she was selling herself as an accomplished professional. Kendall encourages other college students to seriously consider the Classroom to Career internship program regardless of their college major.
“Aim high and don’t underestimate the doors this internship will open for you,” she said. “If you are putting your 100 percent best effort in every single day, you will see the results without fail.”
University of Northern Iowa junior Morgan Maiers considers her most successful sales experience with Dardis on a day that she actually made zero sales. While she had meetings set up, none ended in a sale, leaving her initially discouraged before she decided to search for other prospects on foot.
“I label this as a success because I could have easily given up at that point, but instead I pressed on and gained future prospects that I made sales to in the future,” Morgan said.
Brian Thompson, a senior at the University of Chicago, began his Dardis internship worried that he wouldn’t make any corporate or personal sales. But only a few weeks later, Brian was able to secure a meeting with a high-level executive at a software company. He had low expectations on his potential return, but to Brian’s surprise, the orders kept coming in, reaching 50 items for a total corporate sale worth $5,000.
“Sales is hard work, and I heard “no” a lot through the summer,” Brian said. “But I learned that every now and then, I will hear a “yes,” and that makes it all worthwhile. Dardis helped teach me that I should never quit before the miracle.”
Congratulations to all of our 2014 Classroom to Career interns!
We are proud to have you a part of the Dardis family.
We would like to especially congratulation our top three overall sellers based on total sales. Together, they sold more than $35,000!
Cameron James, University of Iowa, Sophomore, Team Iowa: $15,655
Fran Campbell, University of Kansas, Graduate Student, Team Kansas: $10,940
Trevor Morlock, College of St. Scholastica, Junior, Team Minnesota: $8,603
