Angela Shuler

Co-Manager
Pacific Sunwear

Angela Shuler is a Co-Manager at Pacific Sunwear in Charlotte, North Carolina. An AiCH graduate in Fashion Marketing, she started with Pacific Sunwear as a Senior Cashier in November 2001. She was promoted after graduation due to her impressive educational background and work- ethic. Angela gained many years of experience in retail and is delighted with her current employer.

Angela enjoyed AiCharlotte because of the hands-on projects and the one-on-one attention she received from faculty and staff. The two classes she most enjoyed were Fashion Presentation and Visual Merchandising. She gained computer experience from these two classes in order to have her portfolio on disk. She encourages future students to use their time wisely and complete projects in a professional manner because employers take classwork into account. Angela plans to continue to advance with Pacific Sunwear.

Christy Ryrse

Division Assistant
Belk Stores Services

Christy Ryrse is a Division Assistant for Belk Stores' Corporate Headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her responsibilities include working closely with the Buyer for the Junior Department, managing money, advertising, arranging corporate meetings, placing orders, assisting vendors, audio/visual, coordinating schedules for the Buyers, and company functions. She enjoys her career because it keeps her busy and because of the positive environment her colleagues create at work.
She gained her experience working at Wal-Mart as a Customer Service Representative. She interned at Dillard Department Store in the Men’s Section. She also interned with Liz Claiborne. After graduation, she worked with The Gap for two years as an Assistant Manager.
Christy recommends the Accounting, Advertising, and Keyboarding courses. She is a firm believer in becoming active within an internship. In the future, Christy sees herself as a retail Store Manager because she enjoys the one-on-one interaction with clients. She says, “Always follow through and keep up with you coursework. Above all, never settle for second best!”

Heather Wright

Design Consultant
Brideshead

Heather Wright is a Design Consultant with Brideshead in Charlotte, North Carolina. She designs bridal headpieces to add to the beauty of the wedding celebration. Her clientele spreads across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
The headpieces range from $100.00 to $700.00 in price. Her masterpieces are featured in the Carolina Bride magazine. Her busiest seasons are Spring and Summer when she designs approximately twenty-four headpieces/veils a week. She says, “There’s nothing like watching fate take place.” In addition, she continues her love for fashion by selling silver jewelry for a company out of Florida and working part-time at Dilworth Hemp Company, providing excellent customer service.
Heather’s goal is to own a boutique. She continues to follow her dreams by providing an impressive work ethic. She said, “Follow your dreams and you’ll have something to look forward to cherishing.”

JACQUELINE GARCIA

JACQUELINE GARCIA
Visual Manager
Hecht’s Department Store: Carolina Place Mall

On graduation with a degree in Fashion Marketing in March, Jacqueline “Jacque” Garcia began working as a sales associate at New York and Company. But soon after, thanks to a strong recommendation from FM Academic Director Alease McClenningham, Jacque was asked to interview with the marketing manager at Hecht’s, Carolina Place Mall. They were anxious to hire because their Visual Manager had left. After going through her portfolio and seeing her skills, the manager hired her on the spot, said Jacque. As visual manager, her responsibility is to place all of the signage and visual aspects in each department floors. That includes dressing the forms. It’s a job she really enjoys and hopes to stay with to build her expertise and reputation in fashion marketing.

Her advice to AiCH Students: Network, study and concentrate on making your portfolio the best it can be. That’s what will sell you.

Shekeita McCoy

Assistant Manager
Bebe

Shekeita McCoy is the Assistant Manager for Bebe at SouthPark Mall. She gained experience in the sales department at Gap and now is the Assistant Manager with Bebe. She has always been interested in fashion; however, she went to another college then transferred to The Art Institute of Charlotte because she knew learning about fashion was where she really wanted to be. Shekeita took a fashion class in high school and developed a passion for the field.

As Assistant Manager, Shekeita is responsible for scheduling, department organization, on-call, cash register, etc. She truly enjoyed her experience at The Art Institute and is proud of her accomplishments. Her portfolio is quite impressive and will assist her as she continues to grow in the field. She encourages students to stay focused and develop a goal for themselves. She reminds herself of the passion she has for her career when situations become stressful. Most of all, she encourages setting a goal and sticking with it!

Tameka Bennett

It was persistence that landed Tameka Bennett, a Summer ’04 graduate in Fashion Marketing, a sales associate position with the newly opened Nordstrom, nationally recognized for its customer service. She just kept “hounding” the HR director until she got the job she had learned through Career Services was available.

Currently, Tameka is using everything she learned, from research skills to business planning, to help “grow” the clientele of the new Collectors Department and work her way up. After four months, she will have begun management training -- the department store is noted for promoting from within rather than hiring management from outside, and Tameka believes her future with Nordstrom is hers to create.

Tameka’s advice to AiCH Students: Be persistent, be open-minded and be patient.