For most students, moving to New York City on your own for a 6-month co-op would be an intimidating and almost impossible adventure. Luckily, Her Campus Drexel tracked down a Dragon that did just that and she’s here to share her experience and give you some advice. Jordan Nile Bingham, a 21-year-old senior from Houston, Texas, majoring in design and merchandising, had her only co-op at BCBGMAXAZARIA last fall and lived to tell the (fairy)tale.
Jordan’s journey as a Drexel Dragon began during her junior year of high school when the university sent her a brochure for their Design and Merchandising (D&M) summer program. Their description of the major seemed like the perfect fit for her considering her interests and her desired career, so she gave their two-week program a shot and, as she puts it, “fell in love.”
Now, Drexel’s brochure wasn’t completely responsible for Jordan’s interest in the fashion world. It actually began in middle school when she realized that life as an artist wouldn’t mesh well with her other long-term goals. Enter the ever-reliable motherly influence. “My mother is actually the one that got me into fashion,” Jordan said. Jordan’s mother taught her all about fashion, including how to shop and put outfits together. Through these lessons with her mom, Jordan became more interested in the industry, and officially gave up her dream of working with installation art.
As a student in Drexel’s D&M program, Jordan only had one co-op and was automatically placed in the fall-winter cycle. She went through the same process many other students go through, using SCDC to connect with potential employers. As SCDC recommended, Jordan applied to the maximum 25 jobs, first looking for ones she knew she’d enjoy, but also applying to positions she might consider taking if the others did not work out. By the time interview request results came out, she had received 23 interviews!
After attending all 23 interviews (the majority of which were NOT in Philadelphia), she walked away knowing that a) Some jobs do not always match their online description and b) That is not always a bad thing. She found some positions much more interesting than their description on the SCDC portal. One of Jordan’s most important pieces of advice for students going on co-op is to “never judge a co-op based off of their SCDC descriptions. You have to gamble a little because, I can guarantee, that some of them will surprise you. The interview is everything, not just for the employer but for you as well,” she said.
Having had 23 interviews, Jordan needed a reliable outfit that would make her feel confident and professional. Her go-to interview outfit is her navy suit from Theory paired with a white silk top and her hot pink purse from Loeffler Randal (pictured below).
Another bit of advice Jordan has for future D&M majors and students who are about to interview for co-op is to make the interviewer remember you as much as possible. She joked that her hot pink purse comes in close second (after her glowing personality, of course) as the thing that interviewers remember most about her.
After choosing BCBGMAXAZARIA from various other co-op offers, Jordan began her position as executive office intern. In this role she worked directly with the president of sales and development. Jordan admits that she had some mini slip-ups and faced unfamiliar situations, (like all students during their 6-months on co-op) but she credits the president and project manager with turning struggles into learning experiences.
Jordan also had the opportunity to work for the brand in New York Fashion Week during the spring of 2015. “Nothing is more magical than being able to watch a BCBG or Herve Leger fashion show,” Jordan said. She also returned to the BCBGMAXAZRIA team for the fall 2015 NYFW thanks to the connections and friends she made while on co-op.
With three years at Drexel under her belt, Jordan says that coursework from Westphal’s D&M program has really had a positive influence on her classroom and work experiences. Not only do the classes provide an opportunity to learn about the industry, they also teach their students how to be professionals, she said. Jordan’s co-op employers often praised the Drexel interns for showing up prepared and ready to learn.
As she completes her last year on campus, Jordan assures us that even though her plans are constantly changing, she has complete confidence that she will be doing something great after graduation thanks to her time and experience at Drexel and working with BCBGMAXAZARIA. All of us at Her Campus Drexel don’t doubt her for a second.