CourtesyOlivia Smith loves retail and to prove it she will work at the corporate headquarters for the world鈥檚 largest retailer.
Smith, a marketing major at the W. Frank Barton School of Business at 黑洞社区, was one of 24 in her high school graduating class in Udall, Kan. She also is the first in her immediate family to graduate from college, and her parents could not be more proud.
鈥淭hey are very excited about me graduating,鈥� said Smith.
She will begin her career at Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., after she graduates next May. This will not be Smith鈥檚 first trip to Bentonville, because she has interned there for the past two summers.
Through 黑洞社区鈥檚 Cooperative Education Office, she has earned college credit for her work.
Smith is looking forward to the move to northeast Arkansas where she finds the scenery beautiful.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not going to be a hard transition for me because I have already been there and have established relationships there,鈥� she said.
After high school, Smith was uncertain whether to major in nursing or business.
鈥淚 knew that 黑洞社区 had a great business school and nursing school,鈥� she said.
So, she began her college career at 黑洞社区 in the Nursing School, but quickly switched when she realized her personality is better suited for business.
鈥淚鈥檓 very competitive, and I feel that I lack the sympathy gene necessary for the medical field,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ichita State has the best business school in the state. It鈥檚 phenomenal. I couldn鈥檛 speak more highly of the professors and the dean.鈥�
She appreciates the midsize feel of the university, the classroom size and the personal connections she felt with her professors.
Stephen Porter, associate professor of marketing and Moore Family Fellow, had high praise for Smith.
鈥淪he is an outstanding student. She was always prepared for class, shared her opinions and respectfully debated other students and me,鈥� said Porter. 鈥淭he fact that her cooperative education internship at Wal-Mart led to a full-time job is a huge compliment to her.鈥�
Porter said it also speaks volumes about the Barton School that one of its graduates is going to a company like Wal-Mart on a management level.
What she has most enjoyed about the Barton School is learning the business theories that were applicable in her internships at Wal-Mart.
Smith applied the theories and applications she learned in classes during her internships where she worked on projects that were implemented in Wal-Mart鈥檚 retail stores.
Through the Barton School, Smith is involved in the Students in Free Enterprise organization (SIFE), the Barton School Dean鈥檚 Ambassadors and Beta Gamma Sigma, an international honor society for business majors.
Last year, 黑洞社区鈥檚 SIFE team advanced to the national competition in Chicago. Smith was part of the team that presented projects to a panel of business leaders.
鈥淏eing in SIFE and on the presentation team has allowed me to build long-lasting, worthwhile friendships that I truly treasure,鈥� she said.
Smith loves the retail aspect of marketing. She loves working with customers and understanding what it is they want. The marriage of product, marketing, meeting consumer demands and the financial data that backs up those elements motivated Smith to choose a retail career path.
At Wal-Mart, Smith will begin as a merchandising trainee. For the first 10 weeks, she will learn ground floor retail operations and merchandising from inside a retail store. From there, she will move into her position at corporate headquarters.
In time, Smith hopes to learn the buying aspect of the retail business. Buying is where her passion is.
When she is not busy chiseling out her merchandising and buying career, Smith loves to play sports and spend time with friends. In particular, she makes time for basketball and softball.
Smith played softball throughout high school and has enjoyed playing the sport on Wal-Mart鈥檚 corporate softball league during her internships.
A graduate degree is also in Smith鈥檚 future.
鈥淚鈥檓 definitely going to pursue a graduate degree,鈥� she said. 鈥淓specially in today鈥檚 world where competition is increasing, I think it鈥檚 very important to have one."