The Retail Center is preparing students for the new age of retail

The David F. Miller Retail Center is shifting its approach to meet the ever-changing retail industry.

Founded in 1988 by former JCPenney Vice Chairman David Miller (BSBA ’51), the center developed strong relationships with large department stores and retail brands that have benefitted students for decades.

As ecommerce, omnichannel strategy, and data-driven decision-making reshape the retail world, the center is evolving its curriculum to ensure students are prepared for roles across the entire spectrum, from customer-facing experiences to behind-the-scenes analytics.

“This is where the industry is going,” said Director of Student Engagement Christina Norton. “It’s shifting from the big department stores to companies like Amazon and Wayfair.”

Students are still gaining critical experience in stores, interacting with customers and building operational knowledge, but many are now also spending their summers in internships focused on strategy, business intelligence and technology. Whether they’re placed with major brands, tech startups or consulting firms, students are learning to navigate the human and data sides of retail.

Many retail students come to Warrington already working in the retail industry. They run their own businesses online and are often actively involved in ecommerce before getting involved with the center. The center now wants to make sure it’s creating programming to challenge students and take their retail knowledge to the next level.

“Our focus will be on technology and AI as the big themes in retail,” Norton said. “We want students to be prepared for the future of retail.”

Under the leadership of Center Director Joel Davis and Norton, the curriculum is expanding. Students take courses like Retail Systems and Management and a seminar featuring guest speakers from across the industry. An Introduction to Python course taught by Davis allows students to gain hands-on coding experience, an increasingly valuable skill in retail’s future.

“We want students to make the connection between retail experience and analytical thinking,” Davis said. “Whether they’re working in merchandising, supply chain, marketing or customer experience, the ability to translate data into strategy is what will set them apart.”

“That’s the differentiator,” Norton added. “Retail has always required great instincts and people skills, but now students also need to understand the science. Predictive analytics and AI tools are reshaping everything from inventory control to customer insights.”

AI is now doing inventory control and other important functions for retailers, so students have to be more prepared to build strategy.

“They’re still learning how to connect with customers and deliver value in person,” Norton said. “But increasingly, they’re also being asked to connect the dots between what’s happening on the floor and what the numbers are saying.”

The center also benefits from being a partner of the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association. Retail students have access to all NRF research, data and conferences.

Each year, 26 retail students go to New York City for NRF: Retail’s Big Show. This conference includes recruiting, educational opportunities and speakers with the latest trends in retail. The center’s endowment covers scholarships for 26 students to head to the Big Apple and learn about the future of the industry.

Students in the center also benefit from a strong alumni network. Retail alumni often return to the center, speaking with students about career opportunities and even interviewing students for internship and full-time positions.

“So much of what we do is because of our alumni,” Norton said. “They give so much time to the center, always willing to come back and speak to our students. Our alumni are truly trailblazers.”