From the classroom to the Home Office…

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By FP contributor, Jules Boyd.

Did you know that Free People has had an ongoing partnership with Girls Inc. for over six years? Through collaboration, we’ve supported their mission to inspire young girls to be STRONG, SMART and BOLD through advocacy, programming and donations.

One program in particular, Girls Inc.’s Eureka!, is an intensive, five-year STEM based program for rising students that builds confidence and skills through hands-on opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math. Utilizing a well-rounded approach, the program also incorporates physical fitness, personal development, and college and career readiness.

This summer, through the Eureka! program, our Home Office offered two internships to two high school students: Cady and Izzy. Both students will have interned for one month to learn the ropes in their respective teams, gain experience within the fashion arena, and most importantly — have fun.

FP: How long have you both been involved with Girls Inc., and how did it lead you to Free People?

Cady: I’ve been with them since fourth grade — seven years! Through Girls Inc. I was asked to give a speech at The Barnes Foundation. They had a women’s conference where I was also able to network. I had actually been offered a few internships that didn’t end up working out, but then I got another email saying I could do an internship with Free People. I really enjoyed the Mentorship Day I went to last year, and now I’m here!

Izzy: I’ve been with them since 8th grade. I went to a career exploration event with Girls Inc. where we got to figure out which [careers] we really liked and what our interests were, and then we had an interview session in May. I really wanted to work at Free People and I expressed that to them — which is how I got the internship!

FP: So what department are you interning in?

Cady: I’m a planning intern for tops so I focus on analyzing data to figure out what works for Free People based on past and current trends.

Izzy: I work under the merchandising department where I mainly work with shoes.

FP: What’s one really cool thing you’ve learned?

Izzy: I learned the behind the scenes of how everything works online — like the SKU numbers, the color codes, and everything else that plays a part of the website.

Cady: I learned how to read certain data about certain types of clothing and accessories, and then calculating that to get the best and most accurate results to better the company.

FP: How has Girl’s Inc. and Free People prepared you for the future?

Izzy: It helped me to really understand how a business works. This is my first real job and first internship. It’s really cool to learn how a business works at a young age — that way, when we enter other internships in college and eventually our jobs it will be more familiar to us!

Cady: It’s given me a good idea of what I like, and even prompted me to look into colleges that offer certain things I would need for a job position like this one.

FP: Do you have a favorite Free People item right now?

Cady: Yes! The We The Free Call Me Crazy Cargo Jeans.

Izzy: [Laughs] That’s too hard! I can’t choose one — I’ve worked with so many accessories lately that I’ve been loving!

It’s no secret that our ongoing partnership with Girls Inc. is one that Free People is not only immensely proud of, but one that a lot of employees and volunteers hold closely to their heart. Having the opportunity to mentor young women in the early stages of their careers is such an important and uplifting role — and one that we’ll continue to nurture for years to come.

To learn more about our commitment to Girls Inc., visit Care FP.