Completing the work required for two majors in the midst of pursuing a three-year accelerated program to graduation is alone a formidable challenge for any undergraduate. Carving out time within that framework to study abroad for an entire semester – plus completing three internships – would be an even more daunting task, perhaps impossible, for many students.
With the guidance and support of her advisors, Charlotte Rose ’24 is achieving all these goals.
A first-generation student, Rose says she chose Hollins because it was a small school that offered a lot of study abroad and internship opportunities. She also knew she wanted to major in business and graduate in three years. “I sat down pretty early in my first semester with [Associate Professor of Economics and Chair of the Department of Business and Economics] Pablo Hernandez to map out what I could do in three years,” she recalls. “I wanted to do study abroad and I wanted to see how I could make that work.”
Rose was drawn to the business major’s international track “because it has a language component that I thought would pair nicely with study abroad.” In hindsight, she says, “I was glad I did that, because the more classes I took and the greater exposure that I got to the international piece, the more I became interested in global business.” Subsequently, Rose decided to complement her study of international business by declaring a second major in applied economics.
Pairing study abroad with a three-year academic plan meant Rose would need to identify an overseas program that would keep her on track. Thanks to Hernandez and Ramona Kirsch, director of Hollins’ Global Learning Hub, she found the perfect fit with the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES Abroad) in Paris. Spending Fall Term 2022 in an international business capital, she immersed herself in French language and culture as well as the landscapes of political and social life while also studying at the American Business School of Paris (ABS). “I was able to take classes in marketing and international business and thus earn credits for my major,” she says. “Without that opportunity, I would have had to transition to a four-year program at Hollins.”
Rose took classes alongside students from all over the world. “I credit a lot of my growth in cross-cultural competency to ABS. Sitting in a room full of students where there are language barriers and different communication styles, it takes you out of your comfort zone, and you have no choice but to figure things out. Your skills of adaptability and determination come into play when you’re thrown into a new and totally different environment. Of course, you’re going to learn those skills in the classroom at Hollins, but you are really able to apply them during study abroad, which is just the most amazing opportunity.”
Traveling beyond Paris was another highlight for Rose during her semester abroad. She treasured visiting several cities in Germany and Italy, but exploring France itself was especially gratifying. “Outside of Paris, there are a lot of diverse regions that people aren’t aware of with so many chateaus and ramparts from early centuries that are beautifully preserved. I was lucky to experience that rich history.”
This academic year, Rose set her sights on gaining more professional experience before she graduated “with a truly international business. I wanted to see how a place like that runs internally.” For the 2024 January Short Term, she secured an internship with Estée Lauder Companies, Inc., in New York City, one of the world’s top manufacturers of skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products. Joining the global corporate communications and breast cancer campaign teams, Rose experienced firsthand the power of the Hollins alumnae/i network by working under supervisors who are both Hollins graduates: Emili McPhail ’18 and Monica Osborne ’20.
“I knew it would be a supportive environment,” Rose says. “They allowed me to select my own projects and cater my time to my own interests.” During her internship, she focused on supply chain messaging. “I learned about supply and demand in my classes, but it’s a lot different when you’re working on behalf of a company. It’s a much bigger deal, and a wonderful experience to have on my resume.”
Rose’s work with Estée Lauder Companies is the third of three real-world experiences she’s enjoyed through Hollins’ Signature Internship Program, which gives sophomores, juniors, and seniors the chance to pursue an array of opportunities sponsored by Hollins alumnae/i. These internships carry academic credit and include housing and a stipend. The first occurred during her first year at Hollins with Roanoke’s Taubman Museum of Art, where she worked as a research intern and helped with several community involvement projects. Last summer, she interned with the publishing section of the White House Historical Association in Washington, D.C.
‘I got to build a lot of the skills that I needed when I did the Estée Lauder Companies internship,” Rose says. “The Signature program is wonderful. I’ve been so fortunate at Hollins in terms of how everything has set me up and prepared me for taking the next step.”
This fall, Rose is returning to France to complete a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in international marketing and business development at Emlyon Business School, which Financial Times ranks as one of the top ten business schools in Europe. “I’ll be there for a year and a half,” she explains. “It’s funny, I loved my experience at Hollins so much that it gave me such a better idea of what I want in a graduate school, particularly the small class sizes – I was wonderfully spoiled by Hollins – and the prospect for experiential learning. In my program at Emlyon, internships are prioritized, so I hope to pursue a six-month internship as well as exchanges with other countries. I’m really excited for that.”
Her graduate studies, Rose adds, will be heavily informed by what she learned during her Estée Lauder Companies internship. “That overlap is wonderful, and in France especially, the cosmetic and beauty sectors are so big.”
Rose is not ruling out working in Europe after she finishes her M.Sc.; that spirit of flexibility, she feels, has served her well throughout her college career. “My openness to things is something that has allowed me to take hold and prosper with the opportunities I’ve had. I wasn’t necessarily looking initially at studying abroad in France. I was thinking of the UK, Italy, or other countries. The internships in publishing and communications didn’t necessarily fit with my majors if you looked at them on paper. But an open mindset has helped me get the most that I could out of all those opportunities. So, I’m going into the next year and a half with that same attitude.”
When she reflects on all that she has accomplished as an undergraduate, Rose notes that she “owes a lot of it to Hollins, I really do. Being able to apply so many skills outside of the classroom is especially valuable. I knew I wanted that going into grad school, so I’m very thankful.”
Rose emphasizes that she will always be particularly grateful to the Hollins faculty and staff for their advocacy. “They do such a wonderful job because they prioritize each individual student. Dr. Hernandez helped me figure out where I’m studying abroad, where I’m doing an internship. Dr. Kirsch and I figured out how to tailor things to meet my needs. When I wanted to be a double major on a three-year track, they were there to help me.
“I don’t think a lot of other schools can say to its students, ‘Whatever you want to do, we’ll figure out a way to make it work.’”
