Retail Workshop | Bachelor's Degree in Business

Igniting passion, creating impact

Meeting weekly throughout the fall semester, students engage in comprehensive professional development, hands-on projects, networking opportunities, and collaborative problem-solving sessions. This immersive experience offers a unique perspective on well-known retailers and prepares students for real-world challenges in the industry.

The Retail Workshop consists of three 1.5 credit-hour classes. The first required course meets the first eight weeks of the fall semester. The second required course meets the second eight weeks of the fall semester. The third optional course meets the first eight weeks of the fall semester the following year.

KRW members can continue their affiliation with the workshop through scheduled programming events for the rest of their academic career, as well as after graduation.

The Retail Workshop works with a variety of retailers in the industry, including our partners:

AEO
Abercrombie & Fitch
Walmart
TJX
Macy’s
Meijer
Homefield Apparel
Dollar General

“My favorite part of the Retail Workshop is the diversity of everyone in the organization. I felt like I was learning something new every day by just having a conversation with a fellow workshopper!”

Sharan PeshinClass of 2026

Retail Workshop Field Seminar Opportunities:

Each year the workshop visits retail corporate offices and distribution centers in Indianapolis, IN as well as another major retail hub such as:

Columbus, OH
New York, NY
Chicago, IL
Nashville TN

Workshop Course

BUS-M 255 (soon to be BUS-M 249): Retail Workshop I, 1.5 credits (Required)
BUS-M349: Retail Workshop II, 1.5 credits (Required)
BUS-M 455 (soon to be BUS-M 449): Retail Workshop III, 1.5 credits (Optional)

Additional Retail Courses

BUS-M 339 – Retail Marketing Analytics (3 credits)
BUS-M 419 – Retail Strategy (3 credits)

Workshop Application and Admission

Students have the opportunity to engage directly with recruiters and senior leaders from various companies, gaining firsthand knowledge about industry practices and insights into roles such as assistant buyer, merchandise planner, and merchandise analyst—three prominent entry-level positions within the retail sector.

First year or sophomore students of any major in the Kelley School of Business.

A successful applicant will have a strong passion for retail and be enthusiastic to learn about the industry. They will have an excellent academic standing and provide a meaningful, well-done application. The applicant will perform well in an interview, showing preparedness and genuine interest.

Applications will open January 15, 2026, and are due on February 9, 2026.

After submitting an application, chosen applicants will be invited to a first-round interview. After that, selected students will be asked to complete a trend report + analytical project and selected students will join a second-round interview. After interviewing, decisions will be communicated by the end of March.

Students are expected to attend each class and make every effort to attend the field seminar trips as they are an important look into the retail industry. The fall semester is busy with events related to retail (career fairs and speaker events) that students are expected to attend. This is a professional workshop, and students are expected to be curious, ask questions, and engage with guest speakers and participate in in-class projects.

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“I joined the workshop as a sophomore still unsure about where to take my career and thanks to the workshop I got a great first step/impression of retail. Talbott, the NYC trip, and my peers helped me learn so much which set me up in the perfect position for my internship at Abercrombie & Fitch this past summer.”

Amani VaswaniClass of 2025

Workshop Faculty

Dana Olsen

Senior Lecturer

Director of the Center for Education and Research in Retailing

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“I took over the retail workshop from my esteemed colleague Theresa Williams in 2019. I think we may have had 15 to 20 applicants. Because of the great students we were able to attract, more students followed in their footsteps. Word-of-mouth among students led to strong demand for the course as our retail partners provide great entry points for an interesting and fulfilling career. The greatest joy of the workshop is working with the wonderful students that applied to be part of it. Learning together, laughing together, eating together, traveling together. The administrative load associated with making something like this happen is extraordinary. And I think we finally found the secret sauce of how to allow our students to help us propagate the workshop and create even stronger demand for the learning outcome it provides. To every retail student that I have interacted with I thank you for making me a better person and hope that I had some positive impact on your life.”

John TalbottAssociate Director of the Center for Education and Research in Retailing

Workshop Enrollment Questions?

For questions on workshop enrollment, please email beshe12@iu.edu

Igniting passion, creating impact

Retail Workshop Field Seminar Opportunities:

Workshop Course

Workshop Application and Admission

Who can apply?

What makes an applicant competitive?

When is the application open and due?

When are application decisions communicated to students?

Workshop Time Commitment and Expectations

Workshop Faculty

Dana Olsen

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