#SoaringToSuccess: Jazmine Elliott’s Path from EC to NYC

When Jazmine Elliott ’25 first arrived on the Elmira College campus three years ago, she didn’t know how much her experiences here would change her. Originally from Rome, Pennsylvania, her EC journey began as one of the first students in the three-year accelerated Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business school program. Since then, she’s had a jam-packed schedule of unique opportunities, traveling each year with her classes to see the inner workings of the New York City fashion industry. She’s been exposed to fashion leaders, including the rare opportunity for a one-on-one interview with Tommy Hilfiger. And last summer, she interned at Burlington Stores’ corporate headquarters, which led to her winning a $10,000 scholarship and an all-expenses-paid trip to a three-day National Retail Federation conference in NYC.

Between her classroom and internship success, Elliott has gained confidence in herself and her business abilities. Those experiences also helped the small-town native embrace moving to one of the largest cities in the world, NYC, where she’ll soon begin working in the merchandising department at Macy’s after she graduates later this month.

“When I went to apply for entry-level roles, I knew what I was talking about, which helped me stand out more,” she shared.

Elliott explained that her Business Administration and Fashion Business courses at EC focused on business acumen, giving her an understanding of how businesses work and the strategies they use to reach their goals. She also gained math and analytical skills, valuable assets when she interned at Burlington and saw the business theories of the classroom come to life.

“At Burlington, I worked as an Intern for the Men’s Licensing Team, Apparel,” she shared. “Burlington has partnerships with major sports teams and brands from the NFL, NBA, and others, and our team made sure we had the right amount of stock coming in.”

Elliott confessed she’s not particularly interested in sports, but that didn’t matter since the internship gave her a front-row seat to the buying process.

Jazmine Elliott ’25 (fourth from the left) stands with other interns in front of the Burlington Stores logo that hangs in the company’s New Jersey headquarters.

“I did a lot of analytical office work, completing purchase orders and developing style reports to assess what was and wasn’t working well. And why. I went to NYC to meet with vendors, so I was able to see how to negotiate and build relationships with vendors. I learned to talk to new vendors.”

Elliott’s supervisor also encouraged her to shadow other teams to get a broader view of how things work. Elliott felt strongly that what she learned would be useful in any purchasing position.

She was also grateful to Burlington for introducing her to the National Retail Federation, an advocacy organization that Burlington sponsors. It was through the NRF that Elliott found a CVS Health-sponsored scholarship program, which she applied to and earned. She was one of 20 students from across the nation to receive the $10,000 tuition reimbursement. CVS Health also sponsored Elliott’s attendance at the annual “NRF Foundation Student Program,” where Elliott attended panel discussions, a mentor roundtable, and a career fair.

Traveling to NYC on her own and being the only EC student at the conference didn’t detract from the trip. In fact, it pushed Elliott to speak to more people. “Most importantly, the conference was a chance to network with professionals and fellow students. I actually think networking with fellow students is just as important — they’re going through the same things and could be key contacts in the future."

Jazmine Elliott ’25 and another CVS scholarship winner networked during the NRF Foundation Student Program conference in New York City.

Elliott credits the combination of her coursework, her unique experience, and the applied skills she gained in her internship for helping her land the exciting position at Macy’s.

“I knew how to talk about what buyers are looking for. I knew the language and had lots of background information from my classes. The HR recruiter I was working with in the job interview process said my panel reviewers had good feedback.”

As Elliott prepares to take the Commencement stage and begin the full-time role at an iconic retail chain, she hopes other students will learn from her experiences.

“Put yourself out there and ask lots of questions,” she advised.

For Elliott, that means taking a big leap from her small-town roots to the fast pace of New York City, but after her three amazing years at EC, she’s ready to soar with confidence.