From Store Floor to Strategy: Gangopadhyay Builds Retail Leadership at Kohl’s  

Sukanya Gangopadhyay ’26, a senior majoring in both retail management and supply chain management, spent her summer learning what it takes to lead inside a fast-paced retail store environment. As a store leadership intern at Kohl’s, she stepped into a managerial role that challenged her to think critically, work collaboratively and take initiative.  

“My main responsibilities were the same as an assistant store manager (ASM),” Gangopadhyay says. “I worked closely with my ASM and store manager, helping evaluate employee performance, assist customers and oversee store operations.”  

Gangopadhyay unpacked delivery trucks, worked in every department, rang up customers, handled Amazon returns and even took on beauty retail responsibilities at Sephora, one of Kohl’s key partners. The variety of experiences gave her a broad understanding of how different parts of a retail store function together.  

“I was treated as an equal from day one,” she says. “That gave me confidence in my leadership abilities and made the whole experience more meaningful.”  

The project that defined her internship was one she designed herself. Tasked with improving processes within the store, Gangopadhyay chose to focus on the Sephora department. She worked with team members to improve how they collected Kohl’s Rewards and Beauty Insider information from customers, benefiting both brands. In addition, she reorganized the Women’s Petites Department to improve the customer experience and prevent product mix-ups with regular and plus sizes.  

That kind of problem-solving came naturally to her, thanks in large part to her preparation at the Whitman School. Gangopadhyay points to RMT333: Professional Practice, with Associate Director of Career Services Alicin Welsh, as a turning point. The course emphasized networking, interview skills and early application strategies, helping her secure a Kohl’s internship by October of her junior year.  

“I would recommend that class to every Whitman student,” she says. “It pushed me to take the internship search seriously early on, and it made a huge difference.”  

In her role in Career Services, Welsh is also Gangopadhyay’s career advisor, offering support beyond the classroom. That combination of classroom instruction and personalized advising helped her enter the internship with a professional mindset.  

The experience also sharpened Gangopadhyay’s organizational and time management skills. With tasks ranging from display setup to reporting on department progress, she learned how to balance competing priorities and stay flexible in a dynamic environment.  

One moment that stood out came just weeks into the internship, when Gangopadhyay was trusted to redesign merchandise displays. With little instruction beyond basic themes, she realized her managers trusted her to lead with creativity.  

The internship confirmed her passion for retail and expanded her interest in the beauty and cosmetics side of the industry. Whether in a retail store or corporate office, Gangopadhyay now knows she wants to work somewhere that values versatility and cross-functional collaboration.  

“I was surrounded by such a supportive team,” she says. “Through this internship, I learned how important the culture and people within a company are. That’s something I’ll carry with me into my career.” 

  By Bo BenYehuda