Foy credits coursework, a desire to help people and her dream of working in fashion as the fuel that ignited her desire to intern with Gap Inc.
Ciani Foy ’22, a communications major from Huntersville, North Carolina, began her first year at Elon University set on working in the fashion industry as a graphic designer. Although she had this idea in her head, she pushed herself to go out of her comfort zone and test the waters in the world of communications.
It was during this time that Foy was introduced to user experience and user interface. Foy fell in love with the design processes as they allow her to combine her communication design major with her minors in poverty and social justice.
This newfound passion combined with her long-term interest in fashion motivated her to apply for a user experience internship position with Gap Inc. Before submitting her application, Foy spent time working with a career advisor at the Student Professional Development Center to touch up her resume and interview skills. All of her initiative and hard work paid off and she got the position.
Foy is the latest person to be featured in a series of Today at Elon profiles on the experiences of students and alumni who used the Student Professional Development Center to find job and internship opportunities, help with graduate school placements, prepare for interviews, and improve resumes and cover letters with guidance from professionals. She answered questions recently from the SPDC about her experience.
What were you trying to accomplish when you met with the Student Professional Development Center and what specific help did you receive?
I wanted someone with expertise to help me with formatting and to polish my resume before I applied to internships. I met with Amber Moser in the SPDC satellite office located in McEwen Building. She helped me enhance my resume and offered LinkedIn advice that ultimately helped me land an interview with Gap Inc.
How did your interest in the organization, company or career develop?
After taking Web and Mobile Publishing I knew that user interface/experience (UI/UX) was the design field I wanted to pursue. With a major in communication design and a minor in poverty and social justice, working in UI/UX will allow me to merge my interest in helping people by developing more human-centric designs. Additionally, I have always wanted to work in the fashion industry as a graphic designer but did not know what specialization I wanted to be in. Now, I have a clear idea and I couldn’t be happier that Gap Inc. chose me.
Tell me about your experience in landing this opportunity at Gap Inc.
I applied to Gap Inc. through LinkedIn during my junior year. A few months later, I was invited to two interviews. One was with a recruiter and the other was with two user experience designers at Gap Inc. The interview process was intimidating, but I stayed confident by reminding myself that I was chosen for a reason. At the beginning of the spring semester Gap reached out and offered me a position!
Which other faculty members did you work with to prepare and what help did you receive?
I worked with Rebecca Bagley, my web and mobile publishing professor, and Randy Piland, my academic advisor. Bagley gave me clear and honest feedback to help improve the designs I had in my portfolio. Upon accepting my internship offer from Gap Inc., Piland provided me with advice that affirmed my decision to take the opportunity.
What did you learn from the experience?
I learned about the power of networking and building relationships. Not just across departments, but in various areas of the company. I learned the beauty of taking creative risks and the importance of asking for help to further my knowledge about UI/UX design.
What recommendations would you share with other students about the Student Professional Development Center?
Visit the SPDC early in the semester to get your resume and LinkedIn reviewed before you start your internship search. Also, if you need a professional headshot for your LinkedIn profile the SPDC is the place to go! Do not be afraid to use the resources around you. They are there for a reason. The SPDC exists with the purpose to help students succeed.