Major retailer touts UNT's merchandising program as one of the best in the nation

UNT has one of the best merchandising programs in the nation, according to Roland Hearns, vice president of recruitment and placement for Saks Inc. Hearns recognized UNT's program and research conducted by two UNT faculty members at the National Retail Federation's annual convention in January in New York City.

Christy Crutsinger, professor of merchandising and hospitality management and chair of the merchandising division, and Dee K. Knight, assistant professor of merchandising and hospitality management, presented research at the conference focusing on ways retailers can attract college recruits to the industry. They were joined on the panel by Hearns, who invited them to be among the few academics in the country to address the expo attendees.

Crutsinger and Knight received initial funding for their research from Saks Inc. as a result of a company-sponsored national competition.

They surveyed 803 students who had experience working in retail and were enrolled in retail-related courses at 14 universities across the country. Responses showed that students were less likely to go into the retail field if their initial work experiences in part-time jobs were not challenging. For instance, students in positions that went beyond folding shirts and counting stock on the shelves and who were put in charge of the entire inventory process were more likely to take their merchandising degrees into the retail field.

"Managers should be more aware of the huge impact they can have on retaining college students in the industry," Knight says. "Students who have supervisors who provide feedback, include them as part of the team and give them credit for their ideas are more likely to be satisfied employees."

BY RUFUS COLEMAN rcoleman@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

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• UNT presents honorary degree to King of Thailand in March ceremony
• Own a piece of UNT
• Honors Day speaker part of a tribute to UNT's 50th anniversary of desegregation
• Annual jazz festival begins today in Addison
• Faculty Senate hears faculty mentoring report
• UNT health center receives national recognition
• UNT departments on the move
• Economist: Elite female college basketball players worth $300,000 a season
• Staff Council changes bylaws
• Survey shows UNT students a bit more liberal than peers

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