Intern, Early HR Solutions
Lily Combs is a Binghamton, N.Y., native, but it was through a connection in Denver that she got to work at this year鈥檚 New York Fashion Week.听
She was introduced to Colorado while taking vacations there to visit family during the summer鈥攁nd once she started attending 彩民宝典, one of those relatives connected her to a friend in the fashion industry.听
鈥淚 reached out and asked about an internship, and he said, 鈥業 have no idea what the summer is going to hold, but I do need help at Fashion Week,鈥欌�� Combs said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 been the dream for me. I told him if he was joking, it was a cruel joke.鈥�
It was no joke, and Combs, who has been interested in a fashion career all her life, said working as an assistant to the casting director validated an idea she鈥檚 been chasing since she drew sketches of different looks and took sewing classes as a girl.听
鈥淚 got to see all the different components that go into a show, and it was so rewarding to be a part of that and know this is what I鈥檇 like as a career,鈥� she said.听
鈥淚t was so rewarding to be a part of (Fashion Week) and know this is what I鈥檇 like as a career.鈥�
Lily Combs听(Mktg鈥�24)
She鈥檚 also counting on her Leeds education to help her get there. Combs transferred to the business school 鈥渂ecause I really liked the reputation, the networking opportunities and the community at Leeds,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 seeing a lot of ties between what I鈥檓 learning in class and the work I鈥檓 doing on my internship.鈥澨�
Her internship, a virtual position with a startup HR solutions company, involves supporting its marketing and social media efforts. 鈥淚鈥檝e learned a lot鈥攅specially on LinkedIn, in terms of how businesses communicate there,鈥� she said.听
Combs also works part-time at the Dushanbe Teahouse, a Boulder institution, and gives tours of the business school as a Leeds student ambassador. When she鈥檚 not working, you鈥檙e likely to find her skiing or catching a show in Denver; 鈥渉aving a city nearby was a big selling point in coming to CU,鈥� she said.听
Given her interests and skills, it鈥檚 not hard to picture Combs in a fashion marketing role someday; she鈥檚 also studying entrepreneurship and global business at Leeds.听
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think about tours as 鈥榮elling Leeds,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚 remember the stress of figuring out where to go to school, and I want people to be happy if they decide to come here.鈥�