My internship at Moore was amazing. There’s something to be said for book or classroom knowledge, but more to be said for being thrown into a situation, being asked to perform, to think fast and to be on your toes. That’s real life.

I interned with Kay Unger, whom I met when she was a critic during my junior year. We stayed in touch and I ended up interning for her that summer in New York. During my senior year, she paid for my train so that I could work two days a week for her. The experience of going up to NY gave me such an edge. It kept me up on the trends.

I worked in the fashion industry in New York for 13 years before opening my own specialty boutique, bloom, in Newark, Delaware. We’re helping over 40 artists – mostly women -- make a living doing their craft, and that’s one of the most satisfying things. It’s very rewarding to sell out of people’s work.