How Kohl’s is Building Women Leaders
This Women’s History Month, Kohl’s is continuing to empower women. We strive to be purposeful in engaging women throughout our community while giving associates equitable opportunities for career growth. Along this journey, we’re championing the value of our differences through internal programs and external partnerships that foster inclusivity and belonging.
Kohl's and Alverno College Kohl's Scholars Program
In 2022, Alverno College and Kohl’s announced the launch of the Kohl’s Scholars program, a $25,000 commitment from Kohl’s that awards a $5,000 scholarship to five Alverno students for the 2022-23 school year. Enrolled Alverno undergraduate students are eligible for the scholarship, and priority is given to first generation college students and/or women of color, with preference given to students in their sophomore or junior year who are majoring in business, communication or STEM fields.
In addition to the financial scholarship, Kohl’s Scholars have the opportunity to participate in “A Day at Kohl’s,” a bi-annual event where scholars meet with Kohl’s female leadership through a women’s leadership roundtable, tour the corporate headquarters and get a firsthand look at what it’s like to work in corporate retail.
We sat down with Mariana Lopez-Mireles, an Alverno College sophomore from West Allis, Wis. majoring in business and management, to learn a little bit more about her experiences and thoughts on being a Kohl’s Scholar:
Can you tell us a little bit about your college experience and the path that led you to Alverno College?
As I started my search for college, I was very unsure of the kind of community/setting I was looking for. I thought that going to a big university would be the best next step for me in terms of academics. However, when I decided to tour Alverno College I immediately felt welcomed. I was able to interact with so many helpful and kind individuals. This along with the many opportunities, such as financial help, internship preparation, and student activities persuaded me to choose Alverno to start my higher education. Now, I know I made the right choice because of the diversity in our community as well as the faculty who are ready to help you at any point.
How has being a Kohl’s Scholar impacted your academic and professional life?
Through Kohl’s Scholars, I have been able to experience what it is like to be in a professional development environment and apply my knowledge of this experience to my personal and professional life. Having the opportunity to get to know more about Kohl’s, through the last tour offered, I got to see the backstage of their work and how everything runs in the company. This created a better understanding of what it is to work in a corporation and how it would look day-to-day. This challenged me to apply what I learn in my career preparation classes so I can use it in the real world. All of this led to deeply thinking about what my personal brand is and what I would like to add to it.
What is one of your favorite memories from Kohl’s “A Day at Kohl’s” a bi-annual event?
A favorite memory from this event was definitely the table conversation/discussion with all the department representatives. As I mentioned before, I challenged myself to prepare for that professional setting so it was fun and memorable sitting with all these well experienced individuals to have a conversation about the fundamentals of Kohl’s. I got to ask questions to different people as well as gaining meaningful advice for my career.
What are your plans for the future? What is one thing you are incredibly proud of in your life?
I know plans are never concrete, but in the near future I see myself getting more experience in different fields of business. Currently I am building my skills in marketing, so I would like to also have management and event planning experience. I am also interested in learning more about how nonprofits work and their work, but corporate is also an idea that interests me. I am taking steps on advancing in my career, currently I am taking leadership in student involvement in Alverno campus as well as having an internship that helps me build my qualities. All of this makes me proud to see how far I’ve come as a college student, but more importantly as a woman of color who is also a first generation.
What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
To all of the future female leaders – Self-doubt can be tough, but whenever you’re unsure of your qualities and skills please remember that everyone has something special to offer. However, your own values are the ones making you stand out from the crowd. Please don’t ever be afraid to show your passions since they give you all the motivation and power to reach your dreams/goals.
Supporting Women Across the Business
Additionally, we’ve established several partnerships with organizations that offer both professional and leadership development programs focused on our women associates. These experiences are thoughtfully selected to provide opportunities to expand networks, be recognized by the company and offer unique perspectives to their growth and development.
We are proud to partner with The Leading Women Executives (LWE) program to provide Kohl’s associates with a personal action plan to achieve their goals, and a company action plan to address organizational challenges and obstacles that may be impacting the advancement of women.
Rebecca “Becky” Janutis, Kohl’s senior vice president of technology, joined Kohl’s 14 years ago and attended the LWE program thanks to a nomination from her manager. After participating in LWE, Becky was able to apply her new, strategic leadership skills across the business. Keep reading to learn more about Becky’s experience:
Can you tell me a little about your career path at Kohl’s?
I joined Kohl’s about 14 years ago as information security manager. At the time, I had a really good handle on information security, but retail was all new to me. I was shocked by how fast retail moves and by how extensive Kohl’s business is. Between the stores, digital, distribution network, and credit business.
What were you hoping to get from the Leading Women Executives program, and how did the experience compare to your expectation/hope?
At the beginning, I wasn’t really sure what to expect so I was hoping for a few nuggets that might make me a better leader. Boy was I wrong. The experience was immersive and it included a lot of reflection, academic lessons, and practice. I met a number of exceptional women in the program, but I also learned a lot about myself. Leaning in and being vulnerable helped me walk away from the program with more than a few nuggets.
What were a few of your most beneficial takeaways from the experience?
I learned a lot about myself. I learned more about my behaviors and tendencies as a leader as well as gained perspective on how I show up relative to how I want to show up. That was a really interesting discussion with my team - sharing with them what I learned and letting them know how to best work with me. More than anything, I gained confidence and a stronger sense of belonging at the “table” as a leader.
What advice do you have for future women leaders?
Might be kind of cliche but I have two things: Don’t overthink it. I’ve worked with a number of women who spend time on all the reasons why not and get stuck. I always encourage them to trust their gut and go for it. The second is something a female co-worker said to me much earlier in my career. She saw me role modeling some of her hardened, stuck in her ways behaviors. She was kind enough to pull me aside and remind me to “play my own game” and that I should act in the ways that feel authentic and right for me and aren’t a version of what I thought I should be. Ultimately, it is much easier to be me than to be in character.
Keep Up with Kohl’s
As part of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Pledge for Progress, we offer associates unique opportunities to ensure we’re attracting and developing our talent. Visit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Kohl’s to learn more about how we support Our People, Our Customers and Our Community all year long. For more information on how we support our women associates, tune in to Life at Kohl’s.
