Kyla Chapman

Hi! My name is Kyla Chapman. I am a 5th year senior studying Retail here at UW Madison.  I am from a small town in northwest Indiana. I am a student athlete competing on the women's cross country and women's track teams. My typical week of training includes running about 80 miles per week, lifting, and doing yoga- some might call me crazy, sometimes I would have to agree! My cross country season just wrapped up one week ago. I qualified for the NCAA National Championships and raced at the meet last Monday. Unfortunately I had a very "off" day, but the overall season was wonderful so I won't let one race spoil that for me!
In addition to being a student athlete, I am an executive member of the Student Athlete Advisory Council. I serve as the Executive Chairman of Community Service. One of my latest projects has been the planning of a Toys for Tots Drive at an upcoming Men's Hockey Game! We are really looking forward to it and expecting a great donation from the Hockey fans this year! I have also been lucky enough to earn the position of Community Service Co-Manager for the Student Retail Association. Can you tell I like community service?? :) At the next SRA meeting the club members will be making Holiday Cards for the local veterans hospital, and following that project we will be putting together goodie bags for homeless though the Porchlight Organization here in Madison. I like to keep myself busy by staying active in student organizations, however I also love my down-time. In my spare time I really enjoy reading, baking, crafting, and knitting ( I know, I sound like I'm 70 years old!).  I promise that in the summer my activities are much more active- and they usually include water-skiing, boating, and triathlons.

I am looking forward to the travel abroad trip so much! I have already started a countdown: 102 days!  I have never traveled outside of the country, and I feel so blessed to start my traveling abroad with the China Retail Study Abroad trip!

Lauren Wooll

Hello! My name is Lauren Wooll and I am a senior retailing major at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am very excited to be able to travel to China with everyone. I have always had a passion for retail and cannot wait to see the retail epicenter that is China. This is a unique opportunity to see how the retail process and industry functions in a different country. I have never been out of the country so I look forward to being able to travel with everyone. Thanks to Kohl's, the Kohl's Center for Retailing Excellence, and Li & Fung for making the opportunity possible and allowing us the opportunity for this once in a lifetime experience. 

Rachel Brecher

Hello everyone!  I am a senior majoring in marketing in the Wisconsin School of Business.  I am very interested in the retailing industry so I am beyond excited and grateful to be able to travel with you all to China!  I cannot wait to learn more about the retailing processes while also learning about a culture so different than my own.

I want to thank everyone involved with the trip and I know it will be something we will always remember!

Caroline Wilson

Hi there! My name is Caroline Wilson and I am a junior studying Textile and Apparel Design at UW-Madison. I'm excited to travel further than I ever have before to experience the fascinating culture that Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong have to offer. While I am extremely interested in the aspects of design that I will come across on our trip to China this spring, I'm really looking forward to learning more about the retail industry. It's important to be well-rounded and knowledgeable about every aspect of your field to be the best that you can be. As a design student, considering retail is important when creating anything from apparel to textiles. This trip to China will allow me to better understand the entirety of the design industry, and a more global perspective will make me a more successful designer.

I can't thank Kohl's, Li & Fung, or UW-Madison enough for this incredible opportunity. This journey will definitely be a highlight of my career as a student at UW-Madison and I can't wait to embark on it!

Katie McGovern

Hi Everyone! My name is Katie McGovern and I am a junior majoring in Textile and Apparel Design with a certificate in Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to travel abroad and immerse myself in the Chinese culture. Through my work to achieve a certificate in Business, it has really opened my eyes to the versatility of the retail industry and I am excited to experience it first-hand internationally. With a background in apparel design, I am interested in learning more about the retail industry and how it interacts with the fashion industry. This journey will help to further my education in both the business and design fields. This experience will give me the opportunity to grow in many ways, giving me a new perspective of the world.

I would like to give a special thank you to Kohl's, Li and Fung, and the Kohl's Center for Retailing Excellence at UW-Madison for giving me this amazing opportunity and making this trip possible. I cannot wait to meet everyone and go on this once in a lifetime adventure.