UW-MADISON to have Kohl's Department Stores Center
20 May '08
3 min read
Kohl's Department Stores announced a $3 million gift to the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) to establish the Kohl's Department Stores Center for Retailing Excellence. In addition to an endowment to provide administrative and programming support, the gift will fund a state-of-the-art facility within an expanded and renovated School of Human Ecology building. This marks the largest corporate gift to the School of Human Ecology1.
“While we have great partnerships with many universities, our longest-standing relationship is with UW-Madison. The University has been a valuable resource for Kohl's by consistently offering graduates who demonstrate initiative and leadership.
In fact, many of our associates are alumni,” said Telvin Jefferies, executive vice president of human resources for Kohl's. “It is a pleasure to invest in and showcase the university's retail major and offerings with the Kohl's Department Stores Center for Retailing Excellence.”
The Kohl's Department Stores Center for Retailing Excellence creates a link between the retail industry and the faculty, staff and students of UW-Madison, allowing students to interact with industry professionals and explore careers and job opportunities. UW-Madison is one of few institutions in the nation to offer a Bachelor of Science retailing degree and is one of the nation's premiere retailing programs.
“This gift will transform the Center into a single portal where retailers can identify students from the many fields across which they hire,” said School of Human Ecology Dean Robin A. Douthitt. “We expect the Kohl's Department Stores Center for Retailing Excellence will connect retailers with cutting-edge faculty and graduate student research across campus.”