VB Intern Blog

This is it ... My last day.

2011-08-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

There is only one way to describe today ... bittersweet. After 12 weeks as an intern at Vera Bradley, today is my last and final day, and next week I will be moving back to Butler University. I am definitely not ready to leave, but I am pretty excited to go back to Butler to see all of my friends and professors ... I’m not going to lie. As a way to bid adieu, I’ve decided to close out my summer as the intern blogger with a Top 10 list of the things that I will miss most about my internship. Here we go:

The HR Cave & all of HR - Unlike other departments at Production Road, HR has an entire room all to ourselves known as the HR Cave. While I'm sure it would be fun to work anywhere at Vera Bradley, I am definitely partial to our room. We don't have many traditional cubicles, which makes it seem more collaborative and conducive to discussion of various topics (from the most recent episode of Swamp People to things that actually pertain to work). And because we're in our own space, we also don't bother everyone else at Production with out chit chatting throughout the day.

The receptionists (specifically Kathleen) - Vera Bradley hands down has the most cheerful and sweetest receptionists that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Every day they do everything that they can to be helpful and kind to every person they meet, which just makes work that much more fun. My personal favorite has to be Kathleen, the receptionist at Production Road, simply because I get to walk past her several times a day, sometimes on official business, and somtimes just to visit her candy dish (the Tootsie Rolls are my faves).

The Cat Lamp - In the restroom closest to my desk, there is a cat lamp on a small side table, for decorative purposes. I love its uniqueness, and I just might have to find one for my sorority house as well ...

Friday breakfast at Production Road – Every Friday, breakfast is provided for us here at Production Road. Sometimes it’s fancy – like Belgian waffles and whipped topping and sometimes it’s basic like cereal and bananas – no matter what it ends up being, I always love getting ready for work on Fridays knowing that there is food waiting on me at work. Today, we had muffins and fruit, a simple yet solid last Friday breakfast (I had a Blueberry muffin and an apple, it was delish).

My email signature – I remember when I first accepted my internship, and I got my first email from Jill (one of the intern program coordinators). I loved the signature so much and thought it was so pretty that I forwarded the email to my sister, and I did the same thing when I got my very own on my first day, since it made me feel like an official part of the Vera Bradley team. I think it’s safe to say that I get excited very easily.

The other interns – No offense to the other intern groups from the past, but I think we are the best group that Vera Bradley has ever had. Not only did we all come together and bond like no other group has before with our intern dinners and outings, we all also did rather amazing things this summer (like coming up with a more efficient way to sew the toggles onto bags at ACR, revamping the Customer Service training manual, and developing a plan for some new and exciting events for the Foundation). A few days ago we had our final presentations in front of all of the mentors, the Executive Team, and the co-founders Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, and it was unbelievable to see how much we all learned and accomplished during just 12 short weeks this summer.

My summer internship experience at Vera Bradley has been more amazing than I could have ever imagined, and I truly wish that today didn’t have to be my final day here. If you think that a summer full of learning, having fun, and being surrounded by the most Vera Bradley bags, stationery, and accessories humanly possible is something that you would be interested in, then definitely consider next summer’s internship program. While we won’t know what departments will be having interns until next spring (usually in late February), once the positions are posted online you can apply, and who knows, you might be a part of next year’s intern class!

Everyone at Vera Bradley – The best part about working here is being surrounded by so many amazing people, so thanks for being so welcoming and great, all day, every day!

Copywriters Courtney and Ana – I’m so fortunate to have had the chance to work with two fabulous ladies. I’ve learned so much from both of you, thanks for everything!

Everyone in Vera Bradley HR – I couldn’t have asked for a better department to work with, thank you all for being so much fun and so helpful. I’ll be back to visit sometime (Outlet Sale, possibly?) but until then we have to stay in touch!

And lastly, you! To all of the readers and fans of Behind the Seams – Thank you for all being so supportive, and for coming back to read each blog post! Thank you each for making this experience so much fun and worthwhile, I’ve loved every minute of it!

The 2011 Vera Bradley Interns

Human Resources: Arguably the BEST department at Vera Bradley

2011-08-11T12:44:00.001-07:00

Today is my next-to-last day at Vera Bradley, and I am definitely not ready to leave. This is for several reasons, but mainly, I just love the people that I work with in HR entirely too much. Since we have four buildings in Fort Wayne, and everyone in HR works in different buildings, I don’t get to see everyone every day, or even every week, but I have enjoyed every minute that I have had with each of them. Here are just a few of my favorite memories of my amazing summer here in HR ...

Celebrating

On Jill’s (one of the Recruiting Specialists) birthday, we decided to celebrate by decorating her desk … and the area above and around it. She was actually on vacation at the time, so the decorations were our response to not being able to party with her on her big day. She came back the following week to this beautiful and very festive scene ...

Jill’s desk – all ready for her birthday....

Traveling

Only about a month into my internship, I had the opportunity to travel to a store opening – Vera Bradley at Beachwood Place – in Cleveland, OH with Ryan and Amy, two of my co-workers at Production Road. Not only was this really exciting because it was my first “business trip,” I also really enjoyed getting to travel with Ryan and Amy as we explored northern Ohio for the day. I’m sure they enjoyed our trip as well; during the eight hours of driving I told them all about my family’s farm and my days of showing cattle, so they learned a lot!

Ryan, Amy and I enjoying the beautiful new store.

Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to travel with Amy, Ryan, and my mentor, Becky, to a recruiting fair in Indianapolis. This gave me the chance to see another side of the recruiting world, and it also allowed me to introduce the others to my favorite Indianapolis original cupcakes. It came just at the right time, because I was starting to have withdrawals from Indianapolis and Butler, my second home. We went to Patachou on the Park for brunch before the fair began (one of Amy, Ryan and I’s favorites), and we stopped for the famous Flying Cupcakes afterwards to reward ourselves for all of the recruiting that we did that day. It is safe to say that the day was a definite delicious success!

Our table at the recruiting fair complete with all things Happy Snails....

Gathering

One thing that I have learned about HR is that we love to get together for lunches, whether it is for someone’s birthday, to welcome someone to the team, or just because. So, in honor of my last few days at Vera Bradley, everyone met at Production Road for lunch today. It was so nice just to get to see and talk to most of the team again before I leave, and of course I loved having Jimmy John’s for lunch as well! (I now officially feel like a college student again!)

Everyone from HR that was able to come to my farewell lunch … I’ll miss them all!...

Being an intern in HR this summer has really opened my eyes to so many things that will be useful in my future. From understanding the ins and outs of the hiring process to seeing how this company functions on a daily basis, I really can’t wait to tackle my senior year and my next steps – finding a real job after graduation. Most of all, all of my fabulous co-workers in HR have shown me the importance of enjoying going to work every day, and they have made my summer internship more amazing than I ever could have imagined. Now that I think about it, do I really need to finish college, or can I just stay here forever?

Vera Bradley Intern Success Stories

2011-08-10T13:29:00.000-07:00

Here at Vera Bradley, there are quite a few employees who actually started out as interns, like me. They are now working in departments ranging from IT to Visual Merchandising to Indirect Sales, and some even interned in a completely different area. One of my goals before I end my summer as a Vera Bradley Intern and the Intern Blogger has been to talk to two of these now full-time employees about their transition from one position to the other to see what their time at Vera Bradley has been like. I went straight to Caitlin and Samantha, two lovely ladies who were interns just last summer – I figured their intern days would be most fresh in their minds.

Meet Caitlin – Last year’s Product Development Intern turned Product Development Process Assistant

“I joined the Vera Bradley Product Development Team as their summer intern in June of 2010. My main responsibility was to assist in the implementation and adoption of the company’s new Product Line Management (PLM) system called Flex PLM. Other Product Development tasks I was exposed to during my internship included: creating trend and concept boards, participating in seasonal calendar meetings, assisting the Technical Design team in updating specifications and merchandising product for key PLM Meetings. At the conclusion of my internship, I returned to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, where I as studying Advertising and Marketing Communications to complete my last semester of school, and in December of 2010, prior to graduating, I was asked to join the Vera Bradley family as a Product Development Process Assistant. Now, my main objective is to provide operational support to the Product Development team in all non-creative processes. The biggest challenge in the transition from my internship to a full-time position has been learning to work with such a creative bunch! (I actually worked with Liz from Liz on Location!) I am a very left-brain thinker and the Design Team really challenges me to constantly be thinking of new, innovative ways to assist them in their day-to-day roles. I can’t say enough positive things about the Vera Bradley Internship Program. My internship experience exceeded all of my expectations and truly has set me up for success by connecting me with so many great people. Vera Bradley is an amazing company and I am honored to say I am a part of such a wonderful organization.”

Meet Samantha – Last year’s Merchandise Management Intern turned Merchandise Planner

“I started as a Vera Bradley intern in May 2010, right after I graduated from Bowling Green State University where I majored in Apparel Merchandising and Product Development. I was the Merchandise Management intern for the summer and had an array of job responsibilities that included working with all the cross-functional departments discussing sales demand, future assortments, pricing and product life cycles, along with conducting research and making recommendations for ideal assortments. Upon the completion of my internship, I interviewed and was hired on (full time) to be a Merchandise Planner. I was so excited to join the team, whom I have grown to love, on a permanent basis! Overall, the transition from an intern to a full-time employee has been very smooth, as I was already accustomed to a majority of my job responsibilities. The main difference between the internship and my full-time role has been the gain in responsibilities and expectations to become more of a leader. Both of these differences have helped me grow as a young professional, and I am so grateful for that. Lastly, I am truly so lucky to be a part of the Vera Bradley team. I could not have picked a more perfect job to start my career off with, and it all started with my internship.”

As I think about going into my senior year of school, which will then lead into the land of the unknown in regards to where I will be living and working, it is so nice to hear about how these two ladies ended up staying at Vera Bradley. It just comforts me and makes me wonder… where will all of this year’s interns end up a year from now, or a couple years down the road? No matter where we may go, I do know that we will never forget this amazing summer that we spent together at Vera Bradley, and that we will always stay in touch. (Even though it won’t be the same without our Vera Bradley email addresses!)

All of us together – looking so professional.

Grand Traveling

2011-08-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

This summer, even though I have been technically been living and working in Fort Wayne, I have been so busy with other commitments at home or at Butler that I have done an awful lot of traveling as well. Throughout the summer I have been on eight mini trips including visiting friends at Butler, traveling to the new store opening in Cleveland, going to my sister’s wedding, and even attending a national convention in Nashville, TN. With all of this driving I have been doing, I have also had to do an awful lot of packing. Normally I do not enjoy picking out my clothes ahead of time or making sure that I have everything that I could possibly need, but being able to put to use all of my Vera Bradley has actually made this tedious task enjoyable. I have a couple of Large Duffels (in Poppy Fields and Caffè Latte), a Vera (in Pinwheel Pink) and a Garment Bag (in Cupcakes Green) that have come in handy this summer, however, my new favorite bag to travel with is my Grand Traveler in Happy Snails. Now that I am a Vera Bradley packing pro, I kept track of how I put all of my things together as I prepared for my Nashville trip to share a few tips with all of you!

My Grand Traveler and everything I placed inside – an All Wrapped Up in Boysenberry, a Mini-Hanging Organizer in Happy Snails, 3 Curling Iron Covers, a Travel Cosmetic in Happy Snails and a Ditty Bag in Caffè Latte.

My Curling Iron Covers are quite possibly my favorite travel items, especially since I have them in one of the newest patterns (Happy Snails) and a couple of classics (Peacock and Mesa Red)!

Previously, I used two different makeup bags to organize my makeup and brushes, which was confusing and made it easy to lose things. Since I got my Travel Cosmetic in Happy Snails, I have been able to keep everything in the same place tucked into the very convenient pockets on the inside.

The Mini-Hanging Organizer in Happy Snails is the perfect size for holding my hair accessories and contacts, while still being small and compact.

My Grand Traveler and Tote (both in Happy Snails) all packed and ready to make the trip to the Music City!

Even though I will always love my Large Duffels and other bags, I do believe that my Grand Traveler will be my new go-to bag for awhile. Not only is it in my new favorite color (Happy Snails), I also love that it has one long strap that makes it easy to wear crossbody style, plus a trolley sleeve that lets it sit conveniently on top of your rolling luggage. For my next trip, however, I will definitely be enlisting the help of all of my Vera Bradley. I will be moving all of my things from my apartment in Fort Wayne to my sorority house at Butler, and then going home to enjoy my last few days of freedom before I begin my senior year. What happened to the summer, and why is it time for school to start already?

Everyone has a Vera Bradley story to share

2011-08-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

Throughout my summer as an intern with Vera Bradley, I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet quite a few dedicated Vera Bradley fans. At my sister’s wedding, I bonded with a few ladies over the gorgeous new fall colors, and at the store opening in Cleveland at Beachwood Place Mall, some families shared their Outlet Sale stories with me. It seems that everywhere I go, I meet someone who has some connection to the brand, which has made for some very fun conversations. Many of the women whom I have met have shared their special memories or significance associated with their Vera Bradley, whether they carried the bag with them to work every day, or they received it as a birthday gift. To them, their Vera Bradley is more than a cotton-quilted bag in a fun, colorful print, it is representative of a cherished memory.

As I have been reflecting on my amazing summer here at Vera Bradley, I have started thinking about my own Vera Bradley story. I was first introduced to the brand when I went to college. Everyone, and I mean everyone, at Butler University carries Vera Bradley, which makes for a very colorful campus! It is so popular that they even sell it at our campus bookstore (making it even easier for us to always have something in one of the newest prints). I started off small, buying just a Zip ID Case and Wristlet in Kensington. Before I knew it, I was hooked. Next up … a Messenger Bag in Blue Rhapsody. I’ve carried it almost daily ever since, and it has been the perfect bag to take to class and to the library—it fits my laptop, binders and books. My collection has continued to grow, with Large Duffels, a Vera, a few Totes, and my newest favorite, the Clutch Wallet. I’m sure that having an internship here at Vera Bradley has nothing to do with how many new things I have gotten in the last few months …

This bag will always hold a special place in my heart ... and in my closet.

What’s your Vera Bradley story? Or what was your very first bag? Comment and share with us!

Vera Bradley Wedding Must-Haves

2011-08-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

This wedding season has been extra special and busy for me - my sister married her sweetheart just a week and a half ago. (Happy One Week Anniversary Natalie and John!) As her Maid of Honor, I’ve become an expert in extremely helpful Vera Bradley items necessary for the big day.

Tote – My Tote in Happy Snails was the perfect bag to carry all of the essential Maid of Honor items. From the marriage license (that we lost the morning of the wedding, since it wasn’t in my bag), to the rings, a sewing kit and makeup to touch up right before the walk down the aisle, my tote held everything that I needed, and best of all—it matched the wedding theme colors of navy and light green.

Hanging Organizer – The night before the wedding, all of the bridesmaids stayed with Natalie in her room at the hotel where we were having the reception, so we didn’t have much room to spare while getting ready in the morning. Natalie’s Hanging Organizer in Purple Punch and my Mini-Hanging Organizer in Happy Snails saved us room, and made for easy access to makeup, hair supplies, and anything else we might need while hurrying to get ready!

The Hanging Organizer.

The Mini Hanging Organizer.

Umbrella – On Natalie’s big day, the forecast called for rain, even though it had been sunny and hot all week long. Just in case, however, we were ready for anything that came our way with Umbrellas, my favorite of which was in English Meadow.

Large Duffel – Not only was the Large Duffel one of my bags of choice for the wedding weekend (mine is in Poppy Fields), it is also what my sister packed all of her things in for her Honeymoon (hers is in Blue Rhapsody). One bag, so many great uses!

Mini Notebook with Pocket – This little notebook (in English Meadow) was our saving grace for the weekend of the wedding. We used it while jotting down reminders to ourselves for the reception and ceremony, and for keeping track of all of Natalie and John’s gifts while they were opening them the next day. And best of all, it fit perfectly in my Tote, along with all of the other Maid of Honor necessities.

Grand Traveler – For the weekend, I packed both a Large Duffel and a Grand Traveler, since I had so many different outfits and things to carry. When it was time to go to the wedding itself, I put all of my things in my Grand Traveler (in Happy Snails), and I ended up being so glad that I did! The long strap was perfect for carrying the bag crossbody style when I had my hands completely full of flowers, dresses … and my other Vera Bradley bags!

Natalie also gave Vera Bradley Note Cubes and Gel Pens in the new fall colors to anyone who helped at the wedding and reception, and those of us who helped organize and plan her bridal shower received the All Wrapped Up in Boysenberry. As you can see, Vera Bradley helped make Natalie’s wedding a successful and very colorful affair!

The entire wedding party.

I feel like a Sewing Superstar ...

2011-08-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

Last week, the interns took a trip to Adams Center Road, our manufacturing facility, and we learned all about the manufacturing processes for our products. I have really enjoyed all our other intern programs so far, however, this one is my favorite one yet. This is because not only did we learn about things like lean manufacturing, 5S and product flow (my Operations Management professor would be so proud that I put my knowledge to use), we also had the opportunity to do some hands-on learning, by sewing our very own Coin Purse. I’m not the most experienced sewer (or experienced at all), but I still would like to think that I did a pretty decent job on my own coin purse…

Me, sewing the zipper onto the Coin Purse.

The finished product … a Riviera Blue Coin Purse.

Since we are not all experienced sewers, like my roommate Kelley (she was a fashion design major in school), this little project was rather challenging for most of us. We fortunately had someone with us to help us along every step of the way, because the process of completing each individual step is extremely detail-oriented, down to having parts measured to the 1/16th of an inch. Everyone tried their very best,, and in the end we had made 18 Coin Purses, some of which were high quality, and some that might not meet the quality standards that all of our products have to meet (don’t worry interns, I won’t call you out if this was you). Mine was pretty close to perfect, with only a few minor errors, so I’m sure that if I had the chance to do it again, I could make it absolutely flawless.

Alicia, one of the intern coordinators, also had the chance to make a Coin Purse!

A few of the male interns showing off their own sewing skills.

All of the interns with our Coin Purses.

How I Landed My Dream Internship at Vera Bradley

2011-07-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

It seems that everywhere I go these days, I find myself bragging about my fabulous summer internship at Vera Bradley. The question everyone seems to have, whether it’s my friends at Butler, my family or new acquaintances, is, “How did you get that job?” So, here are five helpful tips from Human Resources to help you land a wonderful internship or position at Vera Bradley, or anywhere really!

Research the internship program. Since you are reading my blog, you are already initiating this process! Our blogs (Inside Stitch and Behind the Seams) give some great information about the program. Research is such an important step, because not every internship program is made the same, so you need to know what kind of opportunities you will have. In the case of Vera Bradley, you are getting yourself into the best summer internship imaginable … but I’ll admit I’m slightly biased. My research also meant asking Libby (the 2010 Vera Bradley intern blogger) every question I could think of! (She was so sweet and helpful, of course!)

Research the company and the position. You want to be as knowledgeable going into the interview stage. By knowing what the job will entail, it will be much easier for you to apply your own skills and knowledge to that position. Also, it always looks good when you know what is happening in the industry, or what new products the company is introducing.

Dress for success. Make sure that you are comfortable yet professional, and keep in mind that it is always better to be dressier than casual. Also, remember that the better you feel about yourself, the better you will do in your interview! (I even dressed up for my phone interview with Vera Bradley).

Take the interview seriously. This also goes for how you act before and after the interview, from scheduling, to being prepared and bringing extra resumes, and following up with a “Thank You” email or note.

Be yourself! By being true to yourself, you will be doing a favor to both you and the company. They want to make sure that you will fit in with the company culture, and you should as well, because you don’t want to be somewhere that you won’t be happy in the long run.

By doing all of these things, who knows, you might be one of Vera Bradley’s next interns!

The 2011 Vera Bradley interns.

College Life vs. Vera Bradley Life

2011-07-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

No matter what I do, I can’t escape the thought that I only have three weeks left here at Vera Bradley, and then I go back to school. It is so bittersweet, because I love working here and living in Fort Wayne, but I am definitely looking forward to returning to Butler for my senior year and reuniting with my sorority sisters (shout out to the Alpha Phis!). As the time to transition grows nearer, I can’t help but draw some comparisons ...

At Vera Bradley, I'm at work every day by 8:30 am. At Butler, my earliest class is at 11 am. Factor in driving time and the time it takes to get ready for work compared to how long it takes to get ready for class (cute outfit vs. sweats), and I'm looking at 3 extra hours of sleep come fall.

At Vera Bradley, I have no homework, which is a beautiful thing. At Butler, I have lots of homework that I tend to work on until the wee hours of the morning, which is not a very beautiful thing (and negates the above bullet point).

At Vera Bradley, I am surrounded by beautiful bags, prints, and adorable office supplies all day every day. At Butler, I am surrounded by my own Vera Bradley collection (that has increased in size dramatically this summer), books, more books and not-so-cute office supplies.

At Vera Bradley, I love talking with my co-workers all day long, because they are tons of fun. At Butler, I love talking with my roommates all day long, because they are tons of fun. (I guess some things aren't so different!

At Vera Bradley, I love Fridays because they are nice enough to provide breakfast for us, and we never know what we are going to have, whether it's breakfast burritos, waffles or something as simple as granola bars. At Butler, the cook at my sorority house makes us breakfast every morning, but you have to wake up early enough to eat it (a rather difficult task for me - refer to the first bullet point).

I’m going to miss all of the little Vera Bradley special touches, like these Call Me Coral Napkins...

I could go on and on about the things I’ll miss about working here, but since I still have three weeks left, I am just going to spend my time enjoying every moment. And since free time is pretty hard to come by during the school year, I am going to do everything possible to appreciate my free nights and weekends … and all of the fun things that I get to do with that free time, like going to the Three Rivers Festival with my roommate, Kelley!

Downtown Fort Wayne during Three Rivers was so colorful!

Surfing the Web ... It's all in a day's work.

2011-07-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

My main project for the summer is basically the dream of any soon-to-be job-seeking college student (like myself). I am working with Human Resources to research and develop a social media strategy for recruiting, observing what kind of cool new methods other companies are implementing. The best part of this job is that my research consists of looking at company websites, twitter accounts, LinkedIn profiles, facebook pages and YouTube accounts all day long. Lately, I’ve been too busy to keep up with my research, but now that our presentations are going to be here oh so soon (exactly two weeks from now) I have to make time so I can be fully prepared to explain what’s going on in the exciting world of recruitment.

Here is a little peek of what I’ve been working on …

twitter – Lots of companies are using their twitter feeds to publicize job openings in addition to sharing information about their culture or their employees, so I follow anyone and everyone from our main competitors to companies like Starbucks and Google. One thing I’ve learned: Recruiters love to tweet … all the time.

So many tweets, so little time ...

YouTube – Some companies are using YouTube to promote their company culture and the organization by posting videos of company events and employee profiles showcasing what they love about their jobs. (How cool is that?!)

Since I’m a marketing major, all of this research is showing me how many different ways social media can be used for one company. Also, I will begin looking for my first post-grad job rather soon, and I’m learning how to be as thorough as possible when preparing for an interview. Most people long for the time to invest in this kind of research, and I’m lucky enough to have it be my job!

I couldn’t end this post without a shameless plug for Vera’s company culture or our open jobs … so check out the official Vera Bradley blog, Inside Stitch, for some fabulous posts about life at Vera Bradley, and be sure to stop by our Careers page to see what openings we have at our home office and in our retail stores!

My Back-to-School Wish List

2011-07-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

Since my first day at Vera Bradley, I have been forming a mental Wish List with all the things I would like before I go back to Butler in the fall. Quite a few items have been added to this list in my frequent trips to our Signature store at Jefferson Pointe, and since the new items for Fall 2011 were released. Right now, however, it’s pretty solid. Care to take a peek?

Umbrella in Happy Snails- I can't wait to walk around campus on rainy days with this cheery print, and splash in puddles with matching red rain boots (that I have yet to purchase).

2012 Agenda in Plum Petals– This will be my third Vera Bradley planner, and I can’t wait to start mapping out my schedule in it!

Saddle Up in Twirly Birds Navy - I love crossbody bags, and this one is just big enough to carry my Agenda, water bottle and anything else with me as I’m running around campus. I chose Twirly Birds Navy so I can show off my Bulldog pride at every football and basketball game with my Vera Bradley!

Under Cover Laptop Skin in Happy Snails– As if I don’t have enough Vera Bradley already, I obviously need to wrap my laptop in it. Hey, technology can be cute, too!

Laptop Sleeve in Twirly Birds Navy – I have been hoping for one of these for months to match my main school bags, which are Happy Snails and Blue Rhapsody, respectfully.

Zip ID Case in … – Each year I get a new ID case when I start school (it is my tradition), and this year I can’t decide which color I want. My instinct is Happy Snails, but part of me wants to branch out and get it in Safari Sunset. Oh the dilemma!

Ribbon Board in Lemon Parfait – Almost everyone at Vera Bradley has a ribbon board at their desk, and I think that it would look great in Lemon Parfait in my room at school, or at my desk until my internship is over!

What is on your back-to-school Wish List? We would love to hear about what you’re taking to campus! (I might even have to borrow your ideas.)

A Potluck Dinner ... Intern Style

2011-07-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

This week, our intern dinner was a huge success! We chose a Potluck theme and asked everyone to bring their favorite dish. We made it even more interesting by making it a competition (with the prize being a feature on Behind the Seams, of course). I wish we would have done this sooner, since it shaped up to be one of the best dinners I’ve had in awhile. Since we are, let’s face it, a bunch of college kids, we decided not to put the stipulation on the contest that it had to be homemade, hence the watermelon, or prepared by anyone specific, which led to a few entries by interns’ Moms.

The entries, including ice cream cake, meatball sandwiches and fettuccine alfredo.

My dish for the evening – a Make-Your-Own Macaroni and Cheese Bar – was actually inspired by one of my favorite bloggers, The Pioneer Woman. I’ll admit it … I used a box to make the Mac n’ Cheese and used different toppings than she did, but it was still delicious.

My Make-Your-Own Macaroni and Cheese Bar with tomatoes, green onions and extra cheese toppings.

The day after our get-together, I had all of the interns who attended vote on their favorite dish. And the winner was … Abby, the E-Commerce intern (who you might recognize from our Communities page)! She made some delicious Black Bean Salsa that changed my life (and everyone else’s, I’m sure), and she was kind enough to share the recipe, so you all can try some too!

Abby’s Black Bean Salsa

1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

1/4 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lime

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained

Salt and pepper, to taste

Tortilla chips, to serve

In a large bowl, combine the bell peppers, onion, corn, black beans, garlic and cilantro.

Whisk olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Toss and serve with chips.

I’m already planning to make this fabulous dish for a family get-together we are having the weekend of my sister’s wedding! It is the perfect complement to a hot summer day, and it tastes great either with chips … or even without, so give it a try!

Happiness is Contagious at Vera Bradley

2011-07-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

At Vera Bradley, there’s always something fun going on. This is, in large part, thanks to our Happy Committee, a group of people from across the different functional areas within the company who work together to plan activities that bring employees together. Since we span four different corporate buildings in Fort Wayne, the Happy Committee really does help add to our company culture, and exemplify several of our core values.

All of these events, several each month, are non-work related. A few weeks ago, we were surprised with ice cream sandwiches, followed by a drawing in each building for items from the new Fall collection. I have to admit, my favorite was definitely the ice cream. Not only were they my favorite ice cream sandwiches (Skinny Cow), but it also came right before Fourth of July weekend. Who doesn’t like to kick off a long weekend with a sweet treat?

Happy Committee member Amanda (pictured second from the left), with Human Resources’ Angela (pictured far left), Ryan and Jill.

Even though I did not attend the recent Happy Committee golf outing, four other interns did, and had a great time, despite winning the “Slowest Team” award. Held at the beginning of the summer, it was a great chance for them to meet more people. After they (finally) finished playing, the committee hosted a barbecue dinner with prizes, like Tote bags!

Michael, Kelley, Shelby and Taylor representing the interns at the golf outing.

Striking a pose.

Why I Love Being an Intern at Vera Bradley

2011-07-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

Each week, the Vera Bradley interns have the opportunity to meet with and learn from representatives from the various areas of the company. While I’ve enjoyed all of the presentations, the last two have definitely been my favorites.

Last week, we had lunch with our Co-founders, Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, two of the most classy and driven ladies that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Even though we’ve all heard the Vera Bradley story countless times, we asked that they tell us their own account of it, since they were the ones building this company from the ground up. It’s clear they have been so successful because they are first and foremost friends. They began their company by hiring more friends and eventually ended up with this amazing company culture.

A few weeks ago we had my favorite presentation yet, at the Vera Bradley Store at Jefferson Pointe in Fort Wayne. I am a frequent visitor, so I loved having an excuse to be there during work hours. Not only was it interesting to hear about how they create the customer experience, but we also got to shop around when it was all done (talk about a great day at the office)!

All of the interns, the Assistant Store Manager Julie (pictured second from the right), and the Store Manager Debora (pictured far right).

Debora, explaining the visual merchandising aspects of the store.

We had the chance to ask questions, so I had her explain new product releases.

It was a great day at Jefferson Pointe for all of us (note the beautiful bags)!

As we were leaving, the Vera Bradley truck was arriving. I wonder what beautiful things are in there ...

Thinking back to all of the presentations we have had, I realize my summer at Vera Bradley is more than halfway over. We only have three weeks of these presentations left, and then we give our own presentations about our summer projects. The group we will be presenting to includes the entire Human Resources team, Barb and Pat, the Executive Team and all of the mentors. It’s going to be a full house! It feels so bittersweet to be thinking of going back to school already, because I’m definitely missing all of my friends at Butler, but I’m not ready to leave my internship yet. It’s been entirely too much fun!

Living in Fort Wayne and Loving Every Minute!

2011-07-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

Since moving to Fort Wayne almost two months ago, I've been having a great time finding my way around the city. I've been enjoying the "Hoosier hospitality" you hear so much about, and venturing out with college friends from the area and other interns. We've crammed in quite a bit of the city in a very short time.

On one of my first weekends in Fort Wayne, there was an art exhibit opening at ArtLink Contemporary Art Gallery including a piece by my sorority sister, Haley. As a unique twist, everything on display was related to Sharpies! There were paintings of Sharpies, paintings created with Sharpies, and my personal favorite, shoes decorated using Sharpies (Haley's exhibit). It was so inspiring.

Haley and her shoes – what a work of art!

Going to TinCaps games has become almost a weekly tradition for my roommate, Kelley, and me. In fact, this week we have already been to one game, and we are planning another tonight! We love getting together with the other interns and spending evenings at Parkview Field, where we can just relax and enjoy the beautiful summer nights. It takes me back to my days as the varsity baseball stats keeper in high school. Only now, I can make trips to the concession stand whenever I want!

What a beautiful night for baseball!

The Vera Bradley interns, all hanging out at the TinCaps game!

This weekend is one of my first weekends here with no plans, and I can't wait to see what we end up doing. My to-do list includes visiting Yo-Yos (a frozen yogurt hotspot), DeBrands Chocolates and Cookie Cottage - all Fort Wayne originals, and all so delicious!

An All-American Intern Dinner

2011-07-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

Every week, my roommate Kelley and I host a dinner for all of the Vera Bradley interns. To make the evenings festive, we always designate a theme. So far we've covered Taco Night, Lasanga Night and, this last week, we celebrated the Fourth of July a few days early with a traditional American cookout (if it is still considered a cookout when everything is prepared on a George Foreman grill ... inside). Our spread was rather impressive, with baked beans, fruit, pesto burgers and more. Everyone pitches in with a covered dish, which makes for variety and phenomenal leftovers.

Michael, the Continuous Improvement intern, showing off his skills in the kitchen making macaroni and cheese.

Kelley and I - the hostesses!

There are 17 summer interns, and at one time, we had 15 people in our apartment. While the space is plenty for just Kelley and me, it can get a little tight with so many guests. This issue, and the fresh air, certainly make our deck the most desirable destination.

Michael, enjoying his hamburger and our comfortable Adirondack chairs.

After dinner the group lingers until someone remembers we all have to get up early for work in the morning. The time just goes so quickly; watching YouTube videos (which leads to countless inside jokes), talking about our departments and playing games. Last week, we played Spoons (though we substituted corks for the spoons, for safety and convenience purposes). The game became pretty intense. I guess this batch of interns is competitive!

Everyone listening intently to the rules of Spoons.

The calm before an intense round.

This new tradition has turned into the perfect way for us to bond outside of work and get to know the interns that work in other buildings or departments. Next up ... Appetizer Night or Chinese. My stomach is growling just thinking about it!

It's all about the details ...

2011-07-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

If you feel like your Vera Bradley Store is unique, that's because it really is! They still carry the same products, of course, but the wallpaper, furniture, and other details are all especially coordinated to match the personality and character of the region in which it is located. I was able to see this last week when I attended the Beachwood Place store opening in Cleveland. Our Visual Merchandising team put together, as always, an outstanding display!

One tradition is the presence of an Ira Yeager painting behind the checkout counter. It all started when Co-founder Barbara Bradley Baekgaard lent one of the paintings from her personal collection to the Fort Wayne store at Jefferson Pointe. Ever since, the paintings have been a staple for each location's decor, and they are each hand selected by Barb and Anne, the Senior Visual Merchandising Creative Director.

The Ira Yeager at Beachwood ... absolutely gorgeous!

Each Vera Bradley Store is also designed to look like someone's home, hence the comfy furniture, beautiful light fixtures and foyer. I found myself surprised by how effortless it all looked in person, especially knowing each store has it's own personality. The hope is that guests will walk in, feel comfortable and have a great experience.

This ottoman is my absolute favorite piece in the store, hands down.

This loveseat is perfect for husbands to relax on as their wives shop around ...

What a beautiful vanity, and I love the flowered wallpaper - such a nice touch!

The foyer, complete with red doors and a chandelier.

This stack of books and bunny lamp are in the middle of a display of Boysenberry bags, but they make it look just like it all belongs in someone's home!

The coffered ceiling, crown molding, and chandelier look amazing altogether ...

A hidden treasure that you can always find at Vera Bradley Stores is a beautiful restroom. I'm used to our impeccably decorated bathrooms in the Fort Wayne offices, but this was something I was pleasantly surprised by when I went to the Beachwood store, because I didn't expect it to be this cheery and adorable.

This lamp is just too cute for words ...

New Store Opening!

2011-06-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was lucky enough to attend a new Vera Bradley Store opening in Ohio, at Beachwood Place Mall. Joined by two of my co-workers from Human Resources, Ryan and Amy, I was thrilled to finally be attending one of these events. For months, I've read all of the tweets about each new store, wishing I lived closer. While in Cleveland, we attended the Friends and Family event and the Grand Opening.

Day 1: Friends and Family

We were greeted by this adorable Boysenberry sign (pictured below), a helpful guide to the new location. We were beyond excited, considering this was the first store opening for each of us.

Whatever expectations we had were completely blown away by how busy the store was when we arrived. The lines of people waiting to checkout and to get in were evidence of the amazing job the team did setting up the new location. Everything looked beautiful!

There were so many dedicated Vera Bradley fans that came out for the first night, they didn't even mind waiting in the checkout line!

Though the evening was titled "Friends and Family Night," everyone was welcome to come in. There were loyal Vera Bradley fans carrying classic prints like Medallion, little girls with their moms holding their Caitlyns and even some ladies who were visiting a Vera Bradley Store for the very first time. Guests and fans new and old snacked on Boysenberry cupcakes almost too beautiful to bite and sipped from Viva la Vera water bottles.

The delicious Boysenberry cupcakes from the White Flower Cake Shoppe.

These little bottles of water were so cute, some people kept theirs as a keepsake!

The evening turned out to be the biggest store opening in Vera Bradley history, and I loved being a part of it.

Day 2: Grand Opening

The official opening was the next morning, so we arrived early to help with last-minute preparations, and to attend the ribbon cutting. The team had restocked the shelves and made sure everything looked absolutely perfect before the doors opened.

Oh, the colors ...

I was constantly making my own Wish List in my head as I walked around the store ...

This was my favorite product display - I just love Lemon Parfait!

Arvin, the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, had the honor of being the one to perform the ribbon cutting, and posing for all the pictures beforehand.

The beautiful staff members before the opening.

Arvin, announcing the 43rd Vera Bradley retail store, in Beachwood Place Mall.

These are the dedicated Vera Bradley fans that got to enter the store first, after waiting in line.

Once the ribbon was cut, the store was officially open and it was time to shop. We helped customers find the right bag and color, which I thought was so much fun! First, the back room is amazing. Just imagine ... every bag in every pattern. Second, I loved getting to hear the customers' stories. Whether they were waxing poetic and reminiscing about patterns, reliving a trip they made to the Outlet Sale or rehashing how they were introduced to our products, everyone had something special to share.

Just shopping away!

Checking out some of the City Look products.

Before we knew it, it was time to head back to Fort Wayne. It is safe to say that our trip to Cleveland was a success, and such a good time! I loved seeing how the retail side of the business functions. As an avid shopper, seeing the details of a store opening from behind the scenes was a great insight into how a company creates a great customer experience.

My New Home Sweet Home

2011-06-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

Since I am not a Fort Wayne resident, I was grateful when the Human Resources department provided me with several suggestions for affordable, safe housing options in the area. After some careful deliberation, I chose an apartment on the city's north side. It came fully furnished (which my Dad appreciated), and ended up being beautiful (which my Mom and I appreciated).

My apartment complex.

Our living room, with some one-of-a-kind artwork painted by my very talented Grandma Estelyn.

HR also paired me up with another intern, Kelley, for a roommate. Kelley is the Product Development intern, so she gets to design beautiful bags every day. I'm used to living with 75 other girls in my sorority house during the school year, so I am extremely grateful to have someone to come home to after work. Since move-in day, we've had the time of our lives decorating our space with hand-crafted decor, hosting weekly intern dinners, and exploring the city together. I have to say that I think this is a match made in Vera Bradley heaven!

My roommate, Kelley, and I at a TinCaps game.

A Truly Vera Celebration

2011-06-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

The finale of the Vera Bradley Classic is the celebratory dinner at Sycamore Hills Golf Club following the Golf Tournament. With a silent auction, delicious meal and other exciting events, it's one of the best tickets in town for supporting the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer.

Exclusive Vera Bradley tennis bags, crafted each year strictly for the Classic.

The Vera Bradley bike; one of the most sought-after items, and so adorable!

This Viva la Vera chair would be a beautiful addition to the decor in my apartment.

This year the Classic went techie. All auction bidding was done through an online system.

One of my jobs for the evening was to teach guests how to use the online bidding system.

The tent decorations were beautiful. Lots of pink, of course!

The beautiful centerpieces looked so elegant that evening (and on my desk the following morning).

Vera Bradley's fearless leaders, Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, welcomed everyone and thanked them for their support.

Executive Director for the Vera Bradley Foundation, Catherine Hill, spoke about the advancements in research.

The tent was filled with 1,000 people, all supporting the cause.

A flash mob capped the evening and announced the grand total the 2011 Classic raised.

This year, our annual golf and tennis event raised an amazing $945, 185 for breast cancer research! Each year the Foundation surpasses their goal and the amount that was raised the year before, so just imagine what they will be able to do in the future!

This weekend was the result of lots of hard work and dedication from so many. It was about the cause and making strides toward change, but, for me, it was also an indescribable way to mark my first official weekend as a temporary Fort Wayne resident.

A Weekend of Golf, Tennis, and Plenty of Pink

2011-06-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

Every June, the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer holds the Vera Bradley Classic, a 4-day event with tennis, golf and celebration dinners, all coated in pink. I volunteered with Foundation intern, Michelle, who was kind enough to work on this post with me.

Tennis Tournament

Stephanie:
On Saturday, 68 teams (136 women) competed for Vera Bradley bragging rights at Wildwood Racquet Club in Fort Wayne. This was my first experience with the Classic, and everyone was so welcoming and sweet. Of course, when you are surrounded by adorable Twirly Birds Pink decorations, you can't help but have a great time. I sold merchandise and handed out gifts to the participants (sunglasses and Totes in Twirly Birds Pink), so I was a pretty popular girl that day.

Some of the participants watching an exhibition match.

Jill Nichols, the EVP of Philanthropy and Community Relations, showing off her tennis skills.

One of the teams, rocking their new Vera Bradley Miller Bags and sunglasses.

Golf Tournament

Michelle:
With Monday came the biggest part of Classic weekend ... golf day! With 113 teams (452 golfers) spread across three tournaments at two courses, we definitely had a lot to orchestrate. The 9-hole tournament was held at Fort Wayne Country Club, and the 18-hole tournament took place at Sycamore Hills Golf Club. Fortunately, we had beautiful weather, amazing participants and a ton of cheerful volunteers.

The day started bright and early around 6 am with one of my favorite activities: Driving around on a golf cart and "Vera-ifying" every hole. I had to hurry so I could make it back to the registration table in time to see all the golfers arriving in their fabulous outfits (arguably the best part of the Classic). It seems when it comes to the Classic, cute outfits are top priority for most, while the ability to golf in said cute outfits is much lower on the list of concerns.

After a few well wishes, all the golfers were off to their start holes, and I believe it can be said with some confidence, a good time was had by all!

A participant looking far more professional than I could ever hope to. Note the pink ribbons!

Just a few of our amazing volunteers working the registration table at Fort Wayne Country Club.

The winners of the most important part of the Classic, the Best Dressed competition!

Vera Bradley 101

2011-06-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

For the last three days, the other interns and I have been busy with New Hire Orientation, hosted each month by our Training Department. We met members of the various departments and visited the four Fort Wayne buildings. I never thought I would say that I loved touring a factory or that I enjoyed a presentation about IT, but this week I definitely did.

We started the week off at our Industrial Road office, where departments like Finance, Customer Service, and Direct and Indirect Sales are located. In addition to the tour and presentations, we also had the opportunity to observe some of the Customer Service representatives, whose product knowledge and dedication to the brand is so inspiring!

Industrial Road

Our next stop was Adams Center Road (ACR), where manufacturing takes place. We watched the team there quilt fabric, cut pieces for the bags, and sew and assemble the bags, which completely amazed me. Each of the bags coming from ACR is sewn by hand. Talk about talent.

It was a dream come true for me to see the huge bolts of fabric in all of my favorite colors. My mind was racing with ideas for things I could craft and make with them; the options are endless!

Next up, we traveled to Production Road, where I spend most of my time. Even though I am somewhat familiar with the departments here (Product Development, the Foundation, Marketing, and Visual Merchandising), I loved getting a more in depth look at what they do from the people who know best. The highlight by far was touring Product Development, where the magic happens. Thinking about how each pattern, bag, and collection is created from scratch in this building, where I work every day, reminds me that I truly hit the internship jackpot.

Production Road

Last but certainly not least, we visited Stonebridge, the distribution facility. This is where they store product, fill online orders and distribute merchandise to retailers. All of their systems are so efficient, and seeing how dedicated the company is to quality control and customer experience really reinforces the eight core values, and how they're applied each and every day.

Stonebridge

Unfortunately, there is one location that we did not get to visit ... Vera Bradley's New York office. While I'm sure they would love to take every new hire to The Big Apple to see their product development office, it just isn't possible. But hey, a girl can dream, right?

The view from the New York office - 5th Avenue and Central Park!

The VB Intern Life

2011-06-14T11:09:00.001-07:00

I'm quickly learning that Vera Bradley's Intern Program consists of much more than just providing future professionals the opportunity to work in various functional areas of the company. In addition to our work, we have each been delegated a summer project, which we review with our fellow interns when we meet periodically, and that we will give presentations about at the end of the summer.

To broaden our knowledge and enhance our presentations, representatives from each area come to teach us about their roles in the company's overall mission. By the end of the summer, we should have a deep understanding of how Vera Bradley functions as a whole. Two weeks ago, we heard from Jeff Blade, Vera Bradley's CFO (and a fellow Butler Bulldog), about the Initial Public Offering, and how that has impacted the company so far. Last week, we met Melissa Schenkel and Susan Doctor from Marketing, for a rundown on branding and the use of media outlets for promotion.

Almost all of the interns – and yes, we did separate ourselves into groups of boys and girls.

Every summer the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce also has a program called Live, Learn, and Intern. Designed to encourage young professionals to explore the city, this program gives people like me entertaining options in a place I don't know very well (since I'm not from the area). Best of all, it's free! So this week we went bowling at Indiana Tech, and as always, the Vera interns had a fabulous time.

Taking a break from the bowling action.

We also gathered for a casual, get-to-know-each-other dinner, which was definitely a success. We talked about work, our projects, our hometowns and, of course, the products we've been seeing that we'd love to have, and the previous weekend's events for the Foundation! Next up? There has been talk of a possible trip to Cedar Point, some TinCaps games and a lot of just hanging out at my apartment with my roommate (a fellow Vera intern). I'll be sure to share our adventures on Behind the Seams!

Dinner at Flat Top Grill.

A Very Vera First Day

2011-06-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

On my first day at Vera Bradley, I went to our Industrial Road office to begin orientation. Not all of the interns started on the same day, so there were only about six or seven of us (there are 15 now). We learned about the internship program, the company and received a tour of the building. I then made the short drive over to the building in which I will be spending most of my time, the office on Production Road.

Production Road Office

When I walked in the front door, I completely fell in love. From the shelves of new and old products to the adorable seating area, everything around me was so "Vera". Production Road is actually Vera Bradley's original office, where all operations were once housed, including Product Development, Manufacturing, Distribution, and all Business Operations.

This just looks so inviting!

I love that I get to see this ... every day.

At Production, I was finally able to make it to the Human Resources area (affectionately known as the HR Cave). I met everyone on our team and started to get settled into my desk. As the day went on, I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn't just a one day deal, but I really get to work at this amazing company all summer long.

My desk - Complete with photos of friends and family, and some Vera too!

Now, two weeks later, it is starting to truly sink in, and thankfully I don't feel like someone is going to tap me on the shoulder and tell me that it is time for me to leave. The next step will be finding the willpower to overcome my constant desire to buy every bag, accessory or cute stationery item I see. Wish me luck with this one ... I'll need it!

The Beginning of Something Very Colorful

2011-06-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hi! I am Stephanie, and I am currently in week two of my dream internship at Vera Bradley. I am working in Human Resources for the summer, and the beginning of my time here has been spent learning about this amazing company, getting to know my coworkers, and adjusting to my new surroundings and schedule.

To help us get acquainted, here is some more information about me ...

This fall I will be a senior at Butler, where I am a Marketing major with a Communication Studies minor. I am a true Indiana girl at heart, since I grew up on a farm in southern Indiana and then transplanted myself to Indianapolis for college a few years ago, and now I am living in Fort Wayne for the summer. Usually, my summer is spent lounging by the pool, going to small-town festivals and showing cattle, but this one will be slightly different ... and I couldn't be any happier! I also love crafting, being social, and of course blogging!

If you followed Behind the Seams last summer, you probably remember Libby, who just graduated from Butler (Congrats, Libby!). Since ours is such a small school, I actually know Libby and read all of her posts. Before I finished my junior year and she moved on to the next chapter of her life, we met up so she could give me some tips for my summer as the intern blogger.

Libby's Blog Survival Guide:

Carry a camera everywhere. You never know when a Kodak moment could pop up. My fellow interns came to realize that if I was around, whatever we were doing was going to be on the blog!

Think outside the office. The magic happens inside the Vera Bradley offices, but there is more to the company than handbags. I had tons of fun at the Vera Bradley Classic and being in a Fort Wayne parade. It's a great way to meet new people and share the amazing company culture.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Whether you're brainstorming ideas, proofreading or gathering feedback, learn from the talented people around you! The Web team was awesome and provided me with many entertaining photo opportunities!

Last but not least ... Be yourself! Last summer, readers got a true peek at my life, from my work desk down to my favorite shoes!

Libby and I at the Bulldog - A famous Butler landmark!

Last day... sigh...

2010-08-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

Vera Bradley interns, summer 2010!

May 24, 2010 through August 13, 2010: my summer living the dream as a Vera Bradley intern. I honestly cannot believe it went by so fast--it seems like only yesterday I was walking through the doors at Industrial and staring with awe at the cubicles decked out in Vera Bradley stationary items.

Time really does fly when you are having fun!

Here's my "Internship by the Numbers":

2: the number of my awesome supervisors, Shannon and Sarah, who went above and beyond to make my internship amazing
4: the number of states I visited (Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Texas, and Ohio)
13: the number of my unofficial mentors in Direct Sales
17: the number of wonderful interns this summer
29: the number of comments my brother Andy left on the blog
853: the number of words in the article I wrote for the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer's website
2,305: the number of visitors to the blog on July 11th--my one-day record!!
###: the number of Cookie Cottage cookies consumed this summer (the actual number would be too embarrassing to share)

But my most important numbers just can't be quantified. I have made countless memories this summer--new friends, new experiences, and new take-aways to carry into my professional and personal life. This summer has exceeded my wildest expectations--I never would have guessed I'd be on a Vera Bradley email, or be able to chat with co-founders Pat and Barb! Without a doubt, I would HIGHLY recommend a Vera Bradley internship. Amazing company, adorable bags, and awesome team? Sign me up all over again!

Just a few members of the talented Direct Sales team.

I am incredibly sad to have to leave (how important is year 4 of college anyway?), but I am so thankful for the opportunity to be here and to work for one of my favorite companies.

Shout-outs:

The wonderful people at Vera Bradley--I will never stop talking about my wonderful summer here!
Shannon, Sarah, and Emily--to quote Sarah, you guys are "jammin' like salmon"!
Web team--we'll definitely be keeping in touch (in tweets--140 characters or less)
Lovely blog fans and readers--I will definitely miss sharing my adventures, but stay up to date with more Vera Bradley news on Facebook, Twitter, and emails. I have loved reading your comments and you have made this blog very special!

Keep an eye out on the Vera Bradley Careers page. Around February, the summer 2011 internships will be posted... I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Big day at Vera Bradley!

2010-08-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

Today is a pretty big day here at Industrial Road. Why?

1. It is Web Operations Manager Jason's birthday! His desk turned into a party saloon--complete with cowboy boot confetti and saloon doors! The web team was decked out in western wear (bandanas, cowboy hats, and sheriff badges)... although I think I was the only one that wore it all day...?

Jason, birthday boy and sheriff of the web team.

2. It is the day of the intern presentations! On day one, we were told about our final intern presentations that recap our summer and share what we have been working on. Then we found out that co-founders Barb and Pat, the executive team, the supervisors, and all of the interns will be present... and it was attack of the nerve butterflies!

We spent the morning listening to the presentations. It was very interesting finding out what everyone else has been working on, and how much they enjoyed their summers.

Funny extras: Finance boys modeling their favorite bags, a Sales and Operations version of "The Brady Bunch" theme song, and Product Development skit about a new system.

I decided to present my summer in a blog format. Nissa, a web designer, created another blog just like this one and I posted pictures and captions to act as notes and visuals. I was very, very nervous--but survived! I definitely couldn't have done it without Sarah and Emily's happy faces in the audience and Shannon's scrolling during my presentation.

The web team boys came to watch and then tweeted this Twitpic of me presenting! (Between the blog and Twitter, I seem to be all over the web!)

Blast for the past--Vera Bradley-style!

2010-08-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

Years and years of Vera Bradley goodness :)

I haven't spent much time at the Production Road office, but every time I go, I like to check out the "Shelves of Fame" corner of the lobby. It is a serious blast from the past--the Handbag in every Vera Bradley pattern! It is amazing to see the changes in design direction since the beginning. It seems everything has gotten brighter and bolder!

Vera Bradley has definitely gotten a makeover since the early days!

Bermuda Blue (my first color) and its mate, Bermuda Pink.

Favorite: Chanticleer (the chicken and the egg!)

Oh how I wish this was still in production--Zebra!

It can be pretty heartbreaking to see your favorite color retire, but now you know it will always be on display at a Vera Bradley HQ! To see the colors a bit more close-up, visit the Vera Bradley classic colors section on the site.

Vera's birthday: all-day event

2010-08-06T05:25:00.000-07:00

The woman of the hour: happy birthday, Vera!

The party for Vera's birthday continued after Tuesday night's VIP event for Wednesday's all-day event. With mini cupcakes, an adorable gift with purchase, and great offers throughout the day, it was one of the best birthday celebrations I have been to! And as always, the Vera Bradley fans were highlights also: I loved working with the amazing Kenwood team, chatting with sweet guests, and I even had a few friends from Indiana come for the occasion!

An outline of the day's festivities!

10am to noon = All in One Wristlet mania!

The first offer of the day was a great discount on the All in One Wristlet--normally $32, but during those 2 hours, it was $20! Before the doors even opened, fans were waiting outside so they could have the first picks. The reasons for the All in One Wristlet mania were pretty varied: bridal party presents, back to campus, Christmas present, and just for every day!

One of the many Vera facts signs around the store--this one is talking about the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer's pledge of $10 million (and plans for another $10 million!)

And speaking of facts, my older brother Andy impressed me with his knowledge about Vera Bradley! His comment on the post about the VIP birthday event:

He is right: Vera Bradley's real name-- Veronica Bradley, and birthday-- August 9, 1909. Someone has been doing his homework!

A VIP birthday!

2010-08-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

Private event for Vera's Birthday VIPs!

Last night I was part of a very special group of people to celebrate Vera's birthday---Kenwood's top customers. The VIPs were invited to celebrate Vera's 101st birthday with extra surprises like four amazing enter-to-win prizes. In addition to delicious birthday treats like mini cupcakes and "Very Berry Punch", everyone left with a Very Berry Paisley party favor!

The Kenwood team also gave presentations about the fall colors and styles, back to campus essentials, and two new collections, Crossroads and Vera Vera. Crossroads and Vera Vera are not out in stores yet, so the guests were able to have a sneak peak!

Are you on the list? Our "bouncer" at the door!

Making a wish list is serious business--everyone was very concentrated on noting all of their favorites!

Upon arriving, guests were invited to fill out a wish list of 3 Vera Bradley items and enter to win their wish list granted!

The enter-to-wins were the main event: 3 lucky winners received $150 of their wish lists, and 1 grand prize winner received $300 of their wish list and will be entered to win "A Colorful Day" trip to meet Vera Bradley stars and learn more about the amazing company! (Check out verabradleyexperience.com to learn more!)

Getting ready to announce the grand prize winner--everyone is hoping to hear their name called!

I loved being surrounded by such passionate Vera Bradley fans. One woman wistfully said how she'd love to work at Vera Bradley, and when I told her I am living the dream as an intern, she was so jealous!!

The festivities continue tomorrow--the store offers will change throughout the day, so be sure to come and stay for the whole day :) We have plenty of cupcakes and Very Berry Punch to keep your shopping energy up!

"For the frill of it"!

2010-08-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I headed to the Vera Bradley Store in Kenwood Town Center for the Frill photo shoot. The shoot was for girls 13-18, and they posed with their favorite bag from the Frill collection while our photographer Jeff snapped their pictures.

Jeff and a model--in action!

The shoot was so much fun! I think we had the cutest girls in the tri-state area come and strike their best poses--many were naturals in front of the camera! Emily, a member of the photo team, set up a computer screen so everyone could see each picture as it happened.

Emily, working behind the scenes.

Adoring fans/managers/paparazzi of the models!

I think everyone had a blast! Any nerves that were there quickly disappeared under Jeff's expert guidance. I loved listening to the proud moms, friends, and sisters who were standing on the sidelines and watching the girls pose!

One girl definitely won the "Most Enthusiastic" Award--she was jumping in the air and lying on the ground to get the best shot. I think she took a few cues from Tyra's "America's Next Top Model" before coming!

Part of the Kenwood team, working it with their Frill!

In addition to the photo shoot, the store also had a spot where guests could enter to win Frill prizes, a contest for the favorite Frill color (Very Berry Paisley was in the lead the last time I looked!), and a refreshment stand with Frill cookies from a Fort Wayne institution, the Cookie Cottage. I also had a few special guests come: my grandma, aunts, and cousin! Jeff snapped a few Frill family portraits of us :)

The shoot was a success and I can't wait to check out the pictures on the Vera Bradley Facebook page. Next up: back to the store for Vera's Birthday festivities! Stop by on Wednesday!

Intern dinner + celebration + O-H-I-O

2010-07-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

Intern Dinner: Wednesday marked the grand finale of the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce's Live, Learn, Intern series this summer. It was a very nice reception at Sycamore Hills (the same site as the Classic dinners), complete with excellent food, special speakers, and door prizes (the VB interns cleaned up: I won a gift card to JK O'Donnell's, and Allegra and Megan each won a Starbucks gift card!).

Sycamore Hills Clubhouse--the venue for the final Live, Learn, Intern event.

I'm not biased or anything, but I think we had the best table! Alicia and Jill, our intern coordinators, entertained us with funny stories of their kids and gave us some inside scoop on Vera Bradley.

Alicia and Jill, human resources extraordinaires!

Celebration: Today marks Heidi Floyd's five year cancer free anniversary. The lovely folks at Production road (shout-out to Foundation intern, Karen!) organized a breakfast to celebrate. Special surprises: a visit from Heidi's adorable family and a new pair of pink shoes!

Congrats, Heidi--mom, survivor, blogger, Twitterer, and ambassador!

The celebration breakfast at Production--all decked out in Loves Me..., of course!

O-H-I-O: This weekend I will be hanging out in the buckeye state for the Frill Fashion Photo Shoot at the Vera Bradley store in Kenwood Town Center. Stop by and strike a pose!

My home away from home

2010-07-28T05:12:00.000-07:00

Since I am not from the Fort Wayne area, I had to figure out where I was going to live... and since I was an ocean away up until a week before my first day--my mom had to figure it out! She came up for the outlet sale and visited a few schools that offered summer housing to out-of-towners. We decided university housing would be the easiest way to go: no utilities or rent to worry about and college campuses are nice!

The final pick? The University of St. Francis, a small school conveniently located just minutes away from the shopping land of Jefferson Pointe.

Don't let the dark hallways fool you: once the sun goes down, the floodlights come on...

The apartment is supposed to be for nine people, but right now I am solo! For about half of the summer, I had a very sweet roommate (hi Hannah!) but her internship ended and she returned home. After living in a sorority house (with 70 girls living in, someone is always bound to be around!) and then with a homebody senora (besides a run for fresh bread at noon, Esperanza was always "en casa"), it is a little strange coming home to no one!

My Large Duffels and Get Carried Away Tote are doing most of the heavy lifting!

This afternoon I am switching it up and moving out. The University needs to get the rooms ready for early arrivals, so they are shuffling the summer boarders around a bit. I don't know where I will be moving to... but I am very interested to find out!

There's nothing like a good book

2010-07-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it--I am a bookworm. I like to read, and would rather flip through magazine or book pages than turn on the TV...which I don't even have this summer!

I have read my fair share of classics (hello AP English!) so I don't feel so guilty when I turn to my favorite genre: chick lit. I read Shopaholic, The Devil Wears Prada, and In Her Shoes before they ever turned up on the big screen. I am not alone--the girls of Direct Sales have created a nice shelf of chick lit for sharing in the Inspiration Room!

One of the my first (non-work) tasks this summer was to find the nearest library. I had been library deprived in Spain (it would have taken me the whole semester to finish a chapter book!) and was happy to find an Allen County branch minutes from my apartment.

The newly renovated main branch

This weekend, I decided to check out the main branch in downtown Fort Wayne. I was a bit nervous to navigate the "One Way" maze of downtown, but the prospect of a few good reads convinced me to go for it.

What a beautiful library! It is huge--the size blows my local branch out of the water! There is a cafe, bookstore, auditorium, art gallery, computer center, and a parking garage. I definitely plan on heading back before the summer is over.

A room full of magazines... heaven!

***
Check out this happy Vera Bradley fan and blogger who received a surprise gift from blog fan and Vera Bradley employee Jennifer: http://therubyturtlehippie.blogspot.com/

Her thank you post includes a video of "I think I love you..."--super cute!

Campus wishlist

2010-07-23T06:19:00.000-07:00

My post mentioning back to campus emails got me thinking about my own trek to school...and more importantly, what I hope will be coming with me!

In the middle: the bulldog statue outside of the Butler University student center.

1. Ribbon Board. Luckily, I still have a few weeks to decide which color to choose. Poppy Fields is a front runner, with Very Berry Paisley close behind...

2. Sherry sunglasses in Tortoise. Because the sun shines extra bright on Butler!

3. Sharpies. I've been admiring Emily's collection when I stop by her desk and it is time to start my own collection. I have a few black ones, but I need some color in my life!

4. Keep Calm and Carry On water bottle. I couldn't believe it when I found this online! I recently lost my (not as cool) water bottle--not after a semester of lugging it on trips around Europe, but during a visit to the local Barnes & Noble! And now, a replacement in my mantra? I MUST get this.

5. Pocket Folders. I am very excited to use my Carnaby folders, and need a few more as well.

Click here for more details and enter to win!

The ultimate wishlist item? A 32GB iPad™! I cannot get over how awesome this is: one lucky person wins an iPad™and Mini Laptop Bag, and 12 other people walk away with other Back to Campus bags. I think this contest represents the true meaning of "back to cool"!

One of my projects: Web Benchmarking

2010-07-21T06:18:00.000-07:00

Cover slide for last week's Web Benchmarking PowerPoint

Checking email and looking at Facebook? Meet my Web Benchmarking project! Web Benchmarking is a review of what Vera Bradley and other brands are doing throughout the web each week. It's a way to keep tabs on other brands and make sure that Vera Bradley is staying strong with our online activities.

There are several aspects of my Web Benchmarking project: Facebook, emails, and a Hitwise chart. In Hitwise, I look at how many visits the Vera Bradley site has (a lot!) in comparison to other handbag companies like Coach, Dooney & Bourke, etc.

For Facebook, my mission was to "like" different brands and then weekly see what kind of content they publish on their pages. Checking up on Tory Burch and J.Crew? No problem!

Vera Bradley on Facebook was busy last week--be colorful events and the Fall 2010 launch!

For emails, I have a special Gmail account that I use to sign up for different brand emails. I have quite a list going, and can always count on a pretty full inbox!

There are several categories that I look for--sales messaging, limited time offers ("Free shipping on all beach towels!"), points of interest, etc. Points of interest emails are my favorite to see because I like seeing what brands are doing besides advertising their summer sales and free shipping deals. It is the wild card category!

Points of Interest: anything interesting!

Back to campus already??

Back to campus emails have been majorly popping up in my inbox since the 4th of July. Seeing school-related emails is a bit bittersweet--it means I'm headed back to Butler University again (yay!) but also that my internship is over (MAJOR boo!). I guess I will just have to ease my pain by buying lots of Vera Bradley school supplies....

Weekend R&R

2010-07-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

I could get used to this very quickly!

While my family was trekking in Gatlinburg (I've heard many bruises have been spotted...), I was hanging at Shannon's (my East Coast travel buddy) house for a little weekend fun. I'll take sunning, lounging, and floating over hard-core hiking any day!

Spotted pond-side: a colorful assortment of Vera Bradley towels and flip flops. Seeing Shannon's adorable kids wrapped up in their towels was a great advertisement...we began putting the towels on our wish lists!

Hope Garden Flip Flop and Poppy Fields + Sittin' in a Tree towels

All of the essentials of a summer Saturday were present: a pond, dock, noodles (of the floating variety), hot dogs, watermelon, and guacamole. I headed back to Fort Wayne happy and a little sunburnt... a sign of a great afternoon!

Step into my office...

2010-07-16T06:07:00.001-07:00

I thought it was time to share my main Vera Bradley stomping grounds, the office on Industrial Road.

The logo welcomes everyone in!

The Direct Sales department moved to the second floor of Industrial Road right before I started in May, so I wasn't the only one new to the building. How do you know when you've entered web territory? Dim lights for the designers, records playing, and Twitter-speak... check, check, and check!

Steve, Web Creative Director

Emily, Ecommerce Analyst

(From L to R) web designers Mark, Tommy, Nissa, and copy writer Courtney--holding down the fort in the web area.

My desk--I have moved since my first desk picture to be closer to the web action!

One of the great parts of web area is the Inspiration Room. With just a few trips to the craft store, a little bit of organizing, and a touch of wall paper (with the roller thoughtfully regifted afterward), the web team turned a storage room into an inspiring spot.

The latest addition to the room is a giant TV that can hook up to a laptop and display on a larger screen so everyone can see. It has been great for our weekly "Creative Show & Tell" meetings--no more printing!

The decorating scheme: English cottage with a touch of web flair!

"My" boxes have arrived for Open the Box!

I'm currently taking up a small corner in the Inspiration Room with my boxes for the Open the Box project. It's very hard having to keep everything unopened!

Love: a bulletin board that covers the whole wall and this little blog was on an an email!

On another--more musical--note: here's a picture of fellow Industrial Road intern (for Finance) Bret competing in the Battle of the Bands competition last night with his band, Morose. He was great!

Bret on the right... taking a break from the office and hitting the stage!

Intern essentials: Round 2

2010-07-14T06:41:00.001-07:00

After the first "Intern Essentials", I started noticing how frequently other things pop up during my week. I guess I really know what I like!

1. An eyelash curler. On some mornings, usually after I stay up trying to catch up on my list of must-read blogs, I am looking a little less than wide awake. This crazy looking contraption may scare off some people, but it's a lifesaver for me!

2. Life in Progress in Loves Me... I like to be prepared for each day's notes and meetings--in style!

3. Zip ID Case in Night Owl & an iPod shuffle. This dynamic duo accompanies me to the gym and on flights. I know my old-school shuffle would make the Apple-savvy web team cringe, but all I need are tunes and I am good to go! (Actually, I think my taste in music would make them cringe too. I haven't heard any Taylor Swift playing on the record player yet...)

4. Gap cardigans, in multiple colors. The office can be chilly--it is best to be prepared!

5. Old Navy Patent Bauble T-Strap sandals. You can find these on my feet probably 3 out of the 5 days at the office. One (minor) con: The baubles can be a bit noisy when I walk around.

6. Lean Cuisines. They are the perfect size for my Let's Do Lunch, and are the reason that I don't starve. It's a good day when these guys are on sale!

Lions and tigers and bees--oh my!

2010-07-12T03:59:00.000-07:00

My weekend: pulling a giant bee balloon through downtown Fort Wayne and hanging with the orangutans and a baby giraffe. It's not a typical scene in Indiana, but Fort Wayne definitely delivered in the adventure department this weekend!

Colors hits the Three Rivers Festival parade!

On Saturday, I was part of the "bee" colorful Vera Bradley group for the Three Rivers Festival parade. We had quite a lineup: a girls' dance team, people passing out Vera Bradley goodies, the Queen Bee balloon, Majic 95.1 FM, and the fabulous folks from the Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis.

Interns Tiffany, Megan, and Karen with Foundation Events Coordinator Lynda and her daughter, Tori.

The Queen Bee is in flight!
(For a full picture of the bee, check out this picture from a previous parade year--I couldn't get a good shot since I was always under it!)

Tethering was a lot harder than I thought it would be! We practiced our "elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist" wave beforehand, but once someone pulled out the gloves for those tethering, I knew my hopes of dazzling waves were gone. Downtown Fort Wayne has a lot of low wires and traffic lights that require special attention when maneuvering a giant balloon! The crowd was great--they warned us of our obstacles and cheered when we made it through.

Our bit of trouble, a tangle in a traffic light, left the crowd on the edge of their lawn chairs. Foundation intern Karen and I ended up getting our lines chopped and thought we were going to get to use our waves until we quickly had to re-grab our lines! Of course, we planned it all for the dramatic effect :)

Karen and Megan, already tethered on the balloon.

On Sunday, I left behind the urban jungle of Fort Wayne and entered the real jungle with my aunt and cousins. They drove up from Zionsville, Indiana, and were excited to check out the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo... and visit me!

Caroline and I are animals at heart!

I can't remember the last time I have been to any zoo, so it was definitely time for a visit. We packed a lunch and were able to catch an otter feeding and an animal show--featuring a goat with a craving for my cousin Michael's zoo map!

One of my favorites, the giraffes.

Bill the lion: taking a catnap in one of the few shaded areas in the African Journey.

It was a great visit and didn't start getting too hot until we hit the African area--which was Fort Wayne's answer to the Sahara Desert! It was the perfect setting for the zebras, wildebeasts, and leopards, but not for four sweaty visitors.

We decided to hightail it to some air conditioning and headed to Jefferson Pointe. My cousin Caroline is a huge fan and she couldn't wait to see the Vera Bradley store. I'm not one to pass up a trip to the Jefferson Pointe store so I was happy to lead the way! (it may or may not have been my 3rd visit to the store in 4 days...)

One very happy girl!

The weekend ended with a delicious trip to Zesto ice cream and a walk around the University of Saint Francis. I couldn't have asked for a better weekend: fun, family, and fro-yo!

Michael giving a thumbs up for candy--and color!

Forget ninety degree weather... fall is here!

2010-07-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

Fort Wayne may still be hot, but my mind is on fall... fall colors, that is! Yesterday marked the launch of the new fall 2010 colors and styles, and the Vera Bradley offices were buzzing with excitement--and color!

The Customer Service desks welcomed color with open arms.

Some members of the web team came into the office at 11PM on Wednesday night to get the site ready to go with fall items. They updated verabradley.com and Vera Bradley on Facebook, youtube, and Twitter in the wee hours of the night so when Vera Bradley fans woke up on Thursday, it would be like Christmas morning...in fall!

As a treat for their hard work, Dave (of birthday fame) took us to Jefferson Pointe to see the Vera Bradley store and to have lunch. I have been to the store quite a few times this summer and loved seeing new products lining the shelves this time around. My mental wish list grew by the second--I know I will be going back to school in style!

I'd choose Very Berry Paisley any day!

Emily and Nissa enjoy a sweet treat at the candy station.

I loved being a part of the fall launch! The web team did a great job of transitioning the site and it was fun to hear about their late-night adventures (I heard Steak 'n Shake and a meat and cheese tray were involved...) And talk about dedication--they didn't leave until 3AM on Thursday!

The web team at Jefferson Pointe--looking good in our "be colorful" t-shirts (check out other employees sporting color on Facebook!)

Standing tall for Vera Bradley :)

"Live, Learn, & Intern!"

2010-07-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

Was anyone able to catch the Jumbotron shout out to the interns ("Live, Learn, & Intern!") at Parkview Field last night? (Or hear our cheers after we saw the message?)

Vera Bradley definitely had an intern presence at the Tincaps game, the fifth event of the intern program with the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. We braved the heat to enjoy burgers and mac-n-cheese...and good company, of course!

Thank goodness for the shade!

"Go Tincaps!" Megan was a fan :)

I have to admit--I have been to more baseball games this summer than in the last five years... combined! I think my urge to "root, root, root for the home team" and reconnect with America the Beautiful has definitely grown after being abroad last semester. All of that paella and flamenco dancing now has me wanting to be an all-American girl!

Cam (smiling big!) and his fiancé, Jamie

Brian: "We've gotta do thumbs up." Agreed--I like your enthusiasm!

Kyle, John, and Cam

A very colorful weekend: Southlake, Texas

2010-07-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Nissa and I packed our bags and headed to Southlake, Texas for a be colorful event. Vera Bradley was one of the sponsors for the Stars & Stripes event in Southlake Town Square and had a tent full of random acts of color for the crowd!

When Nissa and I arrived, the weather was taking on a color we didn't quite want to see.... dark gray. Locals told us that the weather had been pretty volatile for the last couple of days, and we were probably going to be getting a bit wet!

Unfortunately, clouds were also coming to Southlake!

And then the rain came....

When the crazy weather started, Connie, the assistant store manager at the Vera Bradley store in Southlake, welcomed us to Texas!

Nissa and I frantically moved our boxes of goodies out of the rain--a hard task when you have more boxes than space and everything is WET!

Fortunately, the rain finally stopped. And not only did the rain stop, but the weather turned beautiful! The rain cooled the air temperature (good thing because it was HOT!) and the sun started shining. As the crowds of people started streaming in, we were finally able to set up our tent.

Southlake Town Square: rain or shine!

In addition to Connie, store team members, their friends and family, and friends of other employees volunteered to spread "Random Acts of Color" to the crowds. They were giving colorful lollipops with an offer of saving $10 off a purchase of $50 or more in the Southlake store in July--just in time for the new fall colors coming on Thursday, July 8th! In the tent we had mini bottles of water in Vera Bradley colors and new fall catalogs to get people excited about Vera Bradley.

Colorful ladies in our colorful tent!

Happy street team members (wearing Barcelona--new for fall!)

Spreading "Random Acts of Color" (wearing new fall colors Very Berry Paisley, left, and Hello Dahlia on right)

Despite the bad weather conditions earlier in the evening, tons of people still came to walk around and check out the tents. There were so many things to see, eat, and do: food booths (Chik-fil-A, Dippin' Dots, funnel cakes, and more!), inflatable games for the kids, and face-painting! There was also a live band that kept the tunes coming after the sun went down.

Live music--with dark clouds!

Vera Bradley loves Southlake! We thought we would try to recreate the teaser video... complete with lots of color!

My very tall friend! (with new fall color, Slate Blooms)

Nissa and I...being colorful!

It was really fun getting to talk to everyone who stopped by our booth. We met a woman who was visiting her family but is from Fort Wayne too--and works for Vera Bradley at the Adams Center Road location! I love listening to everyone's connections with Vera Bradley: favorite patterns, recent purchases, and future purchases. We had quite a few husbands and dads that came up to grab a catalog because they knew their mothers/wives/daughters were fans!

Nissa even gave the Chik-fil-A cow a random act of color!

Very cute color recipients

And now, for the main event.... fireworks!

We ended the day with a late dinner and many sighs of relief that the rain didn't ruin our plans! The next morning, we went back to the Vera Bradley store to say bye to Connie and do a little shopping. My purchases: a Ditty Bag in Calypso and Pocket Folders in Carnaby :)

The Vera Bradley store at Southlake Town Square

Then it was back to the airport to fly home to Fort Wayne. By the end of our trip, we had been through four flights in 48 hours, the Texan heat, a downpour in the midst of setting up our tent... and a fun event! Our random acts of color made a lot of people happy--kids got a sweet treat, moms got a sweet deal, and we got to hang out in Texas! It was a definite success for everyone!

Color is coming: Texas bound!

2010-07-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend Vera Bradley web designer Nissa and I will be traveling to be with the be colorful team in Southlake, Texas! I won't spill any of the details, but I am looking forward to a crazy mix of Texas + Vera Bradley + 4th of July fun--talk about an unbeatable combination!

Now on to packing.... will it be too hot for cowboy boots?

Shopped 'til I dropped

2010-06-29T19:15:00.001-07:00

My purchases for Vera Bradley: Large Duffel and Clutch Wallet

Yesterday I was assigned an important task: online shopping....with a corporate credit card... at my favorite stores.

Have I mentioned how amazing this internship is yet??

Yes, I did spend the day armed with the credit card, but it was for business, not pleasure, and all items will be returned! Vera Bradley is taking a closer look at our packaging for web orders and want to see what other companies are up to. When all of my packages arrive, we will have a big meeting and look at what I ordered! Everyone will open a box and the entire opening process will be documented: is there a gift box? What does the tissue paper looked like? Is the packaging pretty?

Even just thinking about a J.Crew gift appearing at my door makes me happy!

Checking out a Janie and Jack pint-sized apron... all in a day's work!

Seeing so many different check-out processes really started making me fussy! I became quite the demanding online shopper: I want to be able to see graphics or my item the whole time I am filling out the shipping and billing forms AND want an online confirmation email sent to me seconds after I place the order. My critical eye is being fine-tuned by "behind the scenes" experiences with web and retail... I am well on my way to becoming an expert shopper!

I highly recommend a little online retail therapy as a treat. (And for those who don't have a corporate card, our summer sale is still going strong!)

A VIP intern lunch

2010-06-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

There was a definite bustle around the training room at Industrial Road around lunchtime on Friday. The china plates were set (on Poppy Fields tablecloths, of course) and catered food was delivered. Why? The interns had two special guests, co-founders Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller, joining us for lunch!

Everyone was very excited about this lunch--I saw the news on a few intern Facebook profiles and Mike even wore his tie... on a Friday! Human Resources ordered a delicious spread and the guests of honor were great. They kept thanking us for being there and working for the company, but I was thinking "no, thank YOU!" Without them, my life wouldn't be as colorful!

I was lucky enough to sit next to Barb and we talked about the Providence store. She was there the week before Shannon and I made our trip to the east coast. I told her that two girls came to the opening and said they had met her the week before when she was making the finishing touches on the store!

Interns with co-founders Pat and Barb, in center.

One of the questions that they said they hear a lot is "Did you ever dream that it would get to this?" Pat's answer: "We never put a ceiling on it." Barb said that when they started, even when they were sewing on a basement Ping-Pong table, they treated it like a business and not just a hobby. They held booths in gift shows and enlisted friends and families to spread the word and sell. Now, there are more than a thousand employees and Vera Bradley stores across the country... proving that the best things ARE happening at Vera Bradley!

After lunch, we had a short meeting and have plans for an intern competition in the future.... go Industrial Road interns!

We are in it to win it... more details to come!

A walk on the wild side with CheetahMail

2010-06-25T07:31:00.001-07:00

Yesterday the Vera Bradley web team had a visit from Experian CheetahMail, an email marketing and customer intelligence company. CheetahMail works with Vera Bradley in sending out the emails the web team creates.

I thought they gave a very interesting presentation! They presented on email trends, how to keep the interest of email subscribers, and even the most effective subject line content. Since listening to their presentation I have already started to look at my email inbox differently!

David Hirsch, Doug Turpel, and Liz Gould from CheetahMail (with new Vera Bradley ties and a tote!) with my mentor Sarah and I.

And the moment everyone had been waiting for? Chick-fil-A for lunch! Now that is what I call mixing business with pleasure :)

A Direct Sales birthday!

2010-06-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Industrial Road started the week off with a bang with the birthday of the Vice President of Direct Sales, Dave Thompson. The web team worked together and delivered a box of goodies that they had lovingly prepared for him. We waited until the end of the day to surprise Dave and crowded around his office to see his reactions...

A stuffed cheetah... just what he wanted...

Snack throwback: Star Crunch.

New 3D shades and wallpaper roller show that birthday wishes do come true!

I couldn't stop laughing while Dave was examining each gift. He asked if it was an intern project but I quickly redirected his teases-- I mean, thanks-- to the web team. Dave had a little quip about the usefulness or origin of each item: "Oh mints! ... Probably from lunch today..." (Yes, from Biaggi's!)

Best birthday ever? I think so!

Intern essentials

2010-06-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

During the last few weeks, I've noticed I have several items that are always on-hand:

1. Let's Do Lunch in Mediterranean Blue. It's the perfect size for a Lean Cuisine and cut veggies. Mine is a gift from my mom--one of her purchases from the outlet sale!

2. Starbucks reusable "To-Go" cup. I feel like Fort Wayne's answer to NYC's Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen with my cup in hand. The straw top isn't practical for stopping spills... but I drink more so it empties quickly!

3. Vera in Night Owl, one of my favorite purchases from Wrentham. The Vera has inside pockets and the cute toggle closure. It is my all-day, every day bag-- big enough to fit my many folders, water, and any other miscellaneous odds and ends I accumulate during the day.

4. Take Note Cube in Make Me Blush. I keep it on my desk so I am always prepared for to-do lists and random scribbles. It's my stylish alternative to the ordinary Post-it!

5. "Keep Calm and Carry On" pillow from Target. This has been my mantra since my trip to London last summer. The pillow now matches my postcard and is a great reminder to breathe deeply... and carry on.

Take me out to the ball game...

2010-06-18T08:10:00.001-07:00

It was a pretty packed crowd for a Thursday night!

As a visitor to Fort Wayne, I am often at a loss of what to see or do in this neck of the woods. Luckily, I have some local intern friends who can act as my tour guide! Last night's trip to the TinCaps game against the Dayton Dragons was Megan's idea, a Vera Bradley intern and Fort Wayne native.

Megan, Allegra, and I carpooled to the stadium and also met up with Mike and Bret, two other interns. I have to admit that we didn't watch too much of the game... we were too into our conversation to focus on the action on the field!

Bret left his Vera Bradley at home, but luckily we had a wallet he could borrow! Maybe a Vera Bradley tie would be more his style?

But we did turn our attention to the field when the fireworks started! I am not sure if the fireworks were because of a TinCaps win (yay!) or just because it was a nice night. Either way, they were impressive!

Very good--and very loud!

So long Midwest... hello East Coast!

2010-06-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, my mentor Shannon and I headed to the Massachusetts/Rhode Island area to visit a few stores and help with the opening festivities. It was a big weekend for Vera Bradley--a Vera Bradley store opened in Providence, Rhode Island and an outlet store opened in Wrentham, Massachusetts.

I had never been the northeastern part of the country before, so I was very excited! We flew into Boston and were able to walk around before heading to Providence for the main event, the store opening.

Swans in a row, all lined up and ready to go!

For the Providence store opening, we arrived early to meet the store team and check out the store. The store team was hard at work completing the final details (Loves Me... cupcakes, anyone?) so Shannon and I were able to get the lay of the land.

What a view--the Riverwalk from the store window!

The store was beautiful! Each of the Vera Bradley stores have a similar feel, but have different elements to match the location and the people. The wallpaper, chandeliers, and furniture were absolutely perfect and made the store feel more like a home than an actual store. The store is even able to please male guests: throughout the day, I spotted many guys enjoying the couches while waiting for their shoppers!

L: The calm before the storm. R: full of Vera Bradley fans!

Our first two Twitter winners!

One of the opening activities was a giveaway on Twitter. Vera Bradley (follow on Twitter!) "tweeted" a secret code for fans to repeat at the store opening, and the first five guests who said the code won a gift card. The woman on the right waited for an hour before the doors opened just so she was sure she was one of the first five--I love her dedication!

Shannon and I took a little break from the Providence store and decided to check out a "Coming Soon" Vera Bradley store in Burlington, Massachusetts. We scoped out the mall and met with the mall marketing manager to talk about future plans. She pointed us to the food court to check out ShotCakes, an ingenious family-run company that fills cupcakes with ice cream. We had to try one (for business purposes, of course) and were not disappointed... it was delicious!

Love the Loves Me... barricade!

We got in touch with our wild side at the Rainforest Cafe. Luckily Shannon wasn't phased by whooping monkeys and blinking elephants!

On Saturday, we headed to Newport, Rhode Island on the recommendation of store and opening manager Deb. Deb is pretty awesome and said Newport was one of her favorite places, so we wanted to check it out for ourselves.

At the start of the Cliff Walk--we walked all of the way past the point in the distance!

Our mission in Newport: find the big mansions. Newport is called "America's First Resort" and has the summer "houses" of American royalty such as the Vanderbilts, the Kennedys, and the Astors. We walked the Cliff Walk, a path along the water that showed the ocean-facing backs of the mansions. It was beautiful!

A few examples of the "humble abodes" along the Cliff Walk.

After plenty of oohing and aahing, we headed back to Providence to organize the street teams. Shannon had gathered a few local girls to pass out free gifts to mall visitors and invite them to the store. We gave our gifts in style, wearing Loves Me... shirts and carried enormous Loves Me... bags! It was really fun to see people get excited about receiving a gift and the store opening. Providence has great Vera Bradley fans!

Providence was having their Waterfire celebration on Saturday night so we planned on catching the crowds that were watching the bonfires being lit on the river. Unfortunately the weather had other plans... we venture outside for about thirty minutes and ended up soaked!

We didn't let a little water ruin our fun! (I am on the far right)

Our final destination was Wrentham, Massachusetts on Sunday to visit the new outlet store. I was very happy to see some of my favorite recently retired patterns. I stocked up on Night Owl for future sorority presents (owls are one of our symbols!) and to contribute to the good of the store :) The prices were great and the apron-ed staff looked very cute!

Vera Bradley has hit Wrentham!

So much Vera Bradley!

It was such an awesome weekend! Shannon was a blast to travel with and I was really lucky to see so many "behind the scenes" steps for the stores. The amount of work and detail everyone contributed definitely paid off in beautiful stores and very successful openings!

Intern night out!

2010-06-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

The Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce has a great Graduate Retention program that offers summer interns activities and events throughout the summer to get to know Fort Wayne and other interns a little better. Last week, we went bowling!

Representing Vera Bradley!

After we enjoyed the free pizza, it was time to hit the lanes... complete with "stylish" bowling shoes. My sandal-clad feet were sockless (and I was not about to wear those shoes without socks!) so fellow intern Brian very nicely brought me a pair of brand-new socks from his car! I think they must have been lucky because I bowled a strike...and that was definitely not due to skill!

Kyle, Samantha, and Caitlin

We were a very casual bunch of bowlers--mostly talking and bowling in no particular order. It was great to get to hang out because some of us don't know many people in Fort Wayne. Future plans are in the works!

Crazy Pinz gets two thumbs up!

The lesson of the weekend: "Fight Like a Girl"

2010-06-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

What a weekend—full of Vera Bradley Classic events! I kicked off my first full weekend in Fort Wayne with Cocktails on the Court at the Wildwood Racquet Club for a tournament, tennis exhibition, and mingling.

I have never played tennis, but the outfits were definitely making me consider it! Spotted: pink polka-dotted skirts, striped pink polos, and flowered headbands. I think Nike should be calling for some design collaboration offers very soon...

Venus and Serena who?

The action off the court was casual and relaxed... with lots of pink!

Creative Marketing intern Allegra catching a bite to eat.

Looking good in Loves Me...

During every summer’s beach vacation, my family and I go to the local club’s tennis exhibition for some family fun, free lemonade, and door prizes. Multiple that one time a year by twenty-one years of age and I am no stranger to tennis exhibitions! But these guys blew those beach bums out of the water—I could hardly whip my head around fast enough to catch the return hits.

Tennis pros with their loyal bag-carriers.

Foundation VIPs, including Catherine in the middle.

During the event on Friday night, I was lucky enough to meet the Foundation's Executive Director, Catherine Hill. I volunteered to help set up and Catherine set me up with a date, time, place, and job! Despite her being super busy over the weekend and very in-demand, Catherine always said hi and stopped to chat. She was the epitome of "calm and collected" every time I saw her!

On Saturday, I expanded my usual Fort Wayne stomping grounds and went to Sycamore Hills Golf Club to help set up for the silent auction. The driveway from the road to the clubhouse was lined in pink ribbons--a great way to welcome the guests!

The Vera Bradley stone outside of the clubhouse.

What a beautiful place!

The dinner on Saturday night, the tennis celebration dinner, was expected to have around 300 guests. The golf course staff went to work setting the tables in appropriate Vera Bradley style, and I helped with the silent auction items.

I loved getting to get a sneak peek at the items up for auction. There was something for everyone: an autographed Taylor Swift poster, hand knit baby “Ugg” booties, gym memberships, a tool set, and even a dozen-a-month Cookie Cottage package! (I have heard the Cookie Cottage winner is quite pleased!)

Pre-Vera Bradley: the beginning stages.

The Foundation intern Karen (wearing a super cute volunteer shirt) with the silent auction ringmaster, Kris.

"Prettying" the tables.

Furniture was brought in to make the space feel very "Vera Bradley".

Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate with our plans. Saturday morning had several downpours that caused streams and puddles of water inside the tents! Luckily, we were equipped with plenty of brooms and hands to move everything out of the water’s way.

Rain, rain.... go away!

The final table setting!

When the lights went down, the pink came out!

I came back later in the evening for the dinner--all washed, dressed up, and ready to go. The dinner was excellent and the program was even better. First Pat and Barb took the stage and talked to the audience about their friend Mary Sloan, one of their friends who fought breast cancer and became their inspiration for the Vera Bradley Foundation. Barb introduced the audience to Mary Sloan’s daughters who traveled to be able to attend the weekend’s events.

I am very proud to be a part of everything these two ladies have started!!

Beauty and brains: Catherine!

Catherine took the stage and introduced a local high school student who sang "Fight Like a Girl" by Bomshell (to listen, click here). It is such a great song (I downloaded it and have been playing it on repeat...) and the girl did such a good job!

Her singing caused more than a few audience members to tear up...

Dr. Linda Malkas and Dr. Theresa Guise, members of the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer Research Laboratories, gave the crowd updates on the research occurring at the Indiana School of Medicine in Indianapolis. It is one thing to hear about research from a third party, but another to actually have the involved person telling you their latest news. Even from just listening to their short presentation, their passion was evident.

After the presentation, it was time to hit the dance floor! Urban Legend (from the Foundation concert at Jefferson Pointe a few weeks ago) played such a great variety of songs that it was impossible to sit on the sidelines! I even met Barb on the dance floor--she is a much better dancer than me!

Was this taken during "Single Ladies" or "Love Shack"?

On Monday night, I returned to Sycamore Hills Golf Club for the golf celebration dinner. Same time, same place--but three times the amount of attendees! I helped people find their table assignments, and loved seeing the golf teams walk in... again, in cute outfits! There was a prize for the most creatively dressed team, and it was clear that many were trying to win. I spied bedazzled hats, paisley skirts, and, on the winners, pink (and supposedly high heeled) golf shoes!

The highlight of the evening was definitely the unveiling of the final number. Girls of Foundation friends and family came out with numbered signs arranged to read last year's amount, and then shuffled until they came up with this year's impressive number: $800, 275!

The future of the Foundation helped announce the final amount.

...And the crowd goes wild!

Another personal highlight was the opportunity to meet Michael Jordan's mom! Deloris Jordan is a friend of Pat's and was able to come to the end of the weekend events. Karen met her at another Classic event and very kindly introduced me to her! (She is Kind Karen, after all!)

Mrs. Jordan and Karen

I still can't believe it: I am with Mrs. Jordan and Patricia R. Miller!

It was such a great weekend! It was impossible to leave any of the events without feeling energized and fired up to help in every way possible. On my way home, I called my mom and told her to start looking for a golf foursome and planning a cute outfit... she is coming next year!

"Lively Libby"...

2010-06-09T06:32:00.000-07:00

… my new nickname by Mike, an engineering intern (who will now answer to “Macho Mike”). Our new nicknames were part of our first intern lunch series—a weekly time where all of the interns gather from our offices and learn more about Vera Bradley.

"Lively"-- a very creative (and fitting!) "L" adjective.

The exercise definitely has helped me remember the other interns’ names, but I think the adjective and name combo will always be a package deal. Sorry, “Musical Mike”, “Creative Caitlin”, and “Merry Megan”—it just works!

Last week, I definitely lived up to my nickname and was running at high speed around the Vera Bradley offices. I jumped between the Production Road and Industrial Road offices for top-secret retail event meetings and to help my mentor gather marketing material. At Production Road, I met Elise, a Butler Bulldog (once a bulldog, always a bulldog!) and Vera Bradley employee. We have been emailing for a while, so it was nice to be able to put a face to the email address!

I have settled into my departments—making friends with the IT intern (Courageous Cam!) over my computer problems and chatting at the microwaves with other Lean Cuisine “foodies.” I even managed to fit in a photo shoot at the photo studio (for my ID badge, but I know America’s Next Top Model will be calling any day now…).

Welcome to Industrial Road!

2010-05-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

As I walked into the Vera Bradley Industrial Road office, I knew this internship was a match made in heaven! I was greeted by smiling faces and cheery desks, each one decked out in Vera Bradley office items. My mental Vera Bradley wish list kept growing and growing as I passed each bulletin board, notebook, and folder!

Human Resources started the day (and summer internship program) by gathering the interns for the morning and introducing us to each other, the company, and the program. It’s absolutely amazing to see how far Vera Bradley has come since the beginning! Watching video clips of co-founders Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia R. Miller explaining their vision and goals was just the inspiration we needed to kick-start our summer.

After learning about the company, we took a tour of the office. Seeing the photo set, where the product pictures are taken, made me feel like a true Vera Bradley insider. I had to pinch myself that yes… I really am where the magic happens!

I had a bit of a pleasant surprise on my first day: although the offices, products, and girl power messages are undeniably girly, there are quite a few Vera Bradley male employees! Just in the intern program, 9 interns out of the 16 total are guys working in the business services (finance and accounting) and information technology departments.

Seeing the guys here made me think of new criteria for my future husband: he must be able to name the colors of the latest Vera Bradley collection!

The Summer of {Vera Bradley} Love

2010-05-27T08:20:00.000-07:00

Hi! I am Libby Bates, and I'm the Web/Retail Marketing intern at Vera Bradley. It's pretty safe to say I've landed my dream internship--I can't think of anything better than a job that combines Vera Bradley, shopping, and surfing the Web!

A little bit about me: I'm an Indiana girl--my home base is in Lawrenceburg and I'm a senior marketing major at Butler University in Indianapolis. Although I've lived, worked, and played in Indiana my whole life, I spent last semester studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. I had a blast living with a "senora" and traveling on the weekend, but was ready to return stateside and start my internship at Vera Bradley. Almost as soon as my plane landed, I repacked my bags, grabbed my new Garmin GPS (a necessity for uncharted territory!), and headed for my summer housing in Fort Wayne... happy to be back to my Hoosier roots!

In this blog, I'll be posting about my summer as a Vera Bradley intern. Sit back and enjoy--and feel free to shop Vera Bradley in between my posts :)