When Lauren Cole walked across the stage this month at Colonial Life Arena this month, she wasn’t just celebrating another degree. She was making history.

Cole is the first thesis-track graduate of USC’s new Master of Retail Innovation program, a distinction that reflects not only her academic excellence but also her willingness to take a chance on something entirely new. For a student who began her journey in the university’s undergraduate retailing program, the milestone is both a culmination and a launch..

Cole’s success at the graduate level builds on a strong undergraduate foundation. After transferring to USC during the pandemic and shifting her focus from interior design to fashion merchandising, she quickly found her place in the Department of Retailing. 

“The people are great. It’s a great support system,” she says. “It always feels like people are pushing you to do your best.”

As an undergraduate, Cole immersed herself in the hands-on learning opportunities at the heart of all programs in USC’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management. She participated in study abroad experiences and the Department of Retailing’s annual trip to the National Retail Federation conference in New York City. She completed internships and took leadership roles in student organizations like Fashion Board, where she helped manage events and coordinate models. Those experiences, she says, were essential.

“Without those experiences, I don’t think I would have gotten as far as I have,” she noted, emphasizing how real-world exposure helped her secure a job quickly after graduation.

By the time she earned her bachelor’s degree in retailing in 2024, Cole had already distinguished herself as a driven, curious student ready for the next challenge.

That next step came in the form of USC’s newly launched Master of Retail Innovation program: a degree designed to prepare students for the rapidly evolving retail landscape.

Cole became the program’s first student.

Encouraged by faculty mentor and Master of Retail Innovation Program Director Joohyung Park, Cole chose the thesis track, a more rigorous, two-year option that emphasizes research and academic inquiry. It was a leap of faith, and one that paid off.

“It was definitely easier because of Dr. Park,” Cole says. “She really encouraged me to try, and I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll give it a try.’”

Her experience reflects one of the program’s defining strengths: its personalized, high-touch approach. As part of a small inaugural cohort, Cole benefited from close faculty mentorship and individualized attention.

“All the professors have more time to focus individually on you, which is honestly a key part of why I think I was so successful,” she says.

At the heart of Cole’s graduate experience was her thesis, which explored how guilt influences Gen Z consumers’ sustainable fashion purchasing decisions.

Drawing on data from roughly 600 respondents, Cole examined how factors like price, knowledge, availability and trust shape buying behavior. Her findings pointed to a clear takeaway: knowledge matters most.

“Consumer knowledge is very important when it comes to sustainability and encouraging purchasing decisions,” she explains.

The research not only contributes to a growing body of work on ethical consumerism but also underscores the kind of applied, industry-relevant scholarship the program is designed to produce.

USC’s Master of Retail Innovation program emphasizes experiential learning as much as academic rigor, and Cole took full advantage. From study abroad opportunities to industry trips like the National Retail Federation conference, she built a well-rounded portfolio of experiences that bridged theory and practice.

The program’s structure —c ombining innovation, analytics, and leadership — prepared her to explore multiple career paths. Today, she is working with Cregger Company, gaining hands-on experience in a corporate environment while keeping an eye on future academic pursuits.

“I’ve always kind of wanted to go the education route,” she says, noting her interest in eventually pursuing a Ph.D.

As one of the first students to complete the program, Cole offers a compelling case study in its value. The Master of Retail Innovation degree stands out for its blend of academic rigor, industry relevance and personalized mentorship — qualities that are increasingly important in today’s retail landscape.

The program encourages students to think critically, embrace new technologies and explore diverse career paths beyond traditional retail roles. For Cole, that meant discovering opportunities in research, corporate work and potentially higher education.

It also meant helping shape the program itself. As the first student, Cole played a role in building the community and culture of the degree, even helping recruit future students in its early days. That pioneering spirit is now part of her legacy. 

For Cole, graduation is not an end but another beginning. Whether she continues in the corporate world or returns to academia, her experience at USC has prepared her to adapt, innovate and lead. 

Her advice to future students is simple but powerful. “Take all the opportunities that you get. It will change your perspective and allow you to know what you do and don’t want to do.”

As the Master of Retail Innovation program continues to grow, Lauren Cole’s journey stands as one of its first success stories, one defined by curiosity, courage and a commitment to making an impact.