UW-Madison | Kohl's Center for Retailing

What UW-Madison | Kohl's Center for Retailing does

The Kohl's Center for Retailing (KCR) is an academic center housed within the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Human Ecology that connects undergraduate and graduate students with retail and fashion industry partners through project-based learning. Its core offerings are the KCR Brand Consulting Project (where student teams work with real brands on revitalization, go-to-market, and merchandising strategies, with recent engagements including Lands' End's Willis & Geiger and Swiss luxury house Akris), the Fashion Scholarship Fund Case Study program, the NRF Foundation University Challenge (with scholarships up to $30,000), the Careers Explained interview series, a Leadership Development Program, and a Group Mentorship Program. A credit-bearing course, Inter-HE 301, has been developed in partnership with UW-Madison Design Studies faculty to structure student participation in FSF case studies.

The center does not sell a product or service in a commercial sense; it is funded through the Kohl's endowment/naming partnership, university support, and corporate partner contributions, and delivers programming to students at no cost. Its "technology" is the operational scaffolding of an academic program, supplemented by a partnership with consumer insights firm Circana, which provides market research data and target customer identification for student projects. Distribution is primarily through organic social channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube), an email newsletter, and a website resource library, with national reach enabled by the NRF Foundation and Fashion Scholarship Fund partnerships. The center is led by Executive Director Laura Hensen and Senior Manager of Partnerships and Programming Emma Brandenburg, and operates from Nancy Nicholas Hall on the UW-Madison campus in Madison, Wisconsin.

Name

UW-Madison | Kohl's Center for Retailing

Legal name

Kohl's Center for Retailing, School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Website

https://badgersinretailing.wisc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Kohl's Center for Retailing is an academic center within UW-Madison's School of Human Ecology that connects students with retail and fashion brands through project-based consulting, national scholarship programs, and career development, funded by the Kohl's endowment and corporate partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Education and Career Development

NAICS

Retail Trade (44-45)

akta.pro primary industry

Campus Bookstore-Adjacent Retail (Snacks, Beverages, Essentials) (EDALADAE)

Keywords

• Retail education programs
• Brand consulting projects
• Student industry partnerships
• Retail leadership development
• Fashion case study competitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Kohl's Center for Retailing provides experiential learning programs in retail, connecting UW-Madison students with major retail brands through brand consulting projects, case study competitions, mentorship, and career development resources. The center supports student professional growth through real-world project work, industry mentorship, scholarship funding, and internship/job placement, while providing corporate partners with fresh perspectives from emerging talent. Programs are delivered at no cost to students and funded through corporate sponsorships and university support.

Product overview

The Kohl's Center for Retailing is an educational center within the School of Human Ecology at UW-Madison that provides students with experiential learning opportunities in the retail industry. The center operates as a unified program offering multiple interconnected services: brand consulting projects where students work with real companies on actual business challenges, the Fashion Scholarship Fund case study program connecting students with national fashion brands, the NRF Foundation University Challenge competition, and career development resources including the Careers Explained interview series and Leadership Development Program. These offerings are designed to develop retail industry talent through project-based learning, mentorship, and professional skill-building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KCR Brand Consulting Project A student consulting program where teams work with real retail brands on brand revitalization and go-to-market strategies, including market research, product development recommendations, and executive presentations. Delivered to UW-Madison students and corporate brand partners.
• Fashion Scholarship Fund Case Study A national case study competition connecting students with top fashion brands through an annual project focused on market research, performance analysis, product development, assortment planning, brand strategy, and product design. Delivered to UW-Madison students as part of the Fashion Scholarship Fund partnership since 2016.
• NRF Foundation University Challenge A national business competition for undergraduate teams providing real-world experience, pitch opportunities to retail leaders, and scholarship awards up to $30,000. Delivered to UW-Madison student teams through the NRF Foundation partnership.
• Leadership Development Program A program designed to support students in interviews, career exploration, and skill-building through access to materials, workshops, and resources tailored to opportunities in the retail industry. Delivered to UW-Madison students seeking retail career preparation.
• Group Mentorship Program Discussion sessions with industry leaders providing personalized understanding of potential career paths in retail. Delivered to UW-Madison students.
• Careers Explained An inside look at retail careers through interviews with industry leaders, career pathway discussions, and storytelling showcasing roles across the product development process. Delivered to UW-Madison students and broader retail career-seekers via YouTube.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ UW-Madison scholars supported since 2016
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• National Retail Federation FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough partnership with NRF Foundation, students receive project-based learning opportunities and experiential programming in New York City that supports career path exploration, internship/full-time hiring, and professional mentorship. The UW-Madison Student Retail Association is closely affiliated with NRF.
• Fashion Scholarship FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization connecting students and top fashion brands through annual case study projects. Students analyze industry trends, learn from top leaders, connect with leading fashion brands, and receive scholarship funding for tuition, unpaid internships, or job relocation.
• Lands' EndflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partnership on Willis & Geiger brand revitalization project. Students conducted market research, developed business strategy pitch, tech flats, and visited Lands' End archives. Presented proposal to Lands' End executives in May 2024 with recommendations for brand revitalization.
• AkrisflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury Swiss fashion brand partnered with KCR for brand consulting project. Students developed go-to-market plan to help Akris reach younger audiences through handbag entry point, honoring the brand's women-founded heritage and craftsmanship.
• Harley DavidsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand consulting project focused on helping Harley Davidson reach next generation of riders through innovative retail strategies and market approaches.
• CircanasupportingTechnology or IntegrationLeading consumer behavior research firm partnered with KCR to provide market research data and target customer identification for student projects, specifically for the Willis & Geiger brand consulting project.
• Nancy M. Bruce Center for Design and Material CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity department partnership for window exhibition displays. Student teams developed retail market plan window exhibits to showcase project outcomes, such as The Trailblazers Collection at Lands' End.
• Design Studies Faculty (UW-Madison)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Design Studies faculty to develop Inter-HE 301: Fashion Scholarship Fund Project course providing guidance and structure for students completing FSF case studies with trend research, concept ideation, and design strategy.
• AkolasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's impact brand collaborated with UW-Madison students on NRF Foundation University Challenge project 'By Women, For Women' featuring lavender-hued line inspired by women's empowerment.
• Tory BurchsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury brand collaborated with UW-Madison students on NRF Foundation University Challenge project 'By Women, For Women' featuring lavender-hued line inspired by women's empowerment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fashion Scholarship Fund: FSF is KCR's flagship case study competition partner, connecting students with top fashion brands for annual projects and scholarship funding. Both organizations operate as talent-development pipelines serving the same student demographic and brand partner ecosystem.
• National Retail Federation Foundation: The NRF Foundation is KCR's primary national programming partner, running the University Challenge, NYC experiential programming, and internship placement. It is the most directly comparable organization in that both serve as the bridge between retail industry leaders and university students.
• Texas A&M University - Center for Retailing Studies: Texas A&M's Center for Retailing Studies is one of the most directly comparable university-based retail centers in the U.S., offering student consulting, industry partnerships, and retail leadership development mirroring KCR's mission and structure.

Broad incumbents

• Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT): FIT is a major specialized college focused on fashion, merchandising, and retail education with deep industry partnerships. It is comparable to KCR as a leading pipeline for retail/fashion talent, though at a much larger institutional scale.
• Parsons School of Design (The New School): Parsons offers fashion and design programs with strong brand collaboration models (e.g., the Parsons x brand studio projects). Comparable to KCR for its project-based industry engagement in fashion and retail.
• LIM College: LIM College is a New York-based college specializing in fashion, merchandising, and business education with strong industry internship pipelines. It shares KCR's retail-talent-development mission but operates as a full degree-granting institution rather than a university center.
• Wharton Retail Club / Baker Retailing Center: Wharton Undergraduate Retail Club and the Baker Retailing Center connect students with retail industry leaders through case competitions, treks, and consulting projects. It is comparable to KCR as a prestigious retail talent pipeline, though heavy in MBA-level engagement.

Regional players

• University of Minnesota - Retail Studies Programs: The Carlson School of Management and its retail/applied business programs serve a similar upper-Midwest university demographic as UW-Madison. Comparable for its regional retail talent development mission and industry project partnerships.
• Cornell University - College of Human Ecology: Cornell's College of Human Ecology houses retail and consumer behavior programs with industry partnerships. Like KCR, it sits within a human ecology / consumer sciences school and bridges academic research with retail industry practice.

Others

• Kohl's Corporation CSR / Education Partnerships: Kohl's broader corporate social responsibility and education partnership portfolio (including Kohl's Cares) is comparable to KCR's parent sponsor relationship. Relevant for understanding how Kohl's allocates philanthropic capital across educational initiatives.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kohls-center-for-retailing
• Instagraminstagram.com/uwmadisonretail

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UW-Madison | Kohl's Center for Retailing