Richmond Promise Scholars use their summers to take on all sorts of internships and jobs, but in the summer of 2025, University of Southern California third-year student Fatoumata Cissé went one step further. She was selected to participate in Uniqlo’s Global Management Program, traveling to Japan for a week to learn firsthand about fashion and business from one of the world’s biggest clothing brands.

We asked Fatoumata to reflect on her summer and what it meant to her personally as she continues her college experience, and we are thrilled to share her thoughts below. Enjoy!

Here’s what I want to do with my life, and here’s what I’m doing to get there

By Fatoumata Cissé
(Pictured third from right in above photo)

FROM THE MOMENT I started my college journey, I had a plan on how I would enter the fashion industry. I researched universities that were known for their connections in business and fashion as well as programs that I could join to get hands-on experience. Now in my junior year of being at the University of Southern California, I am proud of the opportunities I have been given. Over the summer, I was selected to work with one of the biggest retail fashion companies in the world. Uniqlo’s 2025 Global Management Program (GMP) had over 10,000 applicants, only 53 were chosen from 23 countries, and I was more than honored to be among them. As one of the youngest participants and one of only two Black students selected, this experience has been deeply meaningful and empowering.

It all started when my friend sent me a link to the recruiters coming to our campus. I didn’t end up attending that session but once I realized that they were Uniqlo, I figured I might as well give it a shot. I usually lean toward high-end fashion houses like Dior and Chanel, because their aesthetic aligns with mine, but in that moment I wanted to take a chance and venture outside my comfort zone into the world of basics or LifeWear as Fast Retailing likes to call it.

Over the course of the weeklong program, I worked in Japan alongside an incredible team of industry professionals and talented students, gaining firsthand insight into how Uniqlo brings the philosophy of LifeWear to life. From sustainability and merchandising to supporting product design research and development, I was able to witness and contribute to the intersection of fashion and business in a way I’ve always dreamed of as a student in both fields.

Not only did Uniqlo teach me about brand identity and the importance of staying rooted in culture, but also how to reach the largest number of customers while still being unique — a balance that is truly difficult to master. I plan to carry these lessons with me as I continue to grow my career and broaden my perspective on society.

Another lifelong lesson I’ll take with me is that working with people from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds can be challenging at times but extremely crucial if you want to run a global business. My brilliant teammates came from Hong Kong, England, Indonesia, Japan, and Bangladesh, and I was able to learn about so many different perspectives and really put my cultural intelligence skills to use.

Additionally, I got to learn about the intersection between business and fashion — what makes a garment marketable, profitable, and available for the masses? As a designer I’d like to think anything I put out will be bought, but that simply isn’t the case. With Uniqlo I learned to listen to consumer needs and integrate them into my creative process so that both parties would be happy.

The GMP was truly an amazing program and I am grateful to have such experiences under my belt.