Brackett is a rising fashion star

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- In this struggling economy, excelling at a secondary school no longer ensures a rightful place in the job market.

Miranda Brackett, daughter of Donna and Mike Brackett of Rumford, stressed that working to secure an internship(s) is invaluable. The Mountain Valley High School grad, now a senior at the Moore College of Art and Design, saw her star ascend when, at the end of an internship at Abercrombie & Fitch, she was offered a position with a two-year contract that will begin upon graduation.

"I think the best advice for people going on to secondary education is something I was told my freshman year. You should be a sponge and take in everything you can in school and in internships," noted Miranda.

"While at college, I took every opportunity given to me to try new and different things. I worked in admissions, the career center, and on residential life. All of those jobs taught me valuable lessons and helped me network within and outside of Moore College of Art and Design," she said.

Miranda said she also took as many classes as she could and minored in both Business and Textiles "because I wanted to make sure when I graduated college that I would have as many opportunities as possible."

At her internships, she also made sure to take everything in. "I would always carry around a notebook that I would write everything down in so that I always remembered what I did and how I did it and what people were talking about. I was also never afraid to ask my mentors questions about the design industry, if they liked their jobs, and for any advice to me as an emerging designer."

Along the way, Miranda also learned something else.

"People that I worked with always went above and beyond to give me advice and teach me lessons that they had learned the hard way. I also think that it is really important to not only network but to go out of your way to connect with people, you never know who is going to get you your next job," she noted.

"I am realizing more and more how interconnected the fashion industry is and the more people you know and connect with, the further you will go. I think it is also very important to make a good first impression and to think of internships as extended job interviews. If you perform 110 percent during an internship or at school, it will only help you in your future."

For more on Miranda's story, go to Pg. 1A.