Summer Recap: Catching Up With Red Foxes
Marist students recount their summer highlights, from global getaways to transformative internship experiences.
Cora Quiles-Gross '26 (third from left) and classmates explore the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jacksonville, Miss. Photo courtesy Robyn L. Rosen
From hiking through the farmlands of Spain to sketching designs in the offices of Ann Taylor, Marist College students all around the world were nothing short of entertained over this summer break.
As Chloe D’Agostino ’25 reflected on the bittersweetness of her final summer as a college student, she was determined to make it memorable.
D’Agostino took on two internships. Her first was with The Style That Binds Us, an emerging fashion brand focused on women’s empowerment and diversity.
As a Social Media & Marketing Intern, she handled daily posts, monitored accounts, attended events and created trend reports. “It was a really good experience and taught me a lot about the industry I hope to one day work in,” said D’Agostino.
Her second internship was at the Central Park Boathouse, where she handled event management and inquiries. D’Agostino enjoyed the experience so much that she plans to continue in the role throughout the school year.
Balancing work with leisure, D'Agostino also found time to relax on the beaches of Turks and Caicos, explore Cape Cod, Mass., stroll through Boston and enjoy the Jersey Shore boardwalks.
Putting her Fashion Design major to great use, Brielle Ohlsen ‘25 spent her summer as a Woven Tops Design Intern at Ann Taylor.
Even amongst the buzzing streets of Manhattan, Ohlsen found herself fully immersed in the fashion design process through her experiences of conducting research, creating technical packs and attending meetings and important fittings.
“I also collaborated with seven interns on ‘Modern mANNer,’ a capsule collection bridging young shoppers with classic clientele,” Ohlsen said.
However, her adventures didn’t stop in the Big Apple. Originally from Long Island, New York, Ohlsen spent her weekends waitressing in Westhampton Beach and her remaining free time on the beaches, attending concerts and even venturing upstate to “reconnect with nature after a busy semester.”
Ohlsen’s work didn’t even stop there. She also was named a finalist for the Council of Fashion Designers of America 2024 Scholarship Fund for her breast cancer awareness collection, “Fight Like Her.”
The scholarship, Ohlsen said, is in honor of her mother, who passed away in December due to breast cancer.
“My collection honors all women who are fighting or have fought this horrible disease,” she said.
Cora Quiles-Gross ‘26 discovered a new passion for history during a spring attachment trip to Birmingham, Ala. Along with four history professors and five other students, she took an African-American history course taught by history professor Robyn L. Rosen. Amidst the muggy southern heat, Quiles-Gross saw her passion for history become clearer than ever.
“What we were learning felt extremely relevant to what is going on currently, and I felt part of a bigger movement by being part of the trip,” said Quiles-Gross.
Along with her new passion, Quiles-Gross finished a ten-week fashion business internship at Burlington, which she had committed to before the trip.
“It was challenging,” she said, “but it taught me a lot about what I want and don’t want in a job. No internship could compare to the experience I had in the South.”
Just a day after returning from Birmingham, Quiles-Gross traveled to Spain with her family to hike the Camino de Santiago. The daily 15-mile hikes through scenic Spanish farmlands gave her valuable time to reflect on her career change.
“The Camino is a religious pilgrimage in honor of Saint James, the patron saint of travel,” she said. “It felt oddly representative of where I am in life, in terms of the journey I’m on in college.”
Quiles-Gross’ experiences have made her excited to return to Marist, not just to reconnect with friends and professors, but also to embrace the changes in her life. “I feel excited about making these changes, even though it can be scary,” she said.
More locally in Wappingers Falls, New York, Abigail Lee ’25 dove into the tech world with the IT team at Laerdal Medical. Lee delved into the technology behind life-saving medical equipment. “If you’ve ever completed CPR training, chances are Laerdal created that crucial gear,” she noted.
As she enters her last year as a Cybersecurity major, Lee described her time at Laerdal Medical as “not only the most welcoming experience I’ve had, but it gave me a lot of clarity of the route I want to pursue after graduation.”
Lee even made her modeling debut in the company’s catalogs, displaying new software being developed for nursing students.
Brielle Ohlsen '25 poses inside of the Ann Taylor headquarters in New York City.. Photo Courtesy: Brielle Ohlsen
“They gave me so many opportunities to learn in other departments, and I never felt pigeonholed into IT. I was so lucky to have been a part of a great team, and it has given me a good idea of what my future holds,” said Lee.
Making use of that medical equipment, Gabbi Reese ‘25 spent her summer as an EMT. Based out of a camp, Reese spent most of her experience with pediatric patients.
“I plan on becoming a PA [physician assistant], with an interest in women’s health and pediatrics, so this experience helps me immensely,” said Reese.
Aside from saving lives and seeing her friends, Reese used her free time to take the GRE, also known as the Graduate Record Examinations, as she enters the chaotic era of PA school application season.
Meanwhile, in the finance world, Claudia Landor ‘25 spent her summer on the auditing team at Wiss & Company in Florham Park, New Jersey.
As an auditing intern, Landor gained practical hands-on experience with the auditing process. From reviewing employee benefit plans and networking with firm members, Landor described the team experience as “unforgettable.”
Outside of the office, Landor seized the chance to enjoy sunny days with friends and family on the beaches of Wildwood, New Jersey. Her time was filled with beach activities, boardwalk adventures and quality moments with loved ones.
Since wrapping up her internship, she has been relishing time with her younger brothers before returning to school.
Leigh Anne Dolan ‘26 enjoyed her summer hosting at a restaurant with a view of the Hudson River, taking in the beautiful views and customer interactions.
The highlight of her summer was a family trip to Italy, where she explored Rome, Florence and her favorites, Sorrento and Capri. “It was a trip of a lifetime,” Dolan said, as she was captivated by ancient landmarks, cobblestone streets and the blue Mediterranean Sea.
As the summer ends, Dolan is excited to shift from her Italian adventures to campus life at Marist and looks forward to the happy memories that the fall season will bring.