Faith Young

Purdue University, Krannert School of Management

“I’m 5’3” and a little bit sassy!”

Fun fact about yourself: Last fall, I visited Costa Rica and went horseback riding through the rainforest!

Hometown: Fishers, Indiana

High School: Fishers High School

Major: Marketing, Retail Management

Minor: French

Favorite Business Course: MGMT 42610, Brand Management

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• Cornell A. Bell Business Opportunity Program Scholar
• Emerging Leaders Scholar
• Bowen Foundation Scholar
• Member of the Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board
• Member of Black Voices of Inspiration
• Member of Jahari Dance Troupe
• Social Media Officer of Queer Students of Color
• President of Diverse Student Organization Council
• VP of Social Engagement for Society of Minority Managers

Where have you interned during your college career?

• Marketing Intern at SDI Innovations in Lafayette, IN
• Associate Buyer Intern at Target Corporation in Minneapolis, MN (remote)

Where will you be working after graduation? Associate Buyer at Target Corporation

Who is your favorite professor? Dr. Clotilde Landais: Professor Landais teaches French at Purdue, and I had the pleasure being one of her students while working towards my French minor. In her class, Professor Landais always made even the most difficult parts of learning French seem approachable and fun. She was always injecting her life experiences (which were always so interesting to hear about!) into her class and helped to deepen my passion for French culture. While her class was difficult, I succeeded because she was always eager to do anything she could to ensure students understood the content and were having fun. I was so moved by Professor Landais that I interviewed her for a profile in another class where I learned about her time working internationally as a professor and her research. I have deep gratitude for Professor Landais and her influence on my desire to continue learning French!

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The principles of business are found in every aspect of our lives! From the way I shop for groceries to learning how to manage a brand for a major corporation, I have found myself applying business principles to my daily life.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Be prepared to do a lot of group projects. The business world requires a lot of collaborative work from cross-functional teams so business majors are constantly working in teams to prepare for the real world. While it can be tiresome to work in these settings, group projects have helped me to better assert myself when working with others.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? I was surprised by how much business requires you to think not only critically, but creatively. Before starting at Purdue, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to use my creative passions in my classes because of how analytics focused business can be. I was happy to find that I could still be my bubbly, creative self in the business world, as it brings a layer of excitement and uniqueness to every project.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I would definitely pace myself a bit more. Business school is a lot more challenging than I had expected and my freshman self was not prepared for the level of work and effort that was required. As a double major, this is even more evident, and I would work to space out my courses, so I didn’t find myself overwhelmed so often.

What business executive do you admire most? I admire Laysha Ward, who is the Chief External Engagement Officer at Target. While interning as an associate buyer intern last summer, I attended a meeting called Sistas Connecting, a business group for Black women employed at Target Corp. Through this experience, I was able to meet Laysha Ward and hear about her experiences at Target and becoming an executive. Despite holding such a significant title within the company, she was so approachable and was eager to get to know the interns and share advice with us. I felt as though she truly cared about my work and impact I could leave on Target. It was also refreshing to see a Black woman as a C-suite exec, and I was inspired by the possibility of following her someday.

Which academic, extracurricular, or personal achievement are you most proud of? As a junior, I was nominated and inducted into the Barbara Cook chapter of Mortar Board. Being recognized and nominated for a senior honors society was an event has I will always be grateful for as it helped me to see that all my hard work has been paying off. Since stepping foot on Purdue’s campus, I wanted nothing more than to make myself proud and honors such as this are the reason, I keep striving to give my very best effort in all I do.

Which classmate do you most admire? My best friend, Essenam Lamewona, is someone I deeply admire for their tenacity and drive. As a mechanical engineering major at Purdue, they are already inspiring in their ability to succeed in such a competitive and academically difficult environment. Outside of school, Essenam pushes me to be a better friend and is constantly challenging my way of thinking. Essenam has such an inviting and comforting personality and I, amongst many others, always find that I can be my truest self around them. I appreciate them for the impact they’ve left on my life and the deep friendship we’ve been able to build together.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would like to thank my parents. Without your support throughout my life and helping me through college, I would not be where I am today. Having you as my role models motivated me to pace a future that all of us can be proud of. Thank you for the endless encouragement!

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? I want to move to Paris, France, and work as a creative director for a fashion magazine later in my career. I would also like to be on a 30 under 30 list for my achievements in my field.

What are your hobbies? I love to read (currently reading the Naruto manga and Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi) and I run a book club for Black women with my best friend. I also have a small, handmade jewelry business called FashionsWithFaith Jewelry. Lastly, I enjoy outdoor activities like biking and hiking!

What made Faith such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2022?

“Faith is an amazing woman, leader, and champion of diversity and inclusion (D&I) within the entire Purdue University-West Lafayette campus.  She organically engages in D&I within every element of her undergraduate experience.  Faith incorporates diversity into her train of thought through a double major in Marketing (housed within the Krannert School of Management) and Retail Management (housed within our College of Health and Human Sciences), in addition to a minor in French (housed within our College of Liberal Arts).  She has a diverse network on campus, ranging from the Society of Minority Managers to the Purdue Outing Club (an organization that promotes activity outdoors including backpacking, canoeing, mountain biking, kayaking, and skiing). Ultimately, her lived experiences, including a study abroad in Paris, convinced Faith to found the Purdue University Diverse Student Organization Council (DSOC). DSOC united countless student organizations across campus to promote inclusion by uplifting the voices of students of color and raising awareness about issues concerning minority students. Faith’s contributions to the University over the last three years led to Mortar Board inducting her into their Class of 2022, which consists of the top 40 seniors across campus.

Faith also serves as a career mentor to younger Marketing students in the Krannert School of Management. Without question, what makes her such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2022 is her passion for helping others be the best versions of themselves and her ability to unite students from various backgrounds. What sets Faith apart from other students is she is driven by impact, not activity. I’m positive these characteristics will cause Faith to have an invaluable impact within the Marketing department at Target Corporation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after graduation.”

Darren L. Henry
Dean’s Fellow for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Managing Director, the Dr. Cornell A. Bell Business Opportunity Program (BOP)
Krannert School of Management

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