Downtown High Point is home to the world’s largest furnishings market and industry trade. Every spring and fall, over 75,000 people, including retail buyers and interior designers, arrive in High Point to network, make connections, buy, design and represent their trade or product for an entire week. Approximately 10% of these visitors are international attendees, representing more than 100 countries.

According to its official website, the High Point Market’s current demographics include “180 buildings, 12 million square feet of showspace, more than 2,000 exhibitors, and tens of thousands of new product introductions.”

Working at High Point Market is a popular and unique opportunity available to High Point University students. Many students successfully seek out internships to sharpen their professional skills. Student interns manage an array of responsibilities, depending on the company for which they work.

HPU sophomore and business administration and Spanish major, Katrina Zrubek is experiencing her first High Point Market as an intern at Visual Comfort, a designer lighting company.

“I am a market scanner and stand at an entrance examining buyer badges,” said Zrubek. “I am having a very good experience. You can see how diverse Market culture is from the people walking through the showroom. I am working with three of my classmates, and it is a good bonding experience for us.”

Meredith Haddock, an HPU sophomore and media production entrepreneurship major and sales minor, spent this High Point Market season interning at the high-style furniture and design company Caracole.

“As an intern, I was responsible for touring around guests throughout all the showrooms,” Haddock said. “During the tour, I would have an iPad that I was able to mark items they liked, add certain items to their cart and take notes on their opinions on different pieces.”

Experiential learning is also available to students during the pre-market period, a week before the publicized High Point Market dates, helping showrooms prepare for tens of thousands of attendees.

HPU sophomore and international business and Spanish major, Hannah Rugelis worked during the pre-market period for GJ Styles, a wholesale furniture company.

“My sole responsibility was to write orders, answer customers’ questions and help the permanent staff, as needed,” said Rugelis, who also worked during the spring High Point Market for a different company. “I love market so much because it gives you an opportunity to not only work in the real world and gain amazing experience, but you also get to meet new people. I worked with five other HPU students that I would have never known otherwise.”

Although Haddock did not work during the pre-market period, she explained the benefits of working with Caracole and being exposed to market culture.