Alumna Charts a Pioneering Path in Retail Communications Sector

Ms. Ringgold, hired in June 2021 at age 22, bypassed the traditional entry-level roles of Communications Coordinator and Communications Specialist for the more senior role of Communications Manager at Saks. She credits her hiring to a decision to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing Management at St. John’s following her undergraduate career at the University. Amid the global chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, when employment possibilities were thin, she opted to enhance her educational credentials for use when the economy recovered.      

“I know it as fact that one of the reasons I got my role here was because of my experience as a grad student at St. John’s,” Ms. Ringgold said. “The baseline of achievement and performance that was established was directly applicable to the workplace. I realized that I excelled in areas that others did not just due to some of the courses I took.”

Raised in Poughkeepsie, NY, Ms. Ringgold was determined from childhood to pursue a career in the communications sector. She cultivated in her teen years a robust presence as a social media influencer and fashion journalist. She even took part in beauty pageants, winning the 2016 Teen Miss United States of America competition, as well as the 2018 International Junior Miss New York Teen title.    

Ms. Ringgold developed a fashion blog called Omnivogues in 2014 while still attending Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie. She parlayed that into an early career as a brand ambassador for retailers including Nordstrom, Victoria’s Secret, and Hunter Boots, and into partnerships with Vogue, where she was named a Teen Vogue It Girl, and The Rachael Ray Show, where she was named a style expert.

Despite the early celebrity, she remained determined to pursue a high-quality college education and immediately found a welcoming home at St. John’s. She joined the University’s chapter of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and took part in the Global Passport program, studying at St. John’s Paris, France, location for a week.

Ms. Ringgold considers St. John’s study abroad program among the highlights of her young life—so much so that a year after studying in Paris, she applied to study abroad at the University’s Rome, Italy, campus, completing a tour of three of the world’s leading fashion destinations: New York, Paris, and Rome.

“The main element in studying abroad was, of course, the academic component,” Ms. Ringgold recalled. “But being able to go on different excursions, including to a fashion studio, and to all the speakers we heard, it was very much about living and experiencing the cities. The Rome program, in particular, was a cultural immersion program—and I really felt immersed.”

Ms. Ringgold graduated early from St. John’s in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism and a minor in Fashion Studies from The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies. At the height of the pandemic, she considered searching for a full-time position in journalism, but instead pivoted to graduate school for an M.B.A. she had never considered previously. It turned out to be a rewarding decision.

“I remember thinking that if I couldn’t get experience in the real world, I could get more of it through the classroom,” Ms. Ringgold said. “Plus, in the M.B.A. program I would be around people who had corporate experience. I could learn from them, like I learned from the professors.”

While a graduate student, Ms. Ringgold took part in the University’s  Executive-in-Residence Program (EIRP), working as a consultant with several companies and nonprofits. Among her projects was a facilities management study of big-box stores. “Raquel was one of our top students and a pleasure to have in class,” said William D. Reisel, Ph.D., Professor, Management, Entrepreneurship, Consulting and Operations (MECO) at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, and a mentor to Ms. Ringgold. “She is absolutely super, and I am not surprised at all by her success.”

While pursuing her master’s degree, she obtained a graduate assistantship in the Office of Media Relations, where she stayed close to her communications roots, identifying and writing stories of interest to the St. John’s community while updating members of the media on the goings-on at the University.

She continued her blog and even found part-time employment as a social media strategist with a Poughkeepsie-based fitness club.  

“Looking back, I feel like having those moments—being abroad and needing to figure things out for myself, working as a grad assistant, and having that chance to do something very professional—really moved me forward in certain ways,” Ms. Ringgold recalled. “When I came to St. John’s, I was just a Catholic school girl writing about clothes in a blog because I wore a uniform all day. Everything ended up working out, and retail is such an interesting field.”

Ms. Ringgold’s full-time job search began in earnest after she earned her M.B.A. in August 2021. Saks quickly made her an offer; in her job as communications manager she is responsible for messaging across 39 stores, managing the brand’s LinkedIn presence, creating branded events, and more. 

As online shopping creates challenges for brick-and-mortar retail, Ms. Ringgold is responsible for ensuring that the uniqueness of the Saks shopping experience is communicated to the public. In 2023, the chain was ranked as the third most successful luxury retail brand by Newsweek.

Ms. Ringgold knows that, for many shoppers, the in-store experience still has meaning. Saks has created L’Avenue at its flagship Manhattan, NY, store to offer shoppers a Parisian dining experience. It also offers personalized customer service, a luxury inventory unavailable online, and opportunities to hold rooftop parties at locations across the country.

In 2022, Saks partnered with legendary musician Elton John in a holiday campaign that included a concert at the Manhattan location and a product collection. Saks’ window displays have for decades been a New York City holiday tradition.    

Among other responsibilities, Ms. Ringgold’s job is to spread the word about all that is going on at the iconic retailer.

“People still like the experience of shopping,” Ms. Ringgold said. “So you try to offer them an experience they cannot get quickly shopping on Amazon. It is a lot of reinventing the wheel, but I enjoy it.”