Two years ago, Cyann Jordanel was walking the floor of the NRF Foundation Student Program nervous, curious and eager to figure out what her future in retail might look like. This year, she came back on the other side of the table.
Now a full-time sales lead at Pandora, Cyann returned not as a student, but as a recruiter, connecting with students who were once exactly where she was.
It’s a full-circle moment she never saw coming.
Cyann’s journey into retail didn’t begin with a clear path, it started with curiosity. While studying marketing at the University of Maryland, she noticed there weren’t many structured opportunities to explore retail careers. When the university became an NRF Foundation member, her then advisor and NRF Foundation Board Member, Ashlee Chicoine, encouraged her to step up as one of its first student ambassadors.
In that role, Cyann helped build something from the ground up:
Organizing events to promote NRF Foundation scholarships
Recruiting students to attend the NRF Foundation Student Program
Leading one of UMD’s first University Challenge teams
“With only about 10–20 students involved at the time, it was a lot of trial and error,” she said. “But it felt meaningful to help bring those opportunities to the campus.” Her efforts paid off, helping create a pathway that continues for students at the University of Maryland today.
As a senior, Cyann attended the NRF Foundation Student Program in New York City with a group of classmates. She immersed herself in the experience, attending sessions, participating in a tour with Nordstrom and navigating the Career Fair. “I remember thinking, ‘This is real. This could actually be my career,’” she said.
While she didn’t land the first job she interviewed for, the experience shaped her perspective and her confidence. “It was all part of the journey,” she said. “I didn’t have everything figured out, but I realized there was a place for me.”
After graduation, Cyann’s path wasn’t perfectly linear, and that’s exactly what made it meaningful. She started at Pandora in a part-time role while working another marketing job. Over time, she discovered something unexpected: retail wasn’t just a job, it was where she thrived. “I didn’t even shop at Pandora before working there,” she said. “But it’s such a storytelling-driven brand. Every interaction is about understanding people and their stories.”
Through hard work, leadership and a passion for connecting with customers, Cyann quickly grew into her current role as a full-time sales lead, helping manage store operations, coach her team and create meaningful customer experiences. “It’s not about selling, it’s about making people feel seen and understood,” she said. “When you do that, everything else follows.”
Cyann’s return to the NRF Foundation Student Program came unexpectedly. After sharing a LinkedIn post about her journey at Pandora, a member of the company’s recruiting team reached out, inviting her to represent the brand at the event.
“I was shocked and so excited,” she said. “I got to talk to students who were exactly like me two years ago.” Standing on the recruiting side of the Career Fair, Cyann saw firsthand the impact of sharing her story. “When I told students I had been in their exact position, you could see the relief,” she said. “It made everything feel possible for them.”
Cyann’s message to students is simple: Be yourself. Tell your story. Trust the process.
“Not everyone has a job or internship lined up and that’s okay,” she said. “If you stay authentic and put in the effort, the right opportunity will find you.”
She also encourages students to:
Ask meaningful questions that reflect their interests
Connect their passions to the companies they’re exploring
Focus less on having the perfect resume and more on how they communicate who they are
“It’s about how you show up,” she said. “When you connect your story to a company’s mission, that’s what people remember.”
Today, Cyann is building a career rooted in leadership, storytelling and connection, the same values she first began exploring as a student ambassador. And now, she’s helping open doors for the next generation in the same way others once did for her. “It all worked out the way it was supposed to,” she said. “I ended up exactly where I’m meant to be.”
