An Exclusive View of an Innovation Leader's Transition to Luxury Goods

Meet Adrienne Miller, Full-Time MBA '24

MBA Internship: E&J Gallo Winery

Internship Location: Modesto, CA

Position Before MBA: Project Manager of Innovation at ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Atlanta, GA

How did you secure your internship?

I interviewed for my role during The Consortium’s Orientation Program (OP). I secured it by asking thoughtful questions about innovation and demonstrating an ability to think creatively about cost savings and motivating others.

What is your role and responsibilities during the internship?

My role entails creating a detailed strategy on how to transform or innovate our fiber materials to generate cost savings and minimize waste in packaging.

What department is your internship with?

Supply Chain – Operations. Gallo is the largest winery in the world, producing over 3% of the world's annual supply of wine, and wine is only one area of their business. Their operations are jaw-dropping and the most exceptional teams make it happen daily.

How did your MBA coursework prepare you for this internship?

My Data Analysis class equipped me to craft impactful insights and visualizations and communicate stories through data. My courses in organizational behavior, diversity equity and inclusion in business, and strategic business communication prepared me to work with different groups of people, traversing a large and dynamic organization, and how to thoughtfully question how we work and how that works fits into a broader company culture. Operations helped me have a grasp of manufacturing operations (although nothing can really prepare you for the scale of operations that Gallo requires). Lastly, I think Leading Change will end up helping me recommend cost-saving adjustments my team can make.

How does the internship align with your career goals?

I’m interested in pivoting into luxury goods innovation – for example, wine, perfume, and diamonds. This internship will give me a broader understanding of operations and innovation in the wine industry, specifically. But it also gives me experience working in a high-producing, global operations setting. Hopefully by the end of this experience, I’ll have a stronger sense of how I want to proceed.

How do you think the internship will help you with your MBA studies or future career?

The internship will help me in a myriad of ways. Of course, it bridges the gap between classroom and real-world business applications, providing me with hands-on experience to apply what I’ve learned in a practical setting. For my career, the internship diversifies my experiences and skill sets while expanding my network and understanding of the wine industry. I'm genuinely enjoying my experience. It could potentially be the starting point of my next step in my journey. Time will tell what's next for me, but I'm open to the industry and I'm not sure I would have been able to see a possible career in it if I hadn't taken this internship.

What is your favorite part of your internship experience?

Our Napa Valley trip will be unbelievable! We visit several of our properties and dive into viticulture and enology while bonding, but all the tastings and 101s of spirits and wine are making me so much more knowledgeable, which will make me a better leader as the Wine Club Vice President

What advice do you have for prospective students?

Take the time to figure out what drives you, what you value and what you are hoping to obtain in getting an MBA. That knowledge should inform you of your unique fit – which hopefully is Rice – but will also help you navigate the MBA experience. For admitted students about to embark on this journey: Recognize that the time you are doing an MBA is an unmatched opportunity for exploration and connection. Stay open, curious and kind along the way.