NRF Foundation, AmEx name six student winners of Intercollegiate Retail Challenge

Home Textiles Today Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 1/11/2011 12:19:11 PM

New York -- The NRF Foundation has selected the six winners of its annual NRF Foundation/American Express Intercollegiate Retail Challenge and scholarships.

This annual challenge is designed to help build awareness of diverse career paths in retail by engaging university students in a competitive, collaborative roleplay to implement a multitiered business strategy with support from executive retail mentors. The NRF Foundation is the nonprofit research and education arm of the National Retail Federation and since 1981 when it was established has conducted industry research and developed education and workforce development programs, professional certification programs and promotes retailing as a career destination.

This year's challenge required students to evaluate and propose new customer service policies for a major U.S.based crosschannel general merchandise retailer, and determine how mobile technologies could be used to enhance the customer engagement across all channels.

The winning team was led by Jerry O'Brien, director of Kohl's Department Stores' Center for Retailing Excellence at the University of Wisconsin. The students and universities on the winning team include:

• Caitlin Clements, Florida State University
• Lisa Duckrow, University of Florida
• Trevor Hinske, University of Arizona
• Michael Stallsmith, University of Wisconsin
• Sara Beth Sullivan, Georgia Southern University
• Timo Trumpp, University of Michigan

These winners received complimentary registration to the NRF's 100th Annual Convention and EXPO in New York City and presented their award-winning business plan to Convention attendees.

Additionally, each of the six students received a $2,500 scholarship, provided by sponsoring retail partners JCPenney, Macy's, Sears Holding Corporation, Toys "R" Us and NRF's digital Shop.org division.