NRF Awards Scholarships to 24 Students

Home Textiles Today Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 12/17/2012 2:00:00 AM

WASHINGTON - The National Retail Federation has named 24 college students as the recipients of its NRF Foundation Ray M. Greenly Scholarship fund.
     Nominated by educators at their schools based on their high scholastic achievements and passion for retail, each student will receive a $5,000 scholarship to cover educational costs and a stipend to attend Retail's BIG Show in January.
     The NRF Foundation promotes retailing as an attractive career path while developing and cultivating the next generation of retail leaders through partnerships with universities, professional certification programs, and workforce training. As a part of its commitment to foster the next generation of retail leaders, the NRF Foundation said it is on track to award more than $350,000 in scholarships this school year through its University Partner Program.
     "I'm incredibly passionate about the importance of recruiting and retaining the best people and these scholarships demonstrate the National Retail Federation's commitment to the future of retail talent and leadership," said Kip Tindell, chairman and ceo of The Container Store and chairman of the NRF Foundation board of directors. "I can't imagine another industry that offers the growth and innovation opportunities that retail does and I'm certain that these students have bright and fulfilling careers ahead of them. We look forward to seeing them thrive and make a difference in the lives of the millions connected to our industry."
     Below are the names of the 24 students along with their hometown and the name of the college/university where they are enrolled:
     • Laura Bianchi,Cinnaminson, N.J, Drexel University
     • Esther Wu, San Jose, CA FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
     • Elizabeth Kryszak, Eden, NY, Fashion Institute of Technology
     • Rinsha Prophete, St. Petersberg, FL, Florida State University
     • Kelly Sexton, Toccoa, GA, Georgia Southern University
     • Kelsey Pepmeier, Vincennes, IN, Indiana University
     • Brittany Casper, Brunswick, Ohio, Kent State University
     • Maryah Duplissie,n Monmouth, ME Lasell College
     • Shannon Oriole, Pelham, NH, LIM College
     • Daniel Hughes,nManassas, VA, Longwood University
     • Kate Oronin, Dayton, OH Ohio University
     • Amanda Lane, nDubuque, IA, Pennsylvania State University
     • Alyssa Tomasello, Morgan Hill, CA, Santa Clara University
     • Kelsey Maharrey, Tupelo, MS Savannah College of Art and Design
     • Lauren Ray, Austin, TX, Texas A&M University
     • Talia Watts , Egg Harbor Township, N.J., The University of Arizona
     • Katie Streepey, Dallas, TX, University of Arkansas
     • David Magnotta, San Antonio, Texas, University of Florida
     • Michele Crow, Lee's Summit, MI, University of North Texas
     • June Luo, Germantown, WI University of Pennsylvania
     • Sherri Martin, Mission Viejo, CA, University of Phoenix
     • Susan Fuller, Greenville, SC, University of South Carolina
     • Jamie Madere, Kingston Springs, TN, University of Tennessee-Knoxville
     • Melissa LaBorde, Waukesha, WI, University of Wisconsin-Madison
     Each student will travel to New York and will be recognized at Retail's BIG Show in January. A special student program during the convention, made possible by contributions from The Container Store, Macy's, Saks and Walmart, will incorporate networking sessions with retail recruiters and opportunities for students to meet executives from BJ's Wholesale Club, HSN, Rent the Runway, and Tractor Supply Co.
     The Ray M. Greenly Scholarship Fund was established to honor the memory of a former Shop.org vice president who lost his battle with cancer in the fall of 2005. His generous and kind spirit inspired NRF to establish a scholarship that provides financial support to students pursuing a career in retail in areas including marketing, operations, merchandising, logistics, IT, and analytics. The scholarship is partially funded by a portion of the proceeds from CyberMonday.com, a website launched in 2006 to provide retailers with the opportunity to highlight their online promotions on Cyber Monday and throughout the year.