New York, 2016-Jan-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — The National Retail Federation announced today that Emma Jumper, a senior at Mississippi State University is the top recipient of its 2016 Next Generation Scholarship. Jumper, one of five finalists, was awarded a $25,000 scholarship at the NRF Foundation’s second annual Gala in New York City. Jumper will receive her bachelor’s degree in corporate finance this December.
NRF Foundation’s Next Generation Scholarship recipients, each a member of the NRF Student Association, are:
- Ashley Biscan, magazine journalism, University of Georgia $10,000
- Grace Dusek, marketing, Texas A&M University $10,000
- Emma Jumper, corporate finance, Mississippi State University $25,000
- Macaira O’Connell, apparel merchandising, Indiana University $10,000
- Rachel Weinstein, retailing and consumer sciences, The University of Arizona $10,000
“The NRF Foundation created the Next Generation Scholarship to recognize students who will have a long lasting impact on retail,” said HSNi CEO and NRF Foundation Chair Mindy Grossman. “I am so impressed by the caliber of our finalists this year. They truly stood out as talented, driven and passionate students who are going to do amazing things.”
After two rounds of judging, a panel of retail executives gathered in New York on Thursday to interview the finalists and determine which outstanding student would be named the 2016 Next Generation Scholarship top recipient. The results were announced by Grossman before a crowd of more than 700 retail executives, students and other industry partners at the Gala, which as of early January had raised more than $1.5 million to benefit the NRF Foundation’s initiatives.
Also on stage at the Gala, the NRF Foundation named Nichole Fallis, McKenzie Hibler, Ashley Nudge, and Katelyn Patrick from University of North Texas as the top team in the Student Challenge competition; each was awarded a $5,000 scholarship. The NRF Foundation Student Challenge, sponsored by KPMG LLP and open to Student Association members, is a business-case competition for students to highlight their creativity and business knowledge to retail executives. A KPMG mentor was assigned to guide each team as they prepared a business plan and pitch video to convince their selected retailer to bring their product idea to market.
Finalists of the competition were each awarded a travel scholarship to NRF’s Student Program in New York. Students from Columbia College Chicago were named the second place team and awarded $2,500 scholarships; the third place team, students from Florida State University, were awarded $1,500 scholarships.
The NRF Foundation shapes retail’s future by building awareness of the industry through statistics and stories; developing talent through education, experiences and scholarships; and fostering career growth among people who work in retail. The NRF Foundation is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of the National Retail Federation and is funded in part by generous donations from retail industry supporters. NRF.com/Foundation.
NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy. NRF’s This is Retail campaign highlights the industry’s opportunities for life-long careers, how retailers strengthen communities, and the critical role that retail plays in driving innovation. nrf.com
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Treacy Reynolds
press@nrf.com
(855) NRF-Press
SOURCE: National Retail Federation