Twenty-five semifinalists in the 2023 NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship will spend the summer completing a case study created in collaboration with Nordstrom as they compete for the top award of $25,000 in the NRF Foundation’s most prestigious scholarship.
“We congratulate all of our semifinalists for their impressive work so far, and we look forward to seeing how they apply their skills, passion and creativity in the next round of the competition,” NRF Foundation Executive Director Bill Thorne says. “This part of the NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship presents an extraordinary opportunity for these undergraduates to tackle complex and exciting challenges in the industry, providing valuable experience they’ll use throughout their careers.”
The 25 semifinalists are:
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Kinsey Pastore (Auburn University)
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Maureen Kirk (Ball State University)
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Ivonne Malagon (Columbia College Chicago)
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Miranda Prater (Columbia College Chicago)
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Aishwarya Bahl (Drexel University)
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Hiral Patadia (FIDM)
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Anais Humes (Florida State University)
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Cameron Christensen (Indiana University)
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Ethan Roos (Indiana University)
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Lauren Schmahl (Indiana University)
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Megan Lenzi (Iowa State University)
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Olivia Meyer (Kent State University)
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Noelle Engrassia (Lasell University)
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Catherine King (Lasell University)
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Clay Lute (LIM College)
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Megan Marr (LIM College)
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Elyssa Jones (Ohio State University)
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Elizabeth Slywka (Ohio State University)
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Maggie Cooley (Texas A&M University)
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Aurion Cooper (Texas State University)
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Kensley Hoover (University of Arizona)
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Sophia Boyer (University of Georgia)
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Carly Uhlig (University of Minnesota - Twin Cities)
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Darby Klemz (University of South Carolina)
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Emma Stambaugh (University of Texas at Austin)
For the case study, the semifinalists are tasked with developing a new brand that also reduces Nordstrom’s carbon footprint. They will develop their pitch as though they were the leader for a product group who is responsible for launching a sustainable brand.
The projects will be judged by a panel of retail executives, and the competition will ultimately narrow to five finalists who will be celebrated onstage at the NRF Foundation Honors. Four will receive $10,000, and the top recipient will get $25,000.
Since its launch, more than $1 million has been awarded through the NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship to juniors and seniors at NRF University Member schools.
Congrats to the 25 juniors and seniors who are completing the case study this summer for our top scholarship🎉
— NRF Foundation (@NRFFoundation) June 28, 2022
ATTN undergraduates of all levels/majors: Get real-world experience w/ our NRF Foundation Student Challenge (team submission due Oct. 9)https://t.co/GOmMxqMr2p pic.twitter.com/sBIxk8Tnmw
The NRF Foundation also offers scholarships of up to $7,000 in our team business case competition (open to all levels and majors). Learn more about the requirements and how to form your team for the 2023 NRF Foundation Student Challenge here.