NRF Foundation
Next Generation Scholarship
The NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship is the pinnacle achievement for students interested in pursuing careers in retail. This opportunity was created for students of various academic backgrounds who have demonstrated leadership skills, previous retail experience and a passion for making an impact.
This scholarship develops skills in retailing, business and critical thinking, and prepares and encourages students to launch their career in retail and earn recognition among the next generation of leaders in the industry. Since its launch, more than $800,000 in funds have been awarded through the NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship.
The 2024-25 Next Generation Scholarship application is closed.
“My advice to students applying in the future — throw your whole self at it.
“In order for the industry to continue to evolve and change, we need your voice. The voice of tomorrow, because you too can be top five as well.”
— 2024 NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship top recipient Kev Addison of Indiana University.
“I'm going into my career with a lot of confidence and knowledge that I chose a field where I belong and can grow.
“I'm starting my career with people that have my back and that are there to cheer me on.”
— 2024 NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship finalist Rosinella D'Ostilio of the University of Florida.
Past Next Generation Scholarship Recipients
See all of the recipients and finalists of Next Generation Scholarship
2024
Top Recipient
Kev Addison
Indiana University
Finalists
Cali Burns
University of Missouri
Fatmata Camara
LIM College
Rosinella D'Ostilio
University of Florida
Michelle Lee
University of Notre Dame
Semifinalists
Miri Chan
Boston University
Allie Gress
Drexel University
Megan Lee
Indiana University
Shanelle Mitchell
Drexel University
Aleish Ramirez
Lim College
Darby Klemz
University Of South Carolina
Kaitlyn Robinson
Indiana University
Kate Cashen
Colorado State University Fort Collins
Elizabeth Allan
Marist College
Amaryllis Duklee
The University Of Texas At Austin
Michelle Hoang
University Of Houston
Marco Martinez
Indiana University
Hope Underwood
University Of Florida
Lily Champine
Michigan State University
Cherokee Zarate
University of Houston
Yvonne Matias
Texas Tech Univeristy
Lorenzo Vasquez
University Of Florida
Anna Cox
University Of Georgia
Julia Mcnicol
Lasell University
Sky Starling
University Of Georgia
2023
Top Recipient
Megan Marr
LIM College
Finalists
Clay Lute
LIM College
Olivia Meyer
Kent State University
Hiral Patadia
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
Lauren Schmahl
Indiana University
Semifinalists
Aishwarya Bahl
Drexel University
Sophia Boyer
University of Georgia
Cameron Christensen
Indiana University
Maggie Cooley
Texas A&M University
Aurion Cooper
Texas State University
Noelle Engrassia
Lasell University
Kensley Hoover
University of Arizona
Anais Humes
Florida State University
Elyssa Jones
Ohio State University
Catherine King
Lasell University
Maureen Kirk
Ball State University
Darby Klemz
University of South Carolina
Megan Lenzi
Iowa State University
Ivonne Malagon
Columbia College Chicago
Kinsey Pastore
Auburn University
Miranda Prater
Columbia College Chicago
Ethan Roos
Indiana University
Elizabeth Slywka
Ohio State University
Emma Stambaugh
University of Texas at Austin
Carly Uhlig
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
2022
Top Recipient
Robert Davison Long
Columbia College Chicago
Finalists
Sabrina Leibowitz
Drexel University
Sarah May
Indiana University
Marcel Smith
LIM College
Brooke Williams
Ohio State University
Semifinalists
Jessica Bradford
Purdue University
Sarah Carlson
University of Delaware
Emily Coumoutseas
LIM College
Karina Fernandes
Lasell University
Catherine Gambeski
Marist College
Chloe Ingram
Mississippi State University
Rebecca Kuzmicz
Marist College
Grace Lowhorn
Indiana University
Luke Maffia
Rutgers University
Nichole Martin
Texas A&M University
Taylor McTaggart
Indiana University
Alexandra Owings
Mississippi State University
Tyler Parod
Indiana University
Olivia Rein
University of Minnesota
Abigail Swain
University of Delaware
2021
Top Recipient
Amaiya Sims
Columbia College Chicago
Finalists
Rachel Bennett
Savannah College of Art and Design
Eugene Choi
Santa Clara University
Sophia Van Slyke
Butler University
Madeline Wong
Santa Clara University
Semifinalists
Camille Brown
University of Tennessee
Laura Copen
Mississippi State University
Jordan Davis
University of South Carolina
Ansley Deaton
Belmont University
Catherine Dinh
Santa Clara University
Taylor Ford
University of Georgia
Valerie Gilbert
Kent State University
Cody Hutchison
University of Arizona
Sid Kumar
Indiana University
Dayjah Lee
Indiana University
Jenna Mack
Savannah College of Art & Design - Savannah
Seanna Naylon
High Point University
Matthew Russell
Auburn University
Erin Salleee
LIM College
Kaitlyn Sifford
University of North Texas
Olivia Smith
Auburn University
Tatum Snelling
Auburn University
Ines Soares
Marist College
Parker Sylvester
University of Georgia
Qiu Wu
University of Minnesota
2020
Top Recipient
LeAnn Percivill
Texas A&M University
Finalists
Maria Hartke
University of Arizona
Lisa Lam
University of Florida
Annie Hope Mazzola
Indiana University
Madeline Medby
LIM College
Semifinalists
Abigail Detrick
Lasell College
Barent Getzoff
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Jordan Kwei Ming Hui
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM)
Michelle Kerstein
North Carolina State University
Taylor Key
SCAD Atlanta
Faith Knox
Texas A&M University
Courtney Koop
University of Georgia
Elizabeth Mattingly
University of Georgia
Tyler Pharr
Meredith College
Elizabeth Soto
Indiana University
Hailey Tirado
Fashion Institute of Technology
Camila Vincent de Urquiza
University of Florida
Lara Voronkov Fredericks
Fashion Institute of Technology
Jordan Whiteman
LIM College
Kathryn Williams
Columbia College Chicago
2019
Top Recipient
Kelsey White
LIM College
Finalists
Maryum Abdul-Hakeem
Savannah College of Art & Design - Atlanta
Manu Garikipati
Texas A&M University
Aine Mattera
Indiana University
Lauryn-Ashley Solomon
Kent State University
Semifinalists
Collier Barksdale
University of Georgia
Raquel Benjamin
Savannah College of Art & Design - Savannah
Mary Cayten Brakefield
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Abigail Dolbeer
Indiana University
Rachel Duerksen
University of Minnesota
Mariel Emery
Florida State University
Tori Hunger
University of Iowa
Marie Johnson
Meredith College
Faith Knox
Texas A&M University
Allison Lausch
University of South Carolina
Olivia Mannion
Santa Clara University
Rebecca Olsen
East Carolina University
Grant Plotkin
Parsons School of Design
Charlotte Sandness
LIM College
Elizabeth Smith
Fashion Institue of Design & Merchandising
Kimberly Spradley
Fashion Institue of Design & Merchandising
Tinka Weener
Fashion Institue of Design & Merchandising
Jorja West
Texas Woman's University
2018
Top Recipient
Courtney Nash
University of Arizona
Finalists
Brian Lucksinger
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Marlowe Camblin
Santa Clara University
Brittany Rhoa
Kent State University
Kelly Skoglund
University of Georgia
Semifinalists
Natalie Alonzo
Pennsylvania State University
Shane Baglione
University of Florida
Jessa Chargois
Cornell University
Lea Chen
University of Pennsylvania
Rachelle Duperoux
Fashion Institue of Design & Merchandising
Tyshaia Earnest
Kent State University
Madeline Harpham
University of Georgia
Isabel Jimenez
Savannah College of Art and Design
Paige Lindsey
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
Amaya Linsey
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Katarina Mejean
University of Delaware
Ariel Norris
Butler University
Carlo Pardo
Savannah College of Art and Design
Sadie Lee Pierce
Mississippi State University
Emylee Smith
Ohio University
Mollina So
Kent State University
Kathryn Steib
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Nick Trifelos
Butler University
Reanne Wang
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Hannah Witteried
Butler University
2017
Top Recipient
Kaley Suero
University of Pennsylvania
Finalists
Makaela Hill
Indiana University
Jill Davis
University of Georgia
Margaret Kwon
The New School - Parsons School of Design
Danielle Mennella
LIM College
Semifinalists
Crystal Paris
Savannah College of Art and Design - Atlanta
Sarah Botscheller
Kent State University
Elizabeth Dumont
Auburn University
Ariana Frankel
Santa Clara University
Leah Jenkins
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Savannah Kleiner
Butler University
Lisa Liu
University of Pennsylvania
Gabrielle Martinez
Mississippi State University
Laura Martinez
University of Alabama
Brenna McKeown
University of Florida
Alyssa McKinzie
Texas A&M University
Megan Miller
Lasell College
Traum-Anh Nguyen
Texas State University - San Marcos
Hannah Patrick
Drexel University
Samantha Pineda
University of Georgia
Rita Roloff
University of Wisonsin - Madison
Brenna Schlauderaff
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Victoria Shibly
Columbia College Chicago
Christian Sopoco
Texas Women's University
Matthew Talbot
East Carolina Univeristy
2016
Top Recipient
Emma Jumper
Mississippi State University
Finalists
Ashley Biscan
University of Georgia
Grace Dusek
Texas A&M University
Macaira O'Connell
Indiana University
Rachel Weinstein
The University of Arizona
2015
Top Recipient
Sarah Kendzior
University of Minnesota
Finalists
Biancha Felix
LIM College
Courtney Hunter
Philadelphia University
Garrett Ledbetter
Indiana University
Ashley Nudge
University of North Texas
Semifinalists
Deema Aridi
Texas Woman's University
Evelin Castillo Chang
Drexel University
Haelee Catchpole
University of North Carolina - Greensboro
Kayla Cline
University of Houston
Christen Finkbeiner
University of Florida
Kasia Gibbs
Kent State University
Jenna Gorman
Florida State University
Samantha Hale
Auburn University
Michelle Herlihy
Ohio University
Morgan Jones
Johnson & Wales University - Providence
Samantha Lockhart
Lasell College
Dylan Mack
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Karla Maldonado
FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Lucille Reynolds
University of Georgia
Kaila Richardson
Santa Clara University
Katie Thornton
Mississippi State University
Cody Villanueva
The University of Arizona
Anna Watson
Georgia Southern University
Courtney Whitaker
University of South Carolina
2014
Top Recipient
Carlie Jensen
Indiana University
Finalists
Elizabeth Heibertshausen
Kent State University
Allie Miller
Texas A&M University
Elizabeth Poteracki
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Melanie Weber
The University of Arizona
Semifinalists
Abena Arkorful
Longwood University
Katherine Breuning
Florida State University
Kelley Cipriani
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Ana Maria Cruz Ospina
Pennsylvania State University
Alexa Escobar
Fashion Institute of Technology
Amanda Garza
University of Houston
Qili 'Lily' Jin
University of Arkansas
Hannah Klein
Ohio University
Kaitlyn Leonard
LIM College
Destini Long
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Morgan March
East Carolina University
Antoinette Marrero
Santa Clara University
Maxwell Olsen
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Michelle Ouellette
Lasell College
Kelly Sartorius
University of South Carolina
Adriana Solis
University of North Texas
Wendy Warbington
Georgia Southern University
Jacob Wilson
University of Phoenix