University Challenge
The NRF Foundation University Challenge isn’t an average business case competition. This unique experience gives undergraduate students the chance to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom in a real-world setting. It's more than an exercise.
A handful of teams will earn the chance to present their pitch to leaders from retail’s biggest companies, with the top team earning $30,000 in tuition scholarships divided amongst team members.
The 2024-2025 NRF Foundation University Challenge closed October 9, 2024.
Class of 2025
For the 2025 NRF Foundation University Challenge, teams competed in the business case competition for a chance to earn tuition scholarships and industry recognition.
"I've gotten collaboration out of it, I've gotten leadership, real life, hands-on experience within the retail industry. I learned so much. You'll gain a lot of insight, camaraderie, and you will have fun. I highly recommend doing it."
- Grace Long, Florida State University
"This is the first time that we've been able to apply our learning to a real-world experience. It's a really great opportunity. It takes a lot of time and devotion, but it's totally worth it."
- Kiera Berry, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Past University Challenge
Scholarship Recipients
See all of the recipients and finalists of University Challenge Scholarship
2024
Top Team
Drexel University
Allie Gress, Rajvi Dharamshi, Krysta Mendoza, and Aly Chew
Finalist Teams
FIDM
Jeanine Bandyk, Isabela Vella Sarlo Sanchez, & Ana Carolina Leisner
Florida State University
Sofia Kunkel, Glenda Holton, Chase Pittman, & Asiyah Ali-Sal
Semifinalists
Savannah College of Art and Design
Ada Hernández, Anna Gomez, Williams Jean-Charles, & Cristina Cruz
Indiana University
Gabriella Mak, Roxanne Sabel, Anna Banyard, & Carly Bernard
University of North Texas
Rachel Sullivan, Grace Nalley, & Abigail Turner
FIDM
Bridget Eissler, Hannah Cunha, Ivy Galanis, & Danae Vargas
Indiana University
Joie Simpson, Jada Quillen, Mary Groover, & Sophia Rizzo
Columbia College Chicago
Janae Reid, Ashley Gallegos, Cici Chen, & Mitzi Santamaria
Babson College
Michelle Alcocer, Valeria Simons, Fiorella Sturla, & Sheikha Al-Otaibi
2023
Top Team
Florida State University
Delaney Hanson, Grace Long, Alison MacCloud, & Gustavo Rubio
Finalist Teams
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Kiera Berry, Shannon Curley, Kristin Hall, & Avery Van der Linden
Columbia College Chicago
Ivonne Malagon, Alexis Norris, Juan Osorio, & Aleesa Wright
Semifinalists
Columbia College Chicago
Haven Hathaway, Julia Krasovic, Jillian Schendel, & Marissa Traver
FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising
Mila Hubschman, Celimari Tapia, Preyotee Raheema, & Abney Rhodes
Indiana University
Cassandra Driver, Claire Potter, & Aubrey Williams
Indiana University
Kaya Tobias, Libby Kaibas, Neely Branham, & Zoe Zvonek
SUNY Buffalo State
Madison Bryant-Wagstaff, Emelia Seiferth, & Angelina Deleon
University of Missouri
Ellie Stutsman, Maddy Rosonke, & Paris Spencer
Western Michigan University
Katelyn Wandel, Keir Gillis, Alexandra Henson, & Madison Dober
2022
Top Team
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
K-Lynn Ward, Tooba Athar & Haley Shannon
Finalist Teams
Columbia College Chicago
Riley Thorpe, Rachel Baranowski, Rosa Terenzio & Ella Bondy
Columbia College Chicago
Ethan Partington, Ansley Young, Vanesa Paramo & Karolina Blachowska
Semifinalists
Boston University
Abinaya Anand, Gilian Louie & Michelle Xu
Drexel University
Aishwarya Bahl, Emma Cyphert, Jessica Falasco & Sophia Rhodes
Indiana University
Dani Dargis, Claire Wheeler, Katherine Larson & Kera Jochem
Indiana University
Sam Brook, Olivia Klee, Bianca Pugliesi & Trupti Sadigale
Marist College
Jennifer Hamilton, Aldine Raso & Megan Schwenker
University of Georgia
Harper Brand, Kaitlyn Rutledge, Pierce Pittman & Melina De Groot
University of Texas at Austin
Morgan Davis & Millie Willett
2021
Top Team
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Ellie Smith, Etheline Ting & Emily Wilken
Selected Retailer: Target
Second Place Team
Savannah College of Art & Design - Atlanta
Rachel Bennett, Madison Moats & Viren Shah
Selected Retailer: Target
Third Place Team
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Kaci Balfany, Ysabella Gardner & Tiffany Makdissy
Selected Retailer: Nordstrom
Semifinalists
Columbia College Chicago
Eryn Jones, Loren Parker Alfred Pell & Xitaly Viveros
Selected Retailer: Target
Columbia College Chicago
Kirstin Kirshbaum, Ben Sill, Amaiya Sims & Brittany Wilson
Selected Retailer: HSN
Georgia Southern University
YeSenia Agosto-Rivera, Nicolas Sanchez & Katherine Trice
Selected Retailer: Target
Georgia Southern University
Brynna Chin-A-Young, Toni Librud, Mackenzie Miller & Brianna Shirey
Selected Retailer: Target
Marymount University
Joshua Dungo, Mariana Reyes & Carolyn Treuting
Selected Retailer: Nordstrom
Southern New Hampshire University
Christhine Nicole Ersando & Diana Shia
Selected Retailer: Target
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Kennedy DeVries, Madison Hannon, Elizabeth McShane & Helen Yuan
Selected Retailer: Nordstrom
2020
Top Team
Georgia Southern University
Cayley Creekmore, Shannon Foote, Anna Tiller & Woodley White
Selected Retailer: Free People
KPMG Mentor: Renee Howard
Second Place Team
University of North Texas
Rina Alshaer, Kayla Fox & Kaitlyn Sifford
Selected Retailer: Anthropologie
KPMG Mentor: Elisa Holland
Third Place Team
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Annie Brennan, Leah Levy, Danielle Talatian & Diana Xiong
Selected Retailer: Tory Burch
KPMG Mentor: Kelly Combs
Semifinalists
Columbia College Chicago
Jack Bobiek, Madeline Franklin, Catrin Reyes & Oula Yassine
KPMG Mentor: Alana Widdess
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Caroline Hosier, Sofia Masuda & Yoael Kebede
KPMG Mentor: Leila Shin
LIM College
Gabriella Florio, Allison Haselton & Hunter Poorman
KPMG Mentor: Greg Brunner
Marist College
Madeline Dintino, Courtney Duggan, Christopher Mitchell & Dylan Skinner
KPMG Mentor: Ali Wampler
Texas A&M University
Addison Holcomb, Shannon Perkins & Madison Robinson
KPMG Mentor: Laura Christal
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Dylan Kravetz, Max Lerman, Annie Plunkett & Julian Zubkov
KPMG Mentor: Karen Smith-Lewis
2019
Top Team
Fashion Institute of Technology
Angela Flegert, Alin Intravisit, Caroline McCormack & Lara Voronkov
Selected Retailer: IBM
KPMG Mentor: Renee Howard
Second Place Team
Columbia College Chicago
Alexia Densmore, Carlos Osuna & Kathryn Williams
Selected Retailer: The Home Depot
KPMG Mentor: Elisa Holland
Third Place Team
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Lane Dismukes, Molly Foley, Ian Hirsch & Sarah Jane Spreng
Selected Retailer: IBM
KPMG Mentor: Leila Shin
Semifinalists
Columbia College Chicago
Alexia Densmore, Carlos Osuna & Kathryn Williams
KPMG Mentor: Elisa Holland
Georgia Southern University
Ashley Anderson, Keri Lane, Megan Leban & Elizabeth Nemecek
KPMG Mentor: William Garman
Georgia Southern University
Anne Marie Fuller, Alyssa Jennings & Elijah Manning
KPMG Mentor: Swetha Ramjee
Marist College
Jessica Flatley, Rachel Godwin & Angela Richter
KPMG Mentor: Shetaaz Zaman
University of Tennessee
Mary Cayten Brakefield, Scout Parker & Matthew Williams
KPMG Mentor: Kerri Drozd
2018
Top Team
Columbia College Chicago
Ashley Cairns, Blake Fortin & Kendall McDermott
Selected Retailer: Staples
KPMG Mentor: Leila Shin
Second Place Team
Columbia College Chicago
Allison Coppedge, Sara Diaz de Villegas, Nathan Procell & Lane Hedler
Selected Retailer: 3M
KPMG Mentor: Leila Shin
Third Place Team
University of Pennsylvania
Anita Mo, Kelsey Serraneau & Walter Little
Selected Retailer: 3M
KPMG Mentor: Brett Benner
Semifinalists
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Natasha Azurdia, Njeri Joseph, Tiffany Tran & Whitney Sutherland
KPMG Mentor: Elisa Holland
Florida State University
Alyese Shaffer, Alyssa Menendez & Jennifer Groce
KPMG Mentor: Ali Wampler
Iowa State University
Jennifer Junker & Katie Dukes
KPMG Mentor: Leila Shin
Meredith College
Allison High & Patricia Kalevas
KPMG Mentor: Swetha Ramjee
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Danielle Weber, Elizabeth Wanzer, Megan Lund & Victoria Rustad
KPMG Mentor: Vera Nieuwland
2017
Top Team
Georgia Southern University
Keller Campbell, Jeffrey Licciardello, Alexis Montano & Kelsey Wertz
Selected Retailer: Made in America
KPMG Mentor: Ali Wampler
Second Place Team
University of North Texas
Sarah Muller & Hailey Turner
Selected Retailer: Travel
KPMG Mentor: Will Garman
Third Place Team
University of Pennsylvania
Jake Fischer, Anissa Lee, Holly Li & David Pang
Selected Retailer: Sensory
KPMG Mentor: Priyesh Upreti
Semifinalists
Columbia College Chicago
Andrea Knight, Blake Fortin, Sammantha Hoefs & Victoria Shilby
KPMG Mentor: Dan McNevin
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Alexandra Bejan, Dmitri Walker & Sung Cho
KPMG Mentor: Renee Howard
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Amanda Tobias, Chloe White, Jilian Colin & Kathryn Wysocki
KPMG Mentor: Renee Howard
Florida State University
Katya Anleu, Leah Crooks & Mitchell Gaylord
KPMG Mentor: Sunder Ramakrishnan
Indiana University
Jessica Huang, Maggie Mendola, Riley O'Bryan & Sanjana Palepu
KPMG Mentor: Kamy Devaguptapu
University of Georgia
Keilea Orr, Madison Lindley & Taylor Timmons
KPMG Mentor: Joel Rampoldt
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Breanna Blazei, Brian Lucksinger, Kendra Trost & Krystal Jacobs
KPMG Mentor: Greg Brunner
2016
Top Team
University of North Texas
Ashley Nudge, Katelyn Patrick, Nichole Fallis & McKenzie Hibler
Selected Retailer: eBags
KPMG Mentor: Renee Howard
Second Place Team
Columbia College Chicago
Jeff Konkel, Taylor Franklin & Madeline Moore
Selected Retailer: Target
KPMG Mentor: Ali Wampler
Third Place Team
Florida State University
Terence Reading & Jill Hsieh
Selected Retailer: Dick's Sporting Goods
KPMG Mentor: Ray Kansal
Semifinalists
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Victoria Fok, Lexandra VanCamp, David Han Kim & Nicole Servais
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Erica Dwerlkotte, Kimberly Poquiz & Allison Scheler
Texas A&M University
McCalley Cunningham, Maggie Washington, Tate Watson & Jacy Witt
University of Georgia
Lara Limbaugh, Molly Dodd, Madison Lindley & Forrest Schweitzer
2015
Top Team
Texas Woman's University
Emily Mince & Deema Aridi
Second Place Team
University of North Texas
Jessica Lovell, Anakarin Petersen, Kaitlin Farless & Marcy Plefka
Third Place Team
Texas A&M University
Carlin Rhea, Jacy Witt, Lora Blackstone & Diandra Esparza
Semifinalists
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Karla Maldonado, Elizabeth Poteracki & Amanda Villa
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Morgan Loomis, Kelly McCamley, Dakota Smith & Monica Wilson
2014
Top Team
Texas A&M University
Diandra Esparza, Allie Miller, Jamie Roy & Christina Tharp
Second Place Team
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Sarah Bitticks, Amanda Gebran, Danny Lucero & Imani Steiner
Third Place Team
University of North Texas
Subrina Hossain, Khuyen Nguyen, Karen Saltzman & Andriana Solis