NRF Scholarship Application

2019-2020 Student Challenge

The Student Challenge is a business case competition created for students at NRF University Member schools to highlight their creativity and business acumen to retail executives.

About the case: Akola

Akola is a growing, innovative jewelry brand employing women in crisis in Uganda and Dallas, Texas. Operating a vertical manufacturing model, each jewelry piece is handmade by a woman working to redesign her story, the future of her family and her community. Today, Akola offers employment and dependable, living wage work opportunities in raw material production, jewelry assembly and supply chain management roles.

The Akola signature brand is currently sold in Akola stores and in Neiman Marcus stores nationwide, launching at Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue later this spring. Akola operates another brand – One Bead. One Hope., sold in select Walmart locations and CVS.

Akola was founded in 2006 by Brittany Underwood, when she was a sophomore at Southern Methodist University.

Case Introduction

Consumers look for brands and retail experiences that not only meet their desires and needs, but also share their values and create social good with their purchases. Akola is a competitive brand with impact at the core, enabled by a vertically integrated supply chain exporting goods directly from the women creating the pieces to the national retailers selling them. Akola’s ability to create a product consumers love, while simultaneously creating social good, has unlocked tremendous potential for distribution. The key (and challenge) to Akola’s success is creating the right product assortment for each retailer and their unique customers.

The Scenario:

You are on the product development team at Akola and have been tasked to select a retailer, develop a jewelry line and create a pitch deck to present to buyers at your selected retailer. Your team will create a maximum 30-slide pitch presentation deck and 90-second video presentation to convince the company of why and how your product line should be brought to market.

Application Process:

The Student Challenge application process consists of three phases. In the first phase, teams are required to submit a 30-slide pitch presentation deck and 90-second video presentation that addresses the Akola business challenge. The application deadline for phase one is September 20, 2019. There will be a review period during which teams will be evaluated by retail judges at various companies.

A maximum of 10 teams will be selected to advance to the second phase. In phase two, teams will revise their presentations, submit part 2 of the business challenge and complete Q&A interviews with a group of retail judges. Part 2 will be announced once the teams have been selected. The interviews, revised presentations and part 2 of the challenge will be evaluated by a second group of retail judges.

Three teams will be selected to advance to the third and final phase. In this phase, teams will present their pitches live to a panel of executive retail judges during the week of the Student Program at NRF 2020 in New York City, January 10-12, 2020. The first-place team will receive a $5,000 tuition scholarship per student, the second-place team will receive $2,500 per student and the third-place team will receive $1,500 per student.

Begin Accepting Applications Date:

3/19/2019

Deadline Date (EST Time Zone):

11/08/2019 11:59 PM

2020 Rising Stars Scholarship

The Rising Stars Scholarship was created to teach younger students about the variety of career opportunities available in the retail industry, and to encourage them to attend the NRF Foundation Student Programs early in their academic careers.

Each NRF Foundation University Member can nominate one student for the NRF Foundation Student Program, January 9-12, 2020 in New York City.

Nominee must be a freshman or sophomore who hasn’t previously attended a NRF Foundation Student Program.

An authorized University Member representative can nominate one student via a short application form. The representative will need to provide relevant information about the student.

NRF University Members who nominate an eligible student will receive a travel stipend up worth $1,000, made payable to the school, for that student to attend the Student Program.

The deadline to nominate a student for the 2020 Student Program is 11:59 p.m. ET on November 29, 2019

Please review the application package for more information.

Contact scholarships@nrf.com with questions related to this scholarship.

Begin Accepting Applications Date:

9/09/2019

Deadline Date (EST Time Zone):

11/29/2019 11:59 PM

Apply

Fall 2019 Student Ambassador Program

The NRF Foundation Student Ambassador provides the opportunity for each NRF University Member to select one student to serve as their campus representative throughout an academic year.

NRF Foundation Student Ambassadors will serve as the liaison between the NRF Foundation and their school. This is an enormous leadership opportunity to grow the NRF Foundation community on each university campus.

Student Ambassadors should be ambitious, resourceful, and highly-motivated students capable of leading the NRF Student Association on campus.

Begin Accepting Applications Date:

9/16/2019

Deadline Date (EST Time Zone):

12/06/2019 11:59 PM

Apply

Next Generation Scholarship 2019-2020

Scholarship Description:
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 students’ skills in retailing, business, and critical thinking, preparing and encouraging them to not only launch their career in retail, but be recognized among the next generation of leaders in the industry.

Scholarship Eligibility Requirements:
Entry. Each student who fulfills all of the eligibility requirements applies for the Scholarship by having all components of the application—which includes an essay, a personal brand video, two letters of recommendation, transcript, resume, and head shot—completed and submitted.

University Members must have a current membership in NRF at the time when the student submits their application in order for students to submit their application. There is no limit to the number of students who can apply per University Member.

Appearances. Eligible students must be available to attend and participate in: (1) the 2020 NRF Student Program at Retail's Big Show in New York City, January 10-12, 2020 including the NRF Foundation Gala in New York City on January 12, 2020.

Status. Any student eligible to earn a scholarship must be a junior or senior enrolled full-time at a University Member school at the time when the scholarship is presented in January 2020. Employees of National Retail Federation and their immediate families and household members are ineligible to enter and earn scholarships.

One-time Scholarship Recipient. Eligible students must not have previously received an award of $10,000 or more from the NRF Foundation.

Citizenship. Eligible students must be U.S. Citizens or legal U.S. residents eligible to work in the United States.

Grade Point Average. Eligible students must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.

Retail Experience. Eligible students must have prior or current experience working in a retail job or retail internship.

Please click on the 2020 Next Generation Scholarship link here for additional details.

Begin Accepting Applications Date:

2/05/2019

Deadline Date (EST Time Zone):

8/05/2019 2:00 PM

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