WASHINGTON– The NRF Foundation today announced the top three teams in the NRF Foundation Student Challenge business competition presented by Kohl’s.
“The NRF Foundation Student Challenge offers real-world experience for undergraduates to work as a team and gain important skills that will serve them throughout their careers.”
Teams of up to four undergraduates acted as members of the Kohl’s product development team to create and pitch their ideas for a private label brand that embodies the meaning of diversity and promotes equity and inclusion.
“The NRF Foundation Student Challenge offers real-world experience for undergraduates to work as a team and gain important skills that will serve them throughout their careers,” NRF Foundation Executive Director Bill Thorne said. “We are proud of their continued efforts to improve their product lines, and we look forward to the exciting opportunity they have to present their concepts to industry leaders.”
These three teams will make their pitch to retail executives in the final round of the competition:
- Columbia College Chicago (Rachel Baranowski, Ella Bondy, Rosa Terenzio and Riley Thorpe)
- Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (Haley Shannon, Tooba Athar and K-Lynn Ward)
- Columbia College Chicago (Karolina Blachowska, Vanesa Paramo, Ethan Partington and Ansley Young)
Each member of the top team will receive a $5,000 scholarship. The announcement will be made on stage at the NRF Foundation Honors on April 13.
Since its launch, the NRF Foundation Student Challenge has provided more than $300,000 in scholarship funds and unparalleled opportunities for students to apply knowledge from the classroom, collaborate with peers and interact with industry professionals.
Visit nrffoundation.org/accelerate/scholarships for more information about NRF Foundation scholarships. Media interested in covering the honorees or the NRF Foundation Honors event should contact NRF’s media team at press@nrf.com.
About NRF
The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail thrive. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. nrf.com
About NRF Foundation
The NRF Foundation provides the skills and resources needed for a life-changing career. As NRF's nonprofit 501(c)(3), we connect people to an industry that’s a great place to start and a great place to grow. Together, we help people build better lives and stronger communities. nrffoundation.org