The NRF Foundation has announced the five undergraduate finalists of the NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship, the organization’s premier scholarship competition for students who have demonstrated leadership skills, previous retail experience and a passion for making an impact in the retail industry.

The top recipient will receive a $25,000 tuition scholarship; the other four finalists will each receive a $10,000 tuition scholarship. The winner will be announced on stage at the NRF Foundation Honors on Jan.12 in New York City.

The NRF Foundation today announced the five undergraduate finalists of the NRF Foundation Next Generation Scholarship, the organization’s premier scholarship competition. First launched in 2014, the scholarship is for students of various and diverse academic backgrounds who have demonstrated leadership skills, previous retail experience and a passion for making an impact in the retail industry.

NRF Foundation Executive Director Adam Lukoskie says the NRF Foundation is committed to recognizing rising retail talent through the Next Generation Scholarship. “Throughout this year’s competition, these finalists have demonstrated a strong work ethic, creative thinking skills and personal drive to advance the industry. We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments at the NRF Foundation Honors in January.”

Meet the Scholarship finalists

• Miri Chan (Boston University)
• Nevaeh Hearn (Drexel University)
• Alicia Langlais (University of North Texas)
• Gabbi Mak (Indiana University)
• Julia Yusupov (Boston University)

The competition included a summer case study created in collaboration with UNIQLO and two interviews with retail recruiters to evaluate their professional interests, ideas and passion for the industry. The finalists were chosen from 10 semifinalists who participated in video interviews with NRF staff. The final round of the competition will include interviews with the NRF Foundation Board of Directors.

The top recipient will receive a $25,000 tuition scholarship; the other four finalists will each receive a $10,000 tuition scholarship. The winner will be announced on stage at the NRF Foundation Honors on Jan.12 in New York City. The event will be co-hosted by Macy’s, Inc. Chairman and CEO and NRF Foundation Board Chairman Tony Spring and Walmart U.S. President and CEO and NRF Board Chairman John Furner.

Since 2014, the NRF Foundation has awarded more than $6.4 million in scholarships. For more information, visit NRF Foundation scholarships.

The National Retail Federation, which passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail succeed, is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Empowering the industry that powers the economy, retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $5.3 trillion to annual GDP and supporting more than one in four U.S. jobs—55 million working Americans.

For more than 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

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