The YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund recently awarded $5,000 scholarships to McIntire students Janet Knopf (McIntire ’12), Sarah Lin (McIntire ’12), Elysia
Griffiths-Randolph (McIntire ’13), Kristin Ulmer (McIntire ’12), and Rebecca Wolin (McIntire ’12). Founded in 1937, the YMA FSF is a national nonprofit association consisting of influential members of the fashion community dedicated to promoting the education of the fashion arts and business by granting scholarships to talented students and facilitating internships, mentorships, and career programs. This year, the fund is granting $5,000 scholarships to 125 YMA FSF Scholars, as well as $30,000 Geoffrey Beene National Scholarships to four students to pursue their education and career goals (four runners-up received $10,000).
The five were selected among hundreds of students competing for the $5,000 awards based on their submission of a case study analysis on the fashion industry (this year, a proposal for an online retail fashion brand and startup), a personal statement about their interest in the fashion industry, and an interview with a YMA school ambassador (Polo Ralph Lauren’s June DeFabio [A&S ’88]). They were honored at the Annual YMA FSF Geoffrey Beene National Scholarship Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City Jan. 10 and will have the opportunity to participate in an exclusive YMA Summer Internship Program.
“Being selected as one of the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund winners was an incredible experience,” Wolin said. “The application process was challenging, but also interesting and fun to work on. The most rewarding part of this experience was the YMA 2012 dinner at the Waldorf hotel, where many impressive fashion icons were in attendance. I hope this scholarship will give me an upper hand in breaking into the fashion industry after graduation!”
“This is the second year the McIntire School was invited to participate in the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund competition,” said Marketing Professor Carrie Heilman, who, along with Associate Dean for Student Services Rebecca Leonard, served as project coordinator. “We were one of only 35 schools to have the opportunity to compete. After reading over the great case analyses submitted by the 25 McIntire student applicants, and especially those of Janet, Sarah, Elysia, Kristin, and Rebecca, I believe we demonstrated the strength of the education we provide our students and the caliber of students we are able to recruit and admit.”