Robert J. Verdisco Retail Scholarship

Purpose

Sponsored by Unilever and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), the purpose of this scholarship is to encourage students to consider career opportunities in the retail industry and recognize one outstanding SIFE student who is planning to pursue a career within the industry.

Award

The recipient of this award will receive:

• $5,000 scholarship for tuition at the college/university the recipient is attending for the 2012-2013 academic year.
• The option to participate in a summer internship with Unilever to experience how manufacturing interfaces with the retail industry.
• The opportunity to attend and be recognized at the annual RILA Leadership Forum in January 2013.*

In addition, the recipient’s SIFE team will receive:

• $1,000 project grant

*SIFE will pay for all travel related expenses associated with attending the leadership forum for the recipient.

Qualifications

Applicants must:

1. Be planning to pursue a career in the retail industry (this can include any job function within the industry, and may also include working for companies who supply the retail industry).
2. Be a registered member of a SIFE team that competes at a SIFE USA Regional Competition during the year of application and the year the award is to be paid.
3. Be a SIFE Service Leadership Award recipient during the year of application and the year the award is to be paid.
4. Be a full-time student with at least a sophomore standing and have completed at least 30 credits at the beginning of the upcoming academic year.
5. Have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.
6. Continue in school full-time during the academic year for which the award is made and continue in school without interruption, barring leaving the college/university due to illness, emergency, or military service.
7. Be able to attend the RILA Leadership Forum (January 2013) to accept the award.

Criteria

Applicants will be evaluated based solely on the information contained in the applications and supporting documentation.

Application Process

Application begins September 1, 2011. The completed application and supporting documents may be emailed, mailed, or uploaded to our online application. If mailing, all documents must be mailed together in one package.  All items must be received no later than February 6, 2012.

Applicants must submit the following information online:

• Official scholarship application.
  • The application can be downloaded at www.sife.org
• Unofficial College Transcript(s)
  • Include transcript from current college/university.
  • Include transcript from any other college/university attended.
• Résumé limited to one page (1) and must contain the following:
  • Business/Work Experience. Include paid, volunteer, full and part-time positions. Provide name of organizations, dates of employment, position held, description of responsibilities and accomplishments.
  • SIFE Team Experience. Include length of time on team, positions held, SIFE USA Competitions participated in and any leadership responsibilities.
  • Internships. Provide name of organization, dates of internship, supervisor’s name, description of projects on which you worked, knowledge gained and how this experience will impact your retail career.
  • Honors, Awards, Special Recognition.
• Essay limited to two (2) pages, responding to the following:
  • Why are you planning to pursue a career in the retail industry and what attributes/skills do you have that you believe will make you successful?
  • You may also consider including information about:
    • Your career goals and how you plan to attain them.
    • Your most meaningful challenge you have had in life/ business and how you addressed it.
    • Any personal, business, educational, or leadership experiences that would be meaningful in your selection for this scholarship.
    • What it would mean to you to receive this scholarship.
• Three (3) letters of recommendation. Each must be provided in a sealed envelope from the person making the recommendation. Recommendations should speak to the applicant’s academic merit, professional goals and leadership qualities.
  • One (1) letter of recommendation from the applicant’s Sam Walton Fellow.
  • One (1) letter of recommendation from a fellow SIFE team member.
  • One (1) letter of recommendation from a professor or academic advisor.

Selection Process

A panel of at least two SIFE Board members and one member of RILA will review the applications and select the winner.

Entry Deadline

All entries must be emailed, mailed, or submitted on-line by February 6, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. CST.

Send entries to:
SIFE USA
Attn: Brittany Dennis
1959 E. Kerr St.
Springfield, MO 65803

OR

Brittany Dennis
bdennis@sife.org

OR

Complete the on-line application here.