Columbia Fashion Students to Present in 2022 NRF Foundation Student Challenge

News Office Staff / Dec 16, 2021

Columbia College Chicago students make up two of the three teams competing in the NRF Foundation Student Challenge.

For the 2022 NRF Foundation Student Challenge, undergraduate students were tasked with developing and pitching their ideas for a private label brand for Kohl’s that embodies the meaning of diversity and promotes equity and inclusion.

Three concepts have risen to the top in the business competition, and the NRF Foundation is bringing these teams to New York City next month to make their final pitch to retail executives. Two of the three teams that will be represented are from Columbia College Chicago.

  • Columbia College Chicago (Rachel Baranowski, Ad major, Arts Management minor, senior; Ella Bondy, Fashion Design major, junior; Rosa Terenzio, Fashion Studies major, senior; and Riley Thorpe, Film major, Advertising minor, senior)
  • Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (Haley Shannon, Athar Tooba and K-Lynn Ward)
  • Columbia College Chicago (Karolina Blachowska, Ad and Social Media / Digital Strategy major, Marketing minor, junior; Vanesa Paramo, Fashion Design major, PR minor, senior; Ethan Parington, Fashion Studies major, senior; and Ansley Young, Advertising major, Writing for TV minor, senior)

"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 says. “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."

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 Jan. 16.

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 their peers and interact with industry professionals.

Applications for the 2023 NRF Foundation Student Challenge will open next year for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors of all majors. Learn more about the team business competition and additional NRF Foundation scholarships here.

 

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