May 11, 2000
Eight students were awarded Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) college scholarships for the 2000-2001 academic year. The awards are funded by the Michigan Retailers Foundation, which provides scholarships for the benefit of MRA members and their employees.
The winners are:
Melissa Carabott, of Canton, an employee at Sideways in Plymouth. She will be a junior at the University of Michigan - Dearborn this fall and is studying marketing. Carabott received a D. Larry Sherman scholarship, named for current MRA Board of Directors member and former Board Chairman D. Larry Sherman.
Brandon Harwood, of New Baltimore, the son of Ken and Denise Harwood, owners of Art & Office Centre in Mt. Clemens. He will be a freshman at Calvin College and plans to study mechanical engineering. Harwood received a Nathan Rosenfeld scholarship, named for the founder of Jacobson Stores, Inc.
Antoinette Mazzoni, of Northville. She is the daughter of Orin Mazzoni, Jr., president of Orin Jewelers, Inc., in Garden City. She plans to major in pre-architecture in her freshman year at Michigan State University. Mazzoni received a Raymond A. and Mildred C. Sobelton scholarship, named for the founders of Churchills Ltd.
Brian Nowak, of Alpena, who won for the second year in a row. His mother, Jeanne Nowak, owns Jeanne's Sweet Shop in Alpena. He will be a sophomore business major at the University of Michigan. Nowak also received a Sherman scholarship.
Sarah Reinbold, of Saginaw, the daughter of Mary Jane Reinbold, an employee at Pride & Country in Saginaw. She will be a junior nursing major at Northern Michigan University. Reinbold also received a Rosenfeld scholarship.
Jessica Schoenherr, of Wyoming. She and her mother, Mary Jane Schoenherr, both work at Rogers Department Store in Wyoming. She will be a freshman at Grand Valley State University, majoring in computer science and mathematics. Schoenherr received the Rogers Department Store scholarship, named in honor of her employer, a Michigan Retailer of the Year in 1999.
Joshua Shina, of Kalamazoo, an employee at Walgreens in Kalamazoo. He is studying athletic training and will be a sophomore at the University of Michigan. Shina received the Sunnyslope Floral & Gift scholarship, named for another of last year's Michigan Retailer of the Year Award recipients.
Tamara Tomac, of Chesaning, the daughter of Beth Tomac, an employee at Family Rexall Pharmacy in Chesaning. She is majoring in pharmacy and will be a junior at Ferris State University. Tomac received the Hagopian Family of Companies scholarship, also named for a 1999 Michigan Retailer of the Year.
Recipients attending public universities were awarded $750; students at private colleges received $1,000.
The Michigan Retailers Association is the unified voice of retailing in Michigan and the nation's largest state trade association of general merchandise retailers. MRA's more than 5,000 retail business members operate more than 12,000 stores across the state.