June 11, 2001
Michigan Retailers Association awards 15 scholarships
The Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) awarded college scholarships to 15 students for the 2001-02 academic year.
The awards are funded by the Michigan Retailers Foundation, which provides scholarships for the benefit of MRA members and their employees and families. Recipients were selected based on academic and extracurricular achievement. Amounts are $750 for public college students and $1,000 for private college students.
Recipients are as follows:
Jessica Askins, of Mio. Askins is graduating from Mio AuSable High School and will be a freshman at Lake Superior State University this fall. She and her mother, Barbara Askins-Crawford, are employed at Rainbow Resort, an MRA-member business in Mio.
Stacy Augustyniak, of Essexville. Augustyniak is graduating from Garber High School in Essexville and will be a freshman at Michigan State University this fall. She is employed at St. Laurent Brothers, an MRA-member business in Bay City.
Adrienne Beller, of Brighton. Beller graduated from Brighton High School and will be a sophomore at Kalamazoo College this fall. She received MRA's Nathan Rosenfeld Scholarship, named for the founder of Jacobson Stores, Inc. She is employed at Wilson Marine Corp., an MRA-member business in Brighton.
Anna Blackburn, of Ann Arbor. Blackburn is graduating from Community High School in Ann Arbor and will be a freshman at the University of Michigan this fall. She received MRA's D. Larry Sherman Scholarship, named for MRA Board of Directors member and former Chairman D. Larry Sherman. She is employed at Sam's Clothing, an MRA-member business in Ann Arbor.
Matthew Brown, of Lapeer. Brown graduated from North Branch Wesleyan High School and will be a senior at the University of Michigan-Flint this fall. He is employed at Hunters Creek Club, an MRA-member business in Metamora.
Mary Christensen, of Alpena. Christensen is graduating from Alpena High School and will be a freshman at Michigan State University this fall. She previously attended Albion High School. She is the daughter of Jerry Christensen, president and CEO of First Federal of Alpena, an MRA community bank partner.
Kali Hollingsworth, of Troy. Hollingsworth is graduating from Troy High School and will be a freshman at Michigan State University this fall. She received MRA's Raymond A. and Mildred C. Sobelton Scholarship, named for the founders of Birmingham-based Churchill's Ltd. She is the daughter of Thomas Hollingsworth, an employee at Teacher's Discovery, an MRA-member business in Auburn Hills.
Stacey Hunt, of Hudsonville. Hunt is graduating from Hudsonville Public High School and will be a freshman at Davenport University in Grand Rapids this fall. She is employed at Bunny Tuxedos Unlimited, an MRA-member business in Grandville, and is the daughter of owner Phillip Hunt.
Amber Kaiser, of Dorr. Kaiser graduated from Rogers High School in Wyoming and will be a senior at Western Michigan University this fall, majoring in special education. She is the daughter of Patricia Kaiser, an employee at Michigan Fluid Power, an MRA-member business in Grandville.
Melissa Powers, of Allen. Powers graduated from Jonesville Junior-Senior High School and will be a senior at Hillsdale College this fall. She is the daughter of Paul Powers, co-owner of Powers' Clothing Inc., an MRA-member business in Jonesville.
Stephanie Reisner, of Presque Isle. Reisner is graduating from Alpena High School and will be a freshman at Grand Valley State University this fall. She received MRA's Retailers Fund Scholarship, endowed by the Association's workers' compensation insurance fund. She is the daughter of Stephen Reisner, owner of Northland Interiors, an MRA-member business in Alpena.
Meghan Sandera, of Howell. Sandera graduated from Howell High School and will be a senior at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana, this fall. She also received an MRA scholarship in 1999. She is employed at His Bible and Book House, an MRA-member business in Brighton.
Joshua Shina, of Kalamazoo. Shina graduated from Plainwell High School and will be a junior at the University of Michigan this fall. He also received an MRA scholarship last year. He is employed at Walgreens, an MRA-member business in Kalamazoo.
Calise Tucker, of Southfield. Tucker is graduating from Southfield High School and will be a freshman at Michigan State University this fall. She is the daughter of Calvin Tucker, owner of Tee Shirts Galore and More, an MRA-member business in Detroit.
Jennifer Yang, of Kentwood. Yang is graduating from East Kentwood High School and will be a freshman at Michigan State University this fall. She is the daughter of Tim Yang, an employee at Monarch Hydraulics Inc., an MRA-member business in Grand Rapids.
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 5,500 retail business members operate more than 12,000 stores across the state.
