WithIt Awards $30,000 In Scholarships During 20th Anniversary Year

Furniture World News Desk on 7/26/2017

WithIt, the women’s leadership development network for the home and furnishings industries, recently announced that it has awarded a record number of scholarships this year in honor of the organization’s 20th anniversary. A generous gift of $30,000 from Heritage Home Group’s charitable trust in January of this year made the awards possible.

"We were thrilled to have so many deserving applicants this year" said Amy Van Dorp, Managing Director of WithIt. “This has been a great way to celebrate our twentieth and truly further our mission of encouraging and developing opportunities for professional women in the home and furnishings industry.”

A committee of four WithIt members evaluated the applications of students in various fields of study related to home furnishings for the awards. Applicants were required to submit official school transcripts indicating the student’s grade point average and class rank, SAT/ACT scores, three letters of recommendation, and a 300-500 word essay on why the applicant is interested in the home furnishings industry and how the scholarship will help them further their career.

“We added to the continuing education category to recognize women who are already in the industry but want to further their careers through education,” said Karen Fallon, scholarship committee chair and territory account manager at Heritage Home Group.

The committee evaluated applications and scored them as creative, responsible, energetic and deserving. A total of 15 undergraduate students and two continuing education students received awards in varying amounts. Undergraduate recipients include Natalie Anderson, FIDM Los Angeles, Interior Design/Business; Adrianna Andretta, The Ohio State University, Industrial Design; Hannah Carlton, Clemson University, Architectural Design; Taj Cutting, Fashion Institute of Technology, Interior Design; Catherine Downey, Fashion Institute of Technology, Home Products Development; Mary Campbell Gray, Mississippi State University, Interior Design; Molly Hellickson, Miami University, Interior Design; Mary Leonard, North Carolina State University, Fashion and Textile Management; Amber McCullough, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Interior Architecture; Morgan Mitchell, The Ohio State University, Interior Design; Abigail Parisot, Winthrop University, Interior Design; Samantha Sullivan, Mississippi State University, Interior Design; Destiny Warren, North Carolina State University, Textile Design; Natalie Watson, Mississippi State University, Interior Design; and Kylie Worman, Winthrop University, Interior Design.

Continuing education recipients include Amanda Daubert, Director of Services at Furniture First, and Colette Schulte, Senior Buyer at Aaron’s Rent to Own. Three additional continuing education scholarships remain. Interested candidates can learn about the qualifications on withit.org.

Nine of the undergraduate students attended WithIt’s education conference last month in Charleston, South Carolina.

WithIt is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2017. It was formed in 1997 to support women in the home and furnishings industries, and to bring awareness to the need for more female influences in the industries. In recent years, WithIt has filled the need for education and leadership development as women rise in their careers. This non-profit network is strongly supported by leading companies across the industries, including 2017 platinum sponsors International Market Centers and Heritage Home Group. WithIt’s mission is to encourage and develop leadership, mentoring, education and networking opportunities for professional women in the home and furnishings industries.

WithIt will be holding two events at the upcoming Las Vegas market, including a networking reception in the Palliser showroom ( B 1001) on Monday, July 31st at 4:30 pm-6:30 pm, followed by an excursion to Ugo Rondinone's Seven Magic Mountains environmental art installation 6:00 pm-8:30 pm (see www.WithIt.org to register.)

More about WithIt: WithIt was formed in 1997 for women in the home and furnishings industries in order to support their multi-dimensional career paths. The non-profit network is based in North Carolina and supported by leading companies across the industry including their platinum sponsors International Market Centers and Heritage Home Group. WithIt’s purpose is to encourage and develop leadership, mentoring, education and networking opportunities for professional women in the home and furnishings industries.