Retail Council of Canada Announces 2011 Retail as a Career Scholarship Recipients

Top Prize of $5,000 to be awarded at STORE 2011 - Canada's Retail Conference

TORONTO, May 31, 2011 /CNW/ - Twenty four post-secondary students from across the country will each receive $1,000 as part of Retail Council of Canada's Retail as a Career Scholarship program. The scholarships will help assist the students pursue their careers in retail. The top applicant will also receive a $5,000 award from Interac Association. The scholarships will be announced at STORE 2011 - Canada's Retail Conference (www.storeconference.ca).

"It is remarkable to hear what our future retailers have to say about this vibrant industry," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada. "This year's scholarship recipients have an excellent grasp of how retail provides incredible opportunities for both professional and personal growth.  They are very passionate about their jobs and understand that retail provides an excellent career path.   These rising stars demonstrate that our industry is in capable hands."

Over the past nine years, RCC and its sponsors have given more than $400,000 in scholarships and award benefits to students who exemplify excellence in retail and demonstrate a strong commitment to the future of retail through their education. The Retail as a Career Scholarship Program continues to grow each year, both in the number of applicants and in the number of retailers who provide the additional funding needed to increase the number of scholarships available.

Recipients are currently working in the retail industry and pursing post-secondary education in related programs, such as fashion merchandising/marketing, retail management, commerce, advertising, communications and human resources management.

Applicants are judged by retail industry experts in three categories: academic performance, reference letters and a personal essay explaining their experiences in the retail industry and how their education would make an impact on the future of the industry.

In addition to the scholarships, recipients will receive an all-access pass, including travel and accommodation, to attend STORE 2011 - Canada's Retail Conference, where they will have the opportunity to meet with some of Canada's most prominent retail industry professionals. Recipients will receive their awards at the prestigious Excellence in Retail Awards Dinner, an event that honours the most respected leaders and innovative companies in retail.

The 2011 Retail as a Career Scholarship winners are:

Retail Sponsor	Winner	Employer	School	Program of Study
Best Buy Canada Ltd.	Brad Kretchman	Moncion Grocers	Algonquin College	Business Program
Canadian Retail Hall Of Fame	Christine Nachbaur	The Bay	Southern Alberta institute of technology	Business Administration
Canadian Retail Hall Of Fame	Gillian Morgan	HMV Canada Inc.	Sheridan College	Human Resource Management
Canadian Retail Hall Of Fame	Kamal Fadel	Staples Canada, Inc.	Queen's University	Bachelor of Commerce
Canadian Retail Hall Of Fame	Anthony Azar	Starbucks Coffee Canada	British Columbia Institute of Technology	Human Resources Management
Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd.	Delia Chen	Old Navy	University Of Western Ontario	Honours Business Administration
Comark Inc	Alicia Kurosky	Home Hardware Stores Ltd.	Carleton University	Bachelor of International Business
Costco Wholesale Canada Limited	Serena Davidson	Sport Chek	Laurentian University at Georgian College	Bachelor of Business Administration
Future Shop	Erin Dunford	The Bay	Conestoga College	Visual Merchandising Arts
Golf Town	John Keith Leo Simba	Staples Canada, Inc.	Red River College	Business Administration
Graff Retail	Jodi Foster	Vickie's Specialty Shop	Ryerson University	Retail Management
GS1 Canada	Phon (Rosa) Tang	Dance Etc.	Simon Fraser University	Bachelor Of Business Administration
Home Hardware Stores Ltd.	Jessica Klein	The Source	Ryerson University	Graphic Communications  Management
Hudson's Bay Company	Stephanie MacNeil	Preloved	Ryerson University	Fashion Design
IKEA Canada	Brittany Cuthill	Fabricland Distributors	Carleton University	Bachelor of Commerce
Sears Canada Inc.	Bryna Skelly	Indigo Books & Music Inc.	University of Manitoba	Bachelor of Commerce (Honors)
Sony of Canada Ltd.	Jill Moors	Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation	Dalhousie University	Masters in Business Administration
Staples Canada, Inc.	Colea Porter	Aritiza	Ryerson University	Retail Management
TB!S the Bargain Shop	Colleen Walker	Bootlegger	Ryerson University	Fashion Communications
The Home Depot Canada	Shamus Hardie	Future Shop	University of Calgary	Economics
Toys 'R' Us (Canada) Ltd.	Alexandra Tanner	Birks & Mayors	McGill University	Graduate Diploma in Public Relations Management
Wal-Mart Canada Corp.	Simone Tissenbaum	Sporting Life	Ryerson University	Retail Management
Winners Merchants International L.P.	Thomas Heming	Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd.	Brock University	Honours Bachelor of Accounting

About Retail Council of Canada
Retail Council of Canada (www.retailcouncil.org) is the Voice of Retail.  It is a not-for-profit association representing more than 40,000 stores of all retail formats, including independent merchants, regional and national mass and specialty chains, and online merchants.

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Media are invited to attend STORE 2011. For more information and to RSVP, contact Lauren Downie, Account [phone], ext. 225; e-mail: [e-mail].