NGA Foundation Awards 17 Students $73K in Scholarships

The NGA Foundation has awarded $73,000 in scholarships to 17 students pursuing a career in the supermarket industry for the 2018-19 academic year. Since 1990, the foundation has awarded more than $1 million.

“Positioning the independent supermarket industry as an employer of choice is essential for the development of the industry’s workforce,” said Matthew Ott, executive director of the Arlington, Va.-based NGA Foundation. “This new class of talented NGA Foundation scholarship recipients demonstrates drive, resilience and a deep passion for the success of the supermarket industry. I look forward to seeing what they accomplish as they achieve their educational goals and strengthen the growing workforce.”

The 2018 NGA Foundation scholarship recipients are as follows:

The Thomas K. Zaucha Asparagus Club Scholarship went to John Schneidenbach, who has more than six years of work experience at Harding’s Friendly Market, in Portage, Mich. He is a senior at Western Michigan University and is pursuing a degree in food and CPG marketing.

The Asparagus Club Scholarship recipients were Matt Agius, who works at Festival Foods and is pursuing a degree in business management at the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh; Katherine Anderson, who is pursuing a degree in food and CPG marketing at Western Michigan University; Debbie L. Creek, who works at Harps Food Stores Inc. and is pursuing a master of business administration with an emphasis in organizational behavior at John Brown University; Taylor Leevers, who works at Leevers Supermarkets Inc. and is pursuing a master of science in real estate and the built-environment degree at the University of Denver; and Chad Villanueva, who works at The Save Mart Cos. and is pursuing a degree in business management at Fresno Pacific University.

The Bob Richardson Legacy Scholarship was awarded to Travis Stinson, who works at Brookshire Grocery Co. and is pursuing a master of business administration and a master of science in industrial management at the University of Texas at Tyler.

The Charlie and Becky Bray Legacy Scholarship went to Mitchell Kizer, who works at Martin's Supermarket and is pursuing a degree in business at Indiana University South Bend.

The First Data Technology Legacy Scholarship recipients were Celia Lynch, who works at Publix Supermarkets and Zentis North America and is pursuing a master of business administration degree at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, and David Rosen, who works at Vicente Foods and is pursuing a degree in business administration at the University of La Verne.

The FMS Legacy Scholarship was awarded to Erika Hejl, who is pursuing a degree in food and CPG marketing at Western Michigan University.

The Kimberly-Clark Corp. Legacy Scholarship went to Lisa Snarr, who works at Associated Food Stores and is pursuing a degree in business at Salt Lake Community College.

The Mondelēz International Legacy Scholarship was awarded to Sarah Dedinsky, who works at Bimbo Bakeries USA and is pursuing a degree in food marketing at Saint Joseph's University.

The Peter and Jody Larkin Legacy Scholarship went to Nicholas Nilssen, who works at Nilssen's Foods and Festival Foods and is pursuing a degree in business management and leadership at Viterbo University.

The Roger Collins Leadership Scholarship was awarded to Sean Kosednar, who works at Associated Wholesale Grocers and is pursuing a master of business administration degree at Park University.

The Women Grocers of America (WGA) Mary Macey Scholarship recipients were Maddie Brister, who works at Consentino's Price Chopper Store and is pursuing a degree in management, marketing and accounting from Neosho County Community College, and Jenny Le, who works at A. T. Kearney and is pursuing a master’s degree in marketing and operations from Columbia Business School.