Previous years recipients

Ashley found her retail sea legs when she ventured into luxury retail at Barney’s New York in Beverly Hills in the early aughts. She soon felt compelled to lean into the management side of retail, and after a cross-country move found herself eventually settling down as the Store Manager of Springer’s Jewelers in Portsmouth New Hampshire. There she was encouraged to grow her skill set, acquiring an AJP through GIA. Working for a multi-generational family-owned, women-led company has been life-changing. She looks forward to continuing to grow with their team and company.

“I am beyond thrilled and humbled to be the recipient of the 2023 Helene Fortunoff Woman in Retail Scholarship. Hearing about Helene’s strength, trailblazing business savvy and her determination to help future women in the business is doubly meaningful as both a working mother and a retail manager in an often male-dominated field. I am honored to be a part of her lasting legacy and will do my best to embody her tenacity and passion for both jewelry and helping others succeed.”
 

Jennifer comes with a background in customer service,  apparel + jewelry production. Jennifer's commitment to continued education at the junction of technology and e-commerce led her to learn the language behind the scenes: JavaScript, HTML, & CCS. Having these skills on hand will be useful as jewelers expand their e-commerce presence and look for new ways of internal organization. 

"With this scholarship, I can make time to visualize & build my contribution as a resource to the WJA, BIJC, and future waves of Radiant Minds Technology Scholarship recipients."
 

Cydney’s earliest memories of jewelry were in getting into her mother’s and grandmother’s jewelry collections. Although she’s always loved the appearance of antique jewelry — especially Art Nouveau and Edwardian — she had never considered it as a career path until her mother-in-law encouraged her to enroll in courses at GIA and to start working at a local boutique. 
 

While obtaining her Associate’s Degree from Saddleback College in American Sign Language Interpreting, Cydney’s instructors had emphasized the frustration felt by the deaf and hard of hearing communities when trying to interact with the larger hearing community, and how rare it was for somebody to engage with them in a patient manner.
 

Cydney witnessed this frustration while helping as an interpreter for a deaf friend, as well as when employed at a fine jewelry location, and resolved to advocate for clear and compassionate interactions with that community.
 

After completing her Graduate Gemologist diploma at GIA, her goal is to work as an appraiser. She also plans on creating content that is accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. As an individual with dyslexia and dyscalculia, she also wants to make content that is accessible for those with learning disabilities so that they can not only share in her education and knowledge but ultimately feel empowered when selecting jewelry.