Three bright young women receive tuition assistance from the National Advisory Group.
By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor.
The National Advisory Group (NAG) has announced the recipients of its scholarship program, which helps defer the cost of higher education for children of employees who work at NAG-affiliated c-stores.
The scholarship recipients were announced at NAG’s 2012 annual NAG Conference, held last month at the Windsor Court Hotel, in New Orleans.
NAG, a division of The Convenience Store Decision’s Group, is an organization of executives from small- to medium-sized chains whose mission is to help other convenience store executives build profits and relationships.
The 2012 Scholarship Fund was named for Jerry Rose, former vice president of customer relations for McLane Co. He retired in 2011 and was a key NAG supporter for more than 20 years.
This year’s scholarship recipients were:
• Gretchen Heisler, Otterbein University, in Westerville, Ohio. Gretchen is the daughter of NAG member David Heisler, of Cogo’s Co. in Pittsburgh.
• Ashley Hernandez, Florida Gulf Coast University. Ashley is the daughter of Kristie Hernandez, of Dion’s Quik Marts in Florida.
• Victoria Martinez, Texas Lutheran University. Victoria is the daughter of Michael Martinez, of The Kent Cos. in Odessa, Texas.
Each will receive an award of $1,000.
The National Advisory Group Scholarship Fund is managed by Convenience Store Decisions and the NAG Board of Directors, and sponsored by the retailer and supplier members of NAG. The program was started in the late 1990s and has since distributed nearly 65 scholarships totaling $70,000 to deserving students. The fund is financed by NAG members through their annual dues, NAG golf outings and conference sponsorship allocations.
Since Harbor Communications acquired Convenience Store Decisions in 2008 and re-launched NAG, the company has distributed over $20,000 in scholarships and has contributed $10,000 to the fund through a personal gift from Bill and Claudia Donohue, owners of Harbor Communications.
Selection Process
The program uses standard Scholarship America recipient selection procedures, including past academic performance and future potential, leadership and participation in school and community activities, work experience and an outside appraisal.
Applicants who work in the c-store industry must be employees or children of employees who have a minimum of one-year employment with a NAG member company. Applicants must plan to enroll in a full- or part-time undergraduate course of study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school. Applicants who are current students or who have attended school within the past three years must have maintained a minimum 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Awards are not renewable, though students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements.
About the Winners
• Gretchen Heisler is majoring in creative writing and history and is a sophomore at Otterbein University, where she has made the Dean’s list. She’s a member of Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma honors society, a cantor at Ascension Church and won a third place fiction writing award via Otterbein Quiz and Quill.
• Ashley Hernandez is starting her freshman year at Florida Gulf Coast University, majoring in medicine/pharmacy. Her recent activities have included varsity cheerleading, National Honors Society, Student Council and more.
• Victoria Martinez, is a senior at Texas Lutheran University, majoring in kinesiology/biology. Her anticipated graduation date is May 2013.
CSD congratulates all scholarship winners for their hard work and dedication. For more on NAG visit nagconvenience.com or www.facebook.com/nationaladvisorygroup.
