M.B. Zale Leadership Scholars

Why Apply?

Selection as an M.B. Zale Leadership Scholar is highly competitive. Five to ten students are chosen each semester based on their academic achievement, leadership potential, and above all, their commitment to pursue a retailing career.

Through hands-on learning experiences, such as luncheons with executives, travel to retail stores and HQ offices, networking opportunities, mentoring opportunities and reflective writing, students will:

• Build greater confidence in professional communication and personal branding
• Gain first-hand industry knowledge by engaging with visiting Executive Professors
• Practice and receive education in business etiquette
• Interact with CEO level retailers when they are executive professors for a day and/or during the  M.B. Zale Visionary Merchant Lecture Series
• Travel to New York City and other Metro cities and participate in appointments with multiple retail headquarters, buying offices and flagship stores
• Receive an opportunity to interview with Signet Jewelers – owner and operator of Zales who has rotational talent development programs in merchandising, finance, strategy, and supply chain.

*Students will receive 100 points per semester towards their professional distinction for the two semesters they are M.B. Zale Leadership Scholars. Learn more about Professional Distinction in Retailing points.

Applications are now open for the M.B. Zale Leadership Scholar program. Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at 11:59pm. Students accepted into the program will be enrolled in a MKTG 299 course for the Spring 2026 and Fall 2026 semesters (0 hours), and students will receive 100 points towards their Professional Distinction of Retailing.

Eligibility:

1. Any Business Major with interest in retailing careers
2. December 2026 graduate or later
3. Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
4. Must be willing to commit to two semesters in the program. (Spring 2026 and Fall 2026).

Applications will require a current resume and a one-page essay on your career aspirations and how being an M.B. Zale Leadership Scholar will support those goals. A select group of applications will be selected to move to a final round of interviews with the program director.

2025 Zale Scholars

Gwendolyn Bailey, Senior, MKTG

Allie Bowers, Senior, MKTG

Ava Burns, Junior, MKTG

Ava Carson, Senior, MKTG

Rae Cha, Senior, MKTG

Kelli Iutzwig, Junior, MKTG

Maci Nash, Junior, MKTG

Pipper Pepper, Senior, MKTG

Abigail Rutledge, Senior, MKTG

Nidhi Suraparaju, Junior, FINC

Valerie Taronji, Senior, MKTG

Faye Turner, Senior, MKTG

Brooke Ubieta, Senior, MKTG

Kyra Villarreal, Senior, MKTG