PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Former students and past Certificate in Retailing recipients Kodi Lyttle ’02 and Gregg Flynn ’95 pose with Zale Scholars. Lyttle and Flynn discussed their career paths at Neiman Marcus from assistant buyers to buyers to merchandise planners with the luxury Dallas-based retailer. Neiman Marcus hires more students from Texas A&M University than from any other college (Women’s Wear Daily).

The M.B. Zale Leadership Scholar program is the premier undergraduate professional development program in Mays Business School for students interested in retailing. Students in the program serve as ambassadors of the Center for Retailing Studies and Mays to the retailing industry. Named for the innovative merchant, the program provides an opportunity for students to participate in corporate visits, meet with retailing executives, provide community service, and promote retailing careers to other students.

Selection as an M.B. Zale Leadership Scholar is highly competitive. FIve to ten students will be chosen based on their academic achievement, leadership potential, and above all their commitment to pursue a retailing career. The program's goal is to reward students passionate about retailing with unmatched leadership and professional development opportunities.

If selected, students commit to one calendar year of participation and may earn 3 hours of academic credit. Each semester students will participate in the Teens in Retailing project, which instructs local high school students in career planning and promotes retailing careers among teens. In the Spring, students assist the Center for Retailing Studies to host the M.B. Zale Visionary Merchant Lecture Series. In the fall Zale Scholars assist the Center in hosting the Retailing Summit conference in Dallas. All year, the scholars host executives visiting Texas A&M through the Center for Retailing Studies.

We proudly recognize the 2008–2009 Zale Leadership Scholars
Kristin Albert
Brittney Austin
Rachel Bowers
Kathryn Clark
Bridgette Dickson
Carrie Donop
Morgan Frame
Brooke Graf
Jared Jacox
Alicia Maresh
Diana Wu
Connie Yoo

To qualify, a candidate must:

• Be a Mays Business School student
• Be a Certificate in Retailing candidate
• Have a minimum overall GPR of 3.0
• Submit a completed application
• Submit a resume
• Submit a two-page essay on "Career Aspirations" and how this program supports those goals
• Submit a letter of recommendation from an employer, professor, or mentor
• Be a Spring 2009 or later graduate
• Attend interviews with Center for Retailing Studies staff and Director

Apply Now: Download Application.

For more information, contact:

Tyan Jacox
Center for Retailing Studies
979-845-0325
tyan@tamu.edu