Ten AU students were named Emerson Scholars at the Emerson Scholar Awards luncheon on April 19. The Emerson Foundation sponsored the luncheon, which is an organization that provides students with opportunities to work collaboratively with faculty members in a specific area of study.

“We feel very privileged to have the Emerson Scholars Program in the Dauch College of Business and Economic,” Dr. Elad Granot, dean of the Dauch College of Business and Economics, said in a press release. “The program benefits our seniors in many different ways. In addition to providing the extra financial assistance for their senior year, it also helps the students network with some of the senior managers from the company and learn about possible career opportunities with the company.”

The group of students includes:
— Vanessa Byers, a marketing major from Loudonville, Ohio
— Holly Damron, an accounting major from New London, Ohio
— Keagan Frey, a marketing major from Bellevue, Ohio
— Kyle Gerber, a supply chain management and business management major from Winesburg, Ohio
— Esther Goodell, a marketing major from Amherst, Ohio
— Dan Morell, a supply chain management and business management major from Brecksville, Ohio
— Trevor Resse, a finance major from Lisbon, Ohio
— Ewelina Siwik, an international business major from Streetsboro, Ohio
— Lauren Taylor, a marketing major from Wooster, Ohio
— Michael Ward, a finance major from Lexington, Ohio

“It’s great being named an Emerson Scholar,” said Goodell. “Only a few select students get the award each year and being chosen is a real honor. Emerson is also a very interesting and diverse company. It is really amazing that they provide this scholarship to AU students and also provide many students with internships. They are a fantastic employee centered company that gives back to their community and I am extremely proud to be associated with them.”

The students received recognition and a scholarship at the luncheon, which would pay for them to continue in their area of study.

“It really shows me that my hard work and dedication to my academics, internships, and community involvement have really been worth it,” Frey said. “It is truly an honor to be nominated by the COBE faculty for this scholarship, be able to have two amazing people write letters of recommendation, and then still need to go through a selection committee and receive the award.”

The Emerson Scholars Program was created in 2007 with a $175,000 grant from the Emerson Foundation and has been renewed for five more years this year. It was first renewed in 2013.

“Successful companies must have the right talent in the right place at the right time if they expect to win in the global marketplace,” Paul McKnight, retired senior vice president for organizational planning at the Emerson Foundation, said. “Because advancing people is a top priority at Emerson, we created the Emerson Scholars Program in the Dauch College of Business and Economics at Ashland University.”