Bags packed: Six fashion merchandising students earn scholarships, trip to NYC

Six fashion merchandising students have been named recipients of the Fashion Scholarship Fund, each earning at least a $10,000 scholarship and a complimentary trip to the FSF Awards Gala in New York.

Lovely Grace Pilibino, Leynie Hester, Katie Embry, Nicole Moreno, Ephese Germain and Miquelyne Barthelemy were all chosen based on their winning submissions in the FSF case study competition.

The students were chosen out of nearly 700 applicants nationwide, with 160 selected as recipients. Three FACS students were selected for named scholarships, which can provide recipients with mentoring, internship and entry-level job opportunities.

Barthelemy and Germain were two of 60 applicants who received the $10,000 Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship, awarded to undergraduates of academic promise of Black, African American or African descent.

Moreno was one of two recipients of the $10,000 BCI Brands X FSF Scholarship for students who demonstrate excellence through the FSF Scholarship competition.

The annual FSF Case Study Scholarship is the organization’s signature program that involves an in-depth student challenge focusing on addressing real issues facing the fashion industry.

“This year’s case study topic was centered around AI innovation, which was both challenging and extremely rewarding, as the research prepared me to enter an industry that has continuously invested in tech innovation,” Hester said. “I feel extremely lucky to have been selected for this scholarship, and I’m looking forward to going to the Gala in NYC to meet other incredible scholars and industry professionals.”

Scholarship recipients have access to internships and full-time jobs through FSF partner companies and corporate recruiters at FSF talent acquisition events.

The Fashion Scholarship Fund is the foremost fashion-oriented education and workforce development nonprofit in the country and awards over $1.4 million in scholarships each year. The annual FSF Live Gala will be held April 7.

To learn more about the students’ winning case studies, visit the FSF page at https://www.fashionscholarshipfund.org/2025-scholars

Students interested in applying for the FSF Scholarship should contact faculty member Jewon Lyu at jewon.lyu@uga.edu