Heba Hallak and Erica Lassiter, undergraduate students at Rutgers University–Newark, each received a $5,000 scholarship for the 2019-20 academic school year from global fashion retailer, Ashley Stewart.
As part of its #ASGives and #AshleyCollegeTour initiatives, Ashley Stewart awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships and charitable donations at the 2019 Finding Ashley Stewart finale held at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, on Sept. 14. #ASGives is a philanthropic platform devised to make long-term investments in the communities that have supported the Ashley Stewart brand for nearly 30 years. #AshleyCollegeTour is a program developed to help empower women through education.
Thrilled by the honor, Lassiter stated, "Ashley Stewart has blessed me in so many ways. For one, I know I don't have to stress about paying for next semester!"
Lassiter, a resident of Newark, is studying public administration at Rutgers-Newark and aspires to establish her own nonprofit organization and help inner city communities like Newark.
To qualify for the Ashley Stewart scholarship, applicants had to be female or identify as a woman; be enrolled (part-time or full-time) at Rutgers-Newark in the spring 2019, fall 2019 and spring 2020 semesters; be a matriculated undergraduate student at Rutgers-Newark; have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2; and commit to attend the 2019 Finding Ashley Stewart finale.
Additionally, applicants had to write a 250-300-word essay on leadership. Suggested prompts included:
- What makes a great leader? How do you define leadership?
- When have you demonstrated great leadership? For what reason(s)?
- How and what are your plans for embracing your leadership in the future?
Buoyed by the recognition from Ashley Stewart, Lassiter strongly encourages other women to apply for next year’s scholarship if the opportunity is available because the experience is invaluable and the financial support will be greatly appreciated.
