Student Wins National Home and Furnishings-Related Scholarship

Quick Facts

Kimberly Shaw is an art major from Kershaw, S.C.

The scholarship, presented annually, is worth $2,500.

ROCK HILL, S.C. — A Winthrop University student has won a competitive national scholarship, thanks to her academic track related to the home and furnishings field.

Interior design major Kimberly Small has earned $2,500 to cover tuition expenses as one of two recipients of the 2012 Jena & Stephen Hall Scholarship, presented by Withit, which she said is a great honor.

"I’ve always considered myself to be a hard-working, talented leader, and after winning the scholarship due to these reasons, it was wonderful to learn that the WithIt committee thought I was as well," she said. "It was great having these feelings affirmed, and it has really encouraged me to stay strong and to work harder in school."

Small plans to become an event designer, planning events such as weddings and corporate functions.

"The design skills and furniture knowledge I have obtained in my interior design courses at Winthrop play a key role in successfully creating these events," she said.

Eleven people applied for the honor this year, officials said. The scholarship is available to women enrolled as full-time second- or third-year college students studying a field or major related to the home and furnishings industries.

To be eligible, Small, a Kershaw native, had to submit a school transcript, an SAT/ACT transcript, three letters of recommendation and a 300-word essay on why she was a candidate for a career in the related field. Applicants were judged on their academic performance, curriculum and extracurricular activities.

Small also had the chance to attend Withit’s professional conference in Raleigh as a Student Scholar, where she was able to network with 19 other students, listen to speakers and engage in roundtable discussions.

Withit is a women’s leadership development network dedicated to encouraging and developing leadership, mentoring, education and networking opportunities for professional women in the home and furnishings industries. The scholarship is awarded annually.

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