Fashion Scholarship Fund

2023 - 2024 Fashion Scholarship Fund

YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund

 


 

Fashion Scholarship Fund Case Competition

125 undergraduate students from 70 universities will win:

  • Scholarships of $7,500 - $10,000 (finalists $15,000-$25,000)
  • Access to career fairs and networking events
  • Summer fashion industry internships
  • Mentorships from industry leaders
  • Industry job placement assistance
  • Seminars and master class sessions with industry experts


Details about the Scholarship

All Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) scholarship applicants will enter a case study competition.  125 students who enter this competition will win a scholarship of $7,500 - $10,000 or more - a small number of the top winners will win a scholarship between $15,000 and $25,000. Last year, 513 applicants participated in this competition, and 127 won scholarships. Over the past 6 years, 87 USC students participated in this case competition scholarship and 22 won scholarships,  for a total of $147,500 in scholarships for USC students. 

Click here for a Brief Overview of this Case Competition Scholarship.

The deadline to submit the case study is October 16, 2023. This scholarship is open to all USC undergraduate full-time students with a minimum GPA of 3.2 who will be sophomores, juniors, and seniors during the fall semester of 2023 (seniors  must not be graduating earlier than May of 2024). This is an individual scholarship, so all case studies must be completed individually.

To win a FSF Scholarship, you must complete a written case study in one of the following four areas – all four areas focus on different aspects of ESG: The Intersection of Brands, Environment, and Society:

 

  • Business Strategy - Establish an Initiative Emphasizing Environmental or Social Impact
    Click here for the Business Strategy Case Study Prompt.
     
  • Design and Product Development - Create a Collection with Environmental and Social Design Strategies.
    Click here for the Design and Product Development Case Study Prompt
     
  • Marketing - Develop an Authentic Brand Campaign to Build Trust
    Click here for the Marketing Case Study Prompt
     
  • Merchandising - Curate a Sustainable Product Offering
    Click here for the Merchandising Case Study Prompt.

Please decide which area you would like to compete in, as you may only compete in one of the four areas listed above. Please note that both the Marketing and Merchandising areas are related to marketing issues. 

Click here for the Case Studies of Last Year’s Winners.

Students who participate in this scholarship will be invited to attend the 2023 Summer Scholar Series, which consists of a variety of seminars and master classes with industry leaders and experts via Zoom.

Students who win this scholarship will be invited to exclusive career fairs and networking events with industry leaders. The FSF helps scholarship winners find internships and jobs in the fashion industry, matches scholarship winners to mentors working in the fashion industry, and organizes additional opportunities for scholarship winners
(including competing for a grant of $50,000 for an early-stage startup fashion business).

Click here for a Video Information Session about this Case Competition Scholarship that was held at USC.

Click here for a Video Information Session about this Case Competition Scholarship that was held nationally for all 70 colleges and universities that participate in the FSF

Click here for the Presentation Slides from the Video Information Sessions about this Case Competition Scholarship

Founded in 1937, the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) is an international non-profit organization composed of influential members of the fashion industry. The Fashion Scholarship Fund’s goal is to advance the fashion industry by encouraging gifted and enterprising college students to learn about different types of opportunities in the fashion industry. 

Click here for the Fashion Scholarship Fund Website.

If you plan to participate in this case study competition or if you are potentially interested in participating, please fill out the following short survey as soon as possible:


Click here if you plan to participate or if you are potentially interested in this Case Competition ScholarshipYou are required to fill out this short survey if you plan to participate in this case competition scholarship. If you are not sure about whether you will participate, you are also encouraged to fill out this short survey so that you can be placed on a mailing list to receive additional information and updates.

If you have any questions, please email Professor Dennis Schorr at dschorr@marshall.usc.edu.


Steps and Timeline to Apply

March through May 2023 (Second Half of Spring Semester and Beginning of Summer)

  • Complete the Short Survey of USC Students who Plan to Participate or are Potentially Interested in this Case Competition Scholarship. Click on this link for this survey.
  • Register with the FSF on the Wizehive portal as soon as you decide to participate so that you can receive communications, reminders, and invitations to participate in events for participants. The link to register on Wizehive is https://webportalapp.com/sp/24_fashionscholarshipfund. Participants who are registered with the FSF for this Case Competition Scholarship will be invited to special events such as seminars and sessions about the fashion industry.
  • Begin working on the FSF Case Study. Select a brand for your case study, conduct preliminary research and analyses, and begin to develop your ideas and recommendations. Click on this link for a research guide with information sources relevant to the fashion industry
  • Solicit advice and feedback from the USC FSF advisor: Professor Dennis Schorr at dschorr@marshall.usc.edu.

June through August 2023 (Summer and Beginning of Fall Semester)

  • If you have not started yet, follow the steps for March through May 2023 (listed above).
  • Participate in the FSF Summer Scholar Series of online seminars and sessions about the fashion industry with leaders from prominent fashion companies. This online series of seminars and sessions is open to all students who are participating in the FSF Case Competition Scholarship. Although participating in this series is optional, it could be helpful in preparing your case study.
  • Work on the FSF Case Study. Conduct extensive research and analyses, and develop your ideas and recommendations. Click on this link for a research guide with information sources relevant to the fashion industry
  • Prepare the Slide Deck for your FSF Case Study submission. Be sure to follow all the guidelines and check your submission against the judging criteria outlined in the case study prompt. For examples of winning case study submissions from last year, click on this link.
  • Solicit advice and feedback from the USC FSF advisor: Professor Dennis Schorr at dschorr@marshall.usc.edu.

September 2023 (Fall Semester)

  • Finalize your research, analyses, ideas, and recommendations.
  • Finalize the Slide Deck for your FSF Case Study submission. Be sure to follow all the guidelines and check your submission against the judging criteria outlined in the case study prompt. For examples of winning case study submissions from last year, click on this link.
  • You should submit a draft of your case study to Professor Schorr at dschorr@marshall.usc.edu by September 22, 2023, so that if can be reviewed in advance of submission. However, you should seek Professor Schorr’s advice and feedback well before this date, as you develop the research, analyses, ideas, and recommendations for this case study.
  • The deadline for registering with the FSF on Wizehive is September 30, 2023. However, you should register with the FSF on Wizehive well before this deadline. You should register as soon as you decide to participate so that you receive relevant communications, reminders, and invitations to participate in events for participants.

October 2023 – Before October 16, 2023 at 11:59 AM Eastern Standard Time

  • Finalize your FSF Case Study submission.
  • Prepare and Submit all of the required documents. Detailed instructions about the Required Documents for Submission are provided in the case study prompts.
  • The DEADLINE for uploading your case study submission and other required documents on Wizehive is October 16, 2023, before 11:59 AM Eastern Standard Time. The Wizehive submission portal will automatically close at this time. Therefore, all your submission materials must already be finished uploading by 11:59 AM Eastern Standard Time.
  • The deadline of 11:59 AM is New York time. It must be submitted before 8:59 AM California time. Please don’t wait until the last minute to submit your case study and other required documents. The uploading process might take some time. Case studies will not be accepted if all required documents are not completely uploaded by this deadline. Submit early to make sure there are no last minute technical difficulties.