Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing and Gordon Brothers Group Announce Scholarship of Excellence Recipient

TUCSON, Ariz. and BOSTON, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Arizona's Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing and Gordon Brothers Group, a global advisory, restructuring and investment firm specializing in the retail, consumer products, real estate and industrial sectors, announced that the 2010 recipient of the Gordon Brothers Group Scholarship of Excellence is University of Arizona junior Alexandra Mroczka of Scottsdale, Arizona. Mroczka is in the Retailing and Consumer Science program in the John and Doris Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences.

"We are honored to have so many talented candidates apply for this opportunity and it was a challenge for us to decide on just one student," said Melinda Burke, Director at the Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing. "After much deliberation, we decided that Allie's commitment to academic excellence, demonstrated passion for retail and exemplary leadership skills are what set her apart."

This is the fourth consecutive year that the Gordon Brothers Group Scholarship of Excellence has been awarded to an aspiring retail professional as a way to financially recognize an outstanding student based on merit and commitment to the field of retail.

"This scholarship is meant to acknowledge and support students with an enthusiasm for the retail industry," said Ann Merrill, Principal and Managing Director at Gordon Brothers Group and member of the Terry J. Lundgren Center's Corporate Advisory Board. "The Terry J. Lundgren Center is known as 'The' place for retail studies and prospective retail leaders and we are pleased to be a part of this continuing effort."

The scholarship award was presented to Mroczka at the 2010 Global Retailing Conference which was hosted by the University of Arizona on April 8th and 9th at the Ritz Carlton in Dove, Arizona.

Mroczka was selected from a pool of candidates based on the following criteria:

• Acceptance into the highly competitive Retailing and Consumer Science (RCSC) Professional Program
• A 3.5 or higher cumulative GPA
• Demonstrated leadership through extracurricular activities
• Passion for retailing as demonstrated through work experience
• Junior or Senior standing in Fall 2010

In addition to awarding the scholarship, Gordon Brothers Group, in partnership with the Terry J. Lundgren Center, offers summer internships to students and in the future hopes to conduct on-campus seminars and guest teach in the classroom speaker series.

About Gordon Brothers Group

Founded in 1903, Gordon Brothers Group (www.gordonbrothers.com) is a global advisory, restructuring and investment firm specializing in the retail, consumer products, industrial, and real estate sectors. Gordon Brothers Group maximizes value for both healthy and distressed companies by purchasing or selling all categories of assets, appraising assets, providing debt financing, making private equity investments, and operating businesses for extended periods. Gordon Brothers Group conducts over $50 billion worth of transactions and appraisals annually.

About Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing

Since 1993, the Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing at The University of Arizona's John and Doris Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences has brought together the resources and expertise of academia and the retail industry with a shared goal of developing strong future retail professionals. Supported by the Corporate Advisory Board partners and sponsors, the Center is able to offer the benefits of research and scholarship to industry and a perspective on the working world to Retailing and Consumer Sciences students. Through these business partnerships, the Center offers students unique opportunities for research, career exploration and development, internships, professional in-class speakers and industry tours. The Center provides funds to support graduate students and various research activities with our top-notch faculty, and as a result, continues to enhance its reputation at the local, state, national, and international levels as "The" place for retail studies and prospective retail leaders.

SOURCE Gordon Brothers Group