Nordstrom is a popular upscale clothing store that originally opened as a shoe store back in 1901. The company, founded by John Nordstrom and Carl Wallin, has expanded over the years and now sells clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, shoes, fragrances, and accessories. There are now over 320 Nordstrom stores spread throughout the United States and Canada and the company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Nordstrom is consistently ranked as one of the top companies to work for and has been named the top fashion retailer by WWD. In malls throughout North America Nordstrom is often seen as the anchor store. Aside from the typical Nordstrom stores, some locations also sell home furnishings as well as wedding clothing and supplies. Nordstrom has also expanded to have other stores under its umbrella including Trunk Club Clubhouses, Nordstrom Rack locations, clearance stores, Jeffrey boutiques, and online retailers at nordstrom.com and nordstromrack.com. The company is still family-owned and is committed to giving back to the community. One of the biggest ways Nordstrom gives back is through its Nordstrom Scholarship which has provided financial assistance to college undergraduate students since 1994. Thousands of scholars have been helped to achieve their dreams of a higher education thanks to the financial aid through the Nordstrom Scholarship.
The Nordstrom Scholarship awards deserving high school seniors $10,000 to help pay for their tuition at a four-year college. The money is paid to the scholar in four $2,500 installments every August and recipients are chosen based on their academics, work history, volunteer work, financial need, and school activities. Race, national origin, religion, and gender are not taken into consideration. Applicants for the scholarship must be high school juniors who live in one of the states chosen by Nordstrom, have a proven history of community involvement, maintain a minimum of a 2.7 GPA during highs school, be eligible for financial aid, and must attend a four-year college every year that the scholarship is awarded. To apply for the scholarship, eligible students must complete the online application form and name a staff member from their high school who will write a letter of recommendation. The scholarship application must be submitted by May 1st. Semi-finalists for the scholarship will then be notified after the preliminary selection process and their recommending faculty member will be notified by email before May 16th and asked to send a letter of recommendation along with a PDF of the applicant’s transcripts. The letter of recommendation and transcript must be received by June 1st. The Nordstrom Scholarship is only awarded to students pursuing an undergraduate degree and attending a four-year university in the United States. Questions can be sent to [email protected] or may be asked by calling (319)688-4343. For more than two decades the Nordstrom Scholarship has made dreams come true by providing crucial financial aid to students who are then able to acquire a degree from an accredited university and then enter the workforce as a highly educated individual ready to become a valuable member of society.