Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
OtherJul 22, 2014
WJA grants 8 scholarships to jewelry students
Eight students currently studying jewelry and metalsmithing at various colleges across the country and abroad have been awarded scholarships from the Women’s Jewelry Association.
New York--Eight students currently studying jewelry and metalsmithing at various colleges across the country and abroad have been awarded scholarships from the Women’s Jewelry Association.
The scholarships, which total $16,000, will benefit the students for the 2014-2015 school year.
The organization’s annual Awards for Excellence gala, raffle and silent auction raise money for the scholarships, as do member donations, sponsors and financial support from the Marilyn DaSilva Fund, June Herman Fund and Myra Goldstein Scholarship Fund.
The recipients of the scholarships are as follows.
--Melissa Cousins, University of Georgia
$4,000 June Herman Designer/Creator Scholarship Award
Cousins double majors in jewelry and metals and marine biology, and plans to use her scholarship to study intermediate and advanced metals, advanced jewelry, scientific illustration and ceramics. She said her goals are to open her own custom/handmade jewelry shop and become a gemologist.
--Sylvie Alusitz, Rochester Institute of Technology
$2,500 Myra Goldstein Designer/Creator Scholarship Award
Alusitz is majoring in jewelry/metalsmithing and also studying art history, book binding, welding, flame working and the uses of wood, glass, fibers and clay. She has worked as a bench jeweler intern and assistant jeweler at several wholesale and retail jewelry firms.
--Eunwha Son, University of Kansas
$2,000 Marilyn DaSilva Designer/Creator Scholarship Award
Son is in a metals/jewelry graduate program and has won a variety of scholarships in both South Korea and the United States, including receiving the Myra Goldstein WJA Student Scholarship in 2013. Her goal is to obtain a professional position in the jewelry industry, specializing in design within the nexus of art, fashion and fine jewelry.
--Katelyn Butler, Missouri State University
$1,500 Designer/Creator Scholarship Award
Butler is majoring in jewelry/metalsmithing and will be using her scholarship to study 3-D printing, advanced metalsmithing, contemporary art and medieval art. She also has won a separate scholarship to attend the 2014 Society of North American Goldsmiths conference.
--Amanda Ortman, Virginia Commonwealth University
$1,000 Designer/Creator Scholarship
Ortman is a sculpture major and also studies craft and materials, art history and product innovation. She plans to use her scholarship toward classes in ancient Peruvian textiles, advanced sculpture and math modeling.
--Lopeeta Tawde, University of Kansas
$1,000 Designer/Creator Scholarship
Tawde is pursuing a master of fine arts degree in metalsmithing and jewelry design, and plans to use her scholarship toward classes in the Matrix CAD design program, gemology and the history of jewelry. Her ultimate goal is to
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
work as a jewelry artist and pursue a career in academia.
--Maggie Horvath, Savannah College of Art and Design
$2,000 Designer Scholarship
Horvath is studying contemporary jewelry and 3-D visualization as she pursues a master of fine arts in jewelry. She has participated in juried exhibitions, including the Kutztown University exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, and her long-term plan is to become a high school teacher or professor.
--Dorothy Cheng, West Dean College, United Kingdom
$2,000 Non-Designer Scholarship
Cheng is studying for her master’s degree in the conservation of metalwork at West Dean College in England, and has worked as a maker of production, custom and art jewelry. Her goal is to continue her jewelry studio practice while freelancing as a metalwork conservator.
A WJA scholarship jury, headed by Lisa Slovis Mandel, chair of the WJA Scholarship Fund Board of Trustees, evaluated this year’s scholarship applicants. Her committee included WJA representatives from across the country.
Additional information about WJA scholarships and grants can be found on the WJA website.
Editor's note: This story was updated to correct the name of the scholarship winner from the Rochester Institute of Technology. It is Sylvie, not Sylvia, Alusitz.
More on Other
The Latest
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
