The Women’s Jewelry Association [WJA] is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 WJA Foundation Scholarships. Each year, these awards support emerging and established jewelry professionals pursuing education, professional growth, and leadership within our industry.
WJA said, “We congratulate all of this year’s recipients and celebrate their passion, creativity, and commitment to advancing the world of jewelry!”
2025 Stuller Bench Jeweler Scholarship recipient; 1: Alejandra Garcia: Alejandra Garcia is an emerging bench jeweler whose artistry and precision reflect her dedication to the craft. With a strong foundation in metalsmithing and repair, she has developed a skill set that balances technical expertise with a deep appreciation for design.
2025 Hedda Shupak-Baum Memorial Scholarship recipient; Nadja de Sá Van Diest: Nadja de Sá Van Diest: Nadja de Sá Van Diest is a Colorado-based bench jeweler and storyteller whose career bridges luxury jewelry sales, hands-on bench work, and a deep passion for narrative and community.
2025 Helene Fortunoff Women in Retail Scholarship recipient; Shanon Sallis: Shanon Sallis: Shanon Sallis is a dedicated jewelry professional whose career blends artistry, precision, and a deep respect for the traditions of fine jewelry. With experience spanning design, bench work, and client collaboration, she approaches her craft with both technical mastery and creativity.
2025 Cindy Edelstein Scholarship recipient; Ani Khachian: Ani Khachian: Ani Khachian is a jewelry designer and creative visionary whose work reflects both her technical training and her passion for storytelling through design. With a background rooted in fine arts and a growing expertise in metalsmithing, Ani approaches jewelry as a powerful medium for expressing culture, identity, and emotion.
2025 Gabriel Love Scholarship recipient; Elizabeth Alli. Elizabeth Alli: Elizabeth Alli is a gemology student pursuing a Graduate Gemology degree through the online program at the Gemological Institute of America. An accomplished scientist in the field of cancer biology and pharmacology, Elizabeth is making a midlife career transition to follow her passion for jewelry and gems.
2025 Student Scholarship recipient; Elle Jerge: Elle Jerge: Gabrielle “Elle” Jerge is a jewelry designer pursuing her BFA in Jewelry Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Her work unites storytelling, femininity, and technical innovation that is taking inspiration from film, travel, and the duality between beauty and mystery found in both jewelry and storytelling.
Angel Fund scholarship; the WJA Foundation’s Membership Angel Fund was created to expand access to WJA membership by covering the annual dues for selected recipients. This fund supports students, emerging professionals, and those in transition within the jewelry industry, giving them the opportunity to connect, learn, and grow within the WJA community.
Here are the 2025 Angel Fund recipients are; 1: Hoda Rahbarnik, 2: Paulina Aguilera, 3: Marilyn Grando, 4: Virginiah Nyambura, 5: Temidayo Ogunleye, 6: Dariia Diachok, 7: Geeta Van Goethem, 8: Tiffany Bennett & Sandra Tourne.
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Heera Zhaveraat (HZ International) A Diamond, Watch and Jewellery Trade Promotion Magazine provide dealers and manufactures with the key analytical information they need to succeed in the luxury industry. Pricing, availability and market information in the Magazine provides a critical edge.
