Jewelers of America Announces New Bench Scholarship

New York, NY –Jewelers of America (JA), the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry marketplace, has announced a new bench scholarship aimed to bring new talent into the bench jeweler profession. The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship is a partnership with Jewelers of America and Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman that will provide tuition help to students enrolled in an accredited bench jeweler or metalsmith education program.

“Evelyn and I are thrilled to partner with Jewelers of America to offer this Bench Scholarship. Our goal is to attract new talent and support the jewelry industry by strengthening the industry’s talent pool in bench jewelry,” says Seymour Holtzman.  

The scholarships will be awarded to students currently enrolled in jewelry or metalsmithing programs at an accredited college, university, or training school. Recipients will be selected by a committee in June and are awarded scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $5,000.

“Jewelers of America is deeply grateful for the Holtzmans’ shared commitment to helping fellow jewelers through this new scholarship. Bench jewelers are more important than ever to retail businesses, and JA hopes to provide programs and tools to ensure talented individuals continue to enter and excel in the bench jeweler field,” says JA President & CEO David Bonaparte.

Applications for the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship are open through June 12, 2024. 

In addition to the Bench Scholarship, Jewelers of America is now accepting enrollments for its Jewelers of America Scholarship Program, which is open to employees of JA Member companies, on renowned industry diploma, professional development, and certification programs. JA awards scholarships during the enrollment period from May 1, 2024 through August 31^st, 2024.

Scholarships can be awarded programs and certifications from the American Gem Society (AGS), Diamond Council of America (DCA), Jewelers of America Bench Professional Certification, Gemological Institute of America (GIA), and National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA).

Applicants must be an employee at a JA Member store and at least 18 years of age. They must have at least one year’s experience working in a JA Member store and are not already enrolled in another home study course from any of the educational providers. 

To make sure scholarship funds are widely distributed among members, scholarships will be awarded to only one person per store – a limit of three per membership – during the enrollment period from May 1 through August 31. Scholarships are awarded based on the availability of funds.

For more information and to download the application, visit Jewelers of America's website or contact JA’s Member Services at (800) 223-0673.

Seymour and Evelyn Holtzman