Articles and News

GIA Sets Career Fair; Names Corporate Counsel

Carlsbad, CA—GIA (Gemological Institute of America) has announced the appointment of Jennifer Treese Wilson as corporate counsel. In this new position, she will initially support GIA’s worldwide education programs. 

Wilson holds a law degree from the University of San Diego, where she also completed her undergraduate studies. For the past 14 years she has served in positions of increasing responsibility at Alliant International University and its predecessors, most recently as vice president for administration and general counsel of the international nonprofit educational institution. In addition, she has more than 10 years of experience as an associate and partner with law firms in San Diego.

“Jennifer brings a rare mix of valuable skills and experience to GIA,” said Susan Jacques, chair of the GIA board of governors. “Her nearly 15 years of progressively more critical responsibilities in the international nonprofit education sector put her in a unique position to help carry forward GIA’s public benefit mission as we educate the next generation of global gem and jewelry professionals.”

Separately, GIA’s annual Jewelry Career Fair & Open House is set for October 11. More than 25 gem and jewelry companies are expected to be present at the jewelry industry’s preeminent job recruiting event, looking to hire hundreds of professionals at every career stage, in roles across the industry from design and appraisal to retail sales and diamond grading.

The free event also marks the only time each year that GIA’s Carlsbad campus is open to the public without appointment. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the campus, 5345 Armada Drive. Industry recruiters will be available from 10:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

In addition to hiring opportunities and one-on-one career coaching, the event will feature a variety of panel presentations. The schedule is: 

8:30-10 a.m.: “Job Success in Today’s Market” moderated by Susan M. Jacques, chair of the GIA board of governors. Panelists are Lex Graham, retail jeweler at Betteridge Jewelers; Douglas Hucker, CEO of the American Gem Trade Association; and Dione D. Kenyon, president and CEO of the Jewelers Board of Trade.

10:30-11:30 a.m.: “From Design to Finish” moderated by Victoria Gomelsky, editor-in-chief of JCK magazine. Panelists are Erica Courtney, designer and president of Erica Courtney, Inc.; Alishan Halebian, designer and owner of Alishan; Charlie Herner, CAD/CAM director of Green Lake Jewelry Works; and Erik Stewart, owner of Erik Stewart Jewelry.

1-2 p.m.: “Creative Careers” moderated by Mark Smelzer, publisher of JCK magazine and JCKonline.com. Panelists are Rebecca Boyajian, director of communications for Bill Boyajian & Associates Inc; Au-Co Mai, president and CEO of Emitations.com; Yancy Weinrich, group vice president of JCK Shows; and Hutton Wilkinson, president and creative director of Tony Duquette, Inc.

Attendees will be among the first to see Hollywood design legends Tony Duquette and Hutton Wilkinson’s first-ever all-jewelry exhibit, “More is More: Tony Duquette - Hutton Wilkinson Jewelry,” which debuts the night prior. The more than fifty emblematic jewelry creations on display by the design duo embrace a wide variety of styles, periods and palettes often showcasing unusual gemstones paired with rare materials in whimsical designs.

Anyone interested in attending is urged to RSVP prior to the event. For more details, click here or email careerfair@gia.edu.

MJSA Education Foundation Awards 2013 Scholarships

East Providence, RI—The MJSA Education Foundation (a non-profit subsidiary of MJSA, the association for jewelry makers and designers), recently awarded nearly $6,000 in scholarships to four students pursuing degrees related to jewelry making and design. The Foundation supports programs that help to ensure the industry maintains a qualified, competitive workforce. The 2013 scholarship winners are Melis Agabigum, who received a $2,450 toward her MFA in Metalsmithing/Jewelry and Intermedia (integrated/mixed mediums and installation) at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; William Yang, who received a $2,450 scholarship toward a BFA in Jewelry at the Pratt Institute in New York City, and is due to graduate in 2014; Carly Cook, who received a $500 scholarship toward her certificate studies at the Lorenzo de’ Medici Italian International Institute in Florence, Italy, where she is pursuing a Jewelry Art and Design Professional certificate; and Ryan Tosh, received a $500 scholarship and is scheduled to earn his BFA in Fine Arts from Purdue University in Indiana in May.

Since 1997, the MJSA Education Foundation has awarded more than $170,000 in scholarships to students enrolled in jewelry design, jewelry making, or other jewelry-related degree programs at colleges, universities, and technical schools throughout the United States. Funds for the scholarships are generated through the MJSA Education Foundation Scholarship Group.

Any student enrolled in a jewelry program, who intends to pursue a career in the jewelry industry and can demonstrate financial need, is eligible to apply for an MJSA Education Foundation scholarship. Applicants are assessed on the basis of course of study, academics, career plans, recommendations, and industry experience. Students must be U.S. citizens. To learn more about scholarship opportunities and the MJSA Education Foundation, click here or call (800) 444-MJSA (6572).