ATLANTA, Ga. – The Spherion Staffing and Recruiting (Spherion) franchise community announced today that three 2023 high school graduates, Jocelyn Stopka, Ella Riddle and Amari Johnson are the winners of its annual Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship. The three $3,000 scholarships, created in honor of former Spherion President Sandy Mazur, recognize graduating high school students who best represent the qualities of excellence, leadership and passion that Mazur put forth daily during her distinguished 18-year career at Spherion.

“Year after year, we are inspired by the remarkable dedication showcased by every scholarship applicant in their pursuit to make a positive impact on the world,” stated Mazur. “As we enter the fourth consecutive year of our scholarship program, I am privileged to continue working hand-in-hand with representatives from the Spherion franchisee network as they champion the growth of future leaders within their local communities.”

Each year, Spherion franchise owners celebrate Mazur’s impactful career by donating to the scholarship fund and keeping her “pay it forward” mentality at the forefront of their community. Her willingness to “go the extra mile” for others has inspired Spherion franchisees to help students aspiring to further their education with college, technical or skilled training. 

The Spherion Scholarship Advisory Board, led by franchisees Beth DeLaney and Michael Chalmers, coordinates with nonprofit The Richland County Foundation to review hundreds of applicants and choose the finalists. From there, a group of franchise community representatives including DeLaney, Chalmers and Mazur choose the winners. With names and locations removed, the group reviewed the applicants and selected Jocelyn Stopka, Ella Riddle and Amari Johnson as the 2023 scholarship recipients.

“We are absolutely thrilled to honor Jocelyn, Ella and Amari this year. Their exceptional achievements ignite excitement and inspire us all,” said Rebecca Rogers Tijerino, group president of Spherion. “Sandy has played a pivotal role as a crusader for our network’s mission of community engagement, and this scholarship continues to serve as a resounding testament to her outstanding contributions to Spherion.” 

For more information about the Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship, visit spherion.com/scholarship. 

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