EIF honors 2010 Helen Brett scholarship recipients

The Exhibition Industry Foundation (EIF) congratulates the recipients of this year’s Helen Brett^TM Scholarship; Gabriel Cortez, Cory Hall and Melodie Hilliard.


The Helen BrettTM Scholarship was established by Robert Kolinek, CEM, CMP, and named for his grandmother, Helen Brett, who was a pioneer in the tradeshow industry. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist individuals who are exploring the study of exhibition management with the end goal of advancing their career in this field.

“The Exhibition Industry Foundation is proud to help these deserving students advance their careers,” said Kolinek. “New talent, such as these scholarship recipients, combined with the experience of industry veterans keeps the exhibition industry growing and going strong.”

The scholarship serves to promote the exhibitions and events industry by attracting college-level students into the field of study and encouraging their pursuit with financial support. Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis based on field of study, recommendations and educational achievement.

Preference is given to those expressing an interest in the exhibition management industry field and those enrolled in degree programs which are viewed as particularly relevant to this field.

“My first experience with the exhibition industry was as a child,” said Gabriel Cortez, a student at UC Berkeley. “Every year, my father regularly participated in Magic, an annual international summit of sorts for the fashion industry. His excitement for the event rubbed off on me, as he would come back every year with samples of clothing from his favorite brands, always making sure to bring me something too.”

“My grandparents own and operate a hand crafted jewelry company that was established in 1975,” Cory Hall, a student at Texas A&M University. “I have grown up watching and accompanying my grandmother on sales trips, going to market exhibition shows, visiting small businesses, and attending fairs and festivals. The exhibition and events industry provides a great bridge to pursue business ideas and to enhance the business community.”

“Majoring in recreation and event management at the University of Florida was not a difficult decision,” Melodie Hillier, at the University of Florida. “My love for coordinating events and desire to learn more about the field motivated me to pursue a career in this industry.”

The 2010 Helen Brett^TM Scholars will be recognized during Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition to be held 7-9 December 2010 in New Orleans, La.