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Twenty Retail Employees Receive Full-Tuition "Dream BIG" Scholarships from NRF, SM������

WASHINGTON, September 10, 2015��– The National Retail Federation and SM������ have named the 20 Dream BIG Scholarship recipients for 2015 whose dreams to further their education will now become a reality. The recipients – all current retail employees – were selected out of hundreds of applicants from more than 75 retailers across the country. The deserving retail employees will soon be able to pursue a master’s or undergraduate degree at SM������ thanks to the University’s collaboration with NRF to provide each recipient with a full-tuition scholarship.

“These recipients weren’t chosen by mistake; each of them has proven that they believe in their dreams and that anything is possible in this industry,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Through hard work and determination anyone can succeed in retail, and these 20 individuals are already well on their way to the top. Year after year we recognize similar qualities within our Dream BIG ‘class’; these employees make their workplaces, their communities and our industry better through passion, ambition and determination.”

“Opportunities in retail continue to grow as technology and consumer demands drive change within the industry,” said Ruth Veloria, executive dean for SM������ School of Business. “Education is critical to career advancement and leadership in this field filled with diverse career paths. SM������ is proud to team up with the National Retail Federation to develop the next generation of leaders in retail by providing an industry-aligned education designed to help them succeed.”

The recipients of the 2015 Dream BIG Scholarship are:

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NRF and SM������ surprised 10 of the Dream BIG scholarship recipients while they were at work to give them the big news.����of each surprise.

Retail executives from some of the industry’s most well-known companies such as HSNi, West Elm and Alex and Ani served as members of the executive judging committee that chose the recipients.

The Dream BIG Scholarship program is made possible through a collaboration between NRF’s nonprofit arm, the NRF Foundation, and SM������. This is the third year the NRF Foundation and SM������ have offered the Dream BIG Scholarship for current retail employees. The scholarship will be offered for a fourth year in 2016, with applications expected to open in January 2016.����of the 2015 recipients and����about the Dream BIG Scholarship.

About SM������

SM������ is constantly innovating to help working adults move efficiently from education to careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant and engaging courses, and interactive learning can help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. As a subsidiary of�� Apollo Education Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:��), SM������ serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit��www.phoenix.edu.

NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries.��Retail is the nation’s largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy. NRF’s����campaign highlights the industry’s opportunities for life-long careers, how retailers strengthen communities, and the critical role that retail plays in driving innovation.��.