TJS Awards Five Scholarships for 2025 - INSTORE MAG

Five scholarships were awarded to two designers, two apprentices, and one professional, sponsored by C&J Jewelry, Dougherty Charitable Fund, Mano Acero Jewelry, Stuller, and TechForm.
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(PRESS RELEASE) TROY, MI — TJS (The Jewelry Symposium), the jewelry industry’s annual international event dedicated specifically to the advancement of jewelry manufacturing technology, announced the five scholarship awardees for its 2025 edition. Generously sponsored by C&J Jewelry, Dougherty Charitable Fund, Mano Acero Jewelry, Stuller, and TechForm Advanced Casting, the five scholarships were awarded to two emerging designers, two fine jewelry apprentices, and one young jewelry professional.
“We had a noticeable increase in the number of high-quality scholarship applications this year,” says Linus Drogs, Chairman of the Board at TJS. “Given the attrition of skilled workers happening in our industry, we could not be happier to welcome these talented artisans. We hope that they will gain new skill sets and make connections that will launch their careers, just as so many of us TJS attendees have over the years.”
The five 2025 TJS Scholarship Awardees include:
Christopher Liu, emerging designer, 2019 Saul Bell Design Award winner, Kent State grad student
@chrisliu_jewelry / chrisliustudio.com
“It is an absolute delight to have been awarded the incredible opportunity to attend TJS! I’m looking forward to exploring the immense range of the jewelry industry, face-to-face with industry professionals, craft experts, and educators. I have no doubt that the collective passion and the generosity that is representative of this scholarship and of the community in attendance, will inform the next steps of my career, as the Santa Fe Symposium did for me in 2019.”
Alexa Edwards, young jewelry professional, working at David Fairclough Fine Jewelers in Toledo, OH
linkedin.com/in/alexanedwards
“I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity to attend TJS 2025. Jewelry has been a passion of mine for years, and I can’t wait to learn from industry experts and connect with others who share that same enthusiasm. This symposium is an invaluable chance to gain new insights, explore different techniques, and take the next step in my journey in the field. I’m excited to be part of such an inspiring community!”
Alan Worley, apprentice, caster at Parlé Gems
“I would like to thank the TJS Board for the opportunity to attend this year’s Symposium. The jewelry industry is still very new to me, so I am looking forward to gaining a greater understanding of its scope and scale and to meet more industry professionals and experts. My hope is that I’ll be able to take what I learn and apply it to the daily process of producing high quality jewelry pieces.”
Lucas Shoffner, 19-year-old apprentice at Studio D Jewelers, emerging goldsmith
@lucas_jewelry00
“I am more than excited to be given the opportunity to attend this year’s TJS show! I can’t wait to meet more like-minded people and make some networking connections within the industry. With the support of the scholarship, I am sure that I will be able to expand my network and learn lots of new information to further my career in the field.”
Tivonya Stephenson, Oregon based emerging designer, focused on ethical sourcing
T&L Fine Jewelry / @t_and_l_finejewelry
“I’m passionate about fine jewelry, it’s my beloved art form. This opportunity to attend The Jewelry Symposium is exciting for me because it gives me the chance to learn well beyond “making pretty things” into the vast unknown of technologies that will continue to carry this art form forward. I’m looking forward to meeting other people that are interested in the science behind the jewelry and learning from the community! This kind of information and community has been completely missing from my life thus far, and I’m so grateful to have this opportunity to learn!”
The five scholarships will cover the symposium registration fee, three nights at the venue – the Detroit Marriott Troy hotel May 17th, 18th, & 19th – plus meals catered by TJS, as well as a book, a thumb drive of all presentations, and a formal certificate of attendance.
For more information or event details regarding TJS, visit thejewelrysymposium.com, or email Jessa Cast or jessa@thejewelrysymposium.com.

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