PAVE — The Planning and Visual Education Partnership
PAVE Mission Statement To support students studying in the field of retail design and planning and visual merchandising through its annual Student Design Competition. PAVE also seeks to encourage retail management, store planners, visual merchandisers, architects, and manufacturers to interact with and support design students. This is accomplished through projects, seminars, workshops, and the annual fundraising Gala with proceeds dedicated to educational programs and projects benefiting students.
The Vision of PAVE The PAVE Board of Directors met in October 2007 for a Strategic Planning session. As a result of the meeting, PAVE is striving to accomplish the following by 2010:
• Create a $1 Million Endowment. By achieving net assets of $1 million by 2010, PAVE will be financially secure to provide programs and events benefiting students. This also will involve the creation of a PAVE Scholarship program.
• Increase Industry Awareness. Raise PAVE's industry profile across all segments.
PAVE Programs PAVE generates revenues through ticket sales and sponsorships of its annual gala, sponsorship of its annual Student Design Competition, and its raffle at GlobalShop. In 2007, PAVE awarded $22,000 to students and the schools they represented. PAVE’s gala in New York
raised over $100,000 for PAVE’s educational programs, making
it the most successful fundraising event in PAVE’s history. PAVE’s new Helping Hand Fund has been created to distribute up to $25,000 in 2008. Through this fund, colleges and universities with students participating in the annual Student Design Competition will be eligible to
apply for grants to assist with their school’s projects and programs for students.
Student Design Competition Now in its 14th year, this competition is open to college–level students involved in retail planning, visual merchandising, store design, and branding programs. Students may enter in one of two categories, visual merchandising design or store planning design, each with separate design challenges. Both design challenges are designed to provide excellent opportunities for students to gain real–life retail design experience. Prizes include grants to students and schools. The grants were increased in 2007, to award a total of $22,000. First place in each category received $3,000, 2nd place $2,000, 3rd place $1,500, and honorable mentions $500 (three in each category). The schools of students placing in the top three of each category receives a $1,000 stipend for each student in the top three to use for their schools programs and services. The 2008 competition is sponsored by Macy’s.
Rising Star Award In keeping with the Planning and Visual Education Partnership’s (PAVE) mission of nurturing and encouraging young talented individuals to ensure the future of the retail design and visual industry, PAVE will once again be presenting the Rising Star Award to recognize the achievements of individuals who have demonstrated talent, vision, and implementation in the retail environment. This award was launched in 2007, and Victor Johnson at Ann Taylor was the winner.
Helping Hand Fund The PAVE Helping Hand Fund provides grant funds to accredited two– and four–year educational institutions to enhance the quality of programs and services to students entering into careers in the retail design and planning, and visual merchandising industries. Grant award amounts are based on the size and scope of the program for which the applicant requests funding. There is no stated limit as to the amount that can be requested or granted by each educational institution. If the grant request meets the criteria, the application will be submitted to a PAVE Board task force for review and the final award decisions. In its inaugural year, the PAVE board is looking forward to awarding up to $25,000 in grants. All applications, including required attachments, must be received on or before Oct. 31, 2008. Note: This is a new program launched in 2008.
PAVE GlobalShop Seminar PAVE holds a seminar during GlobalShop, the industry trade show, each year with proceeds benefitting PAVE. The 2008 speaker was Ray Ehscheid, Bank of America.
Internship Opportunities Students can post their resumes on the A.R.E. career center website at no charge. Then, designers and retailers have access to the resumes when they are seeking candidates to fill their positions. The student resume campaign was launched in April 2008. In 2008, Chute Gerdeman offered the overall store design winner from the 2007 Student Design Competition a paid internship at the Chute Gerdeman offices in Columbus, Ohio.
Many PAVE supporters volunteer their time to have students visit their showrooms or speak to their classes, as well as to hold job shadowing days.
Download full size pdf’s of additional collateral materials.
