MELROSE PARK, Ill., Jan. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Working together to serve
students better, Jewel-Osco and two prominent area schools are strengthening
their efforts to improve classroom education and increase employment
opportunities.
During a recent ceremony, leading representatives from College of DuPage,
Northern Illinois University, and Jewel-Osco unveiled an innovative internship
program to help students earn a four-year degree, and give them top
consideration for post-graduate careers in the retail industry.
The program will make College of DuPage students pursuing an appropriate
associate's degree -- and interested in transferring to NIU -- eligible for
benefits provided by a Jewel-Osco internship.
Benefits include eligibility to apply for $1000 Jewel scholarships while
attending College of DuPage and NIU. Students accepted into the internship
program would work at Jewel-Osco during their freshman and sophomore years
while attending the College of DuPage, and their junior and senior years while
enrolled at NIU.
Upon earning a bachelors degree at NIU, graduates will be given first
consideration for full-time employment at Jewel-Osco based on job performance
and grade-point-average.
As part of the program Jewel-Osco management professionals and associates
will also lead seminars at College of DuPage.
Jewel-Osco's relationship with College of DuPage's cooperative education
program spans more than a decade, providing students with employment
opportunities and on-the-job training. The alliance between Jewel-Osco and
NIU has provided educational and career opportunities for over 15 years.
Jewel-Osco Chief Executive Officer, Greg Josefowicz, said the internship
program will benefit students by providing them with an income, marketable
employment skills, and increased flexibility in their choice of schools.
"The retail industry is going through a dynamic period of change, and we
want these talented, motivated students to be prepared for the future,"
Josefowicz said. "Working with these two outstanding schools, Jewel-Osco will
do all in its power to ensure today's students are ready for tomorrow's
challenges."
Jewel-Osco sponsors a variety of innovative academic programs to benefit
students of all ages. In 1998 the food-and-drug retailer launched a
partnership with Gage Park High School in Chicago to assist students
interested in pharmacy, retail, information technology, and distribution.
Like the partnership with College of DuPage and NIU, the PRIDE program is
designed to assist students in their move from the academic world to the
work-force upon graduation.
College of DuPage cooperative education director, Ron Nilsson, said the
two schools involved in the program have a history of working together on
individual courses and internship programs to benefit students, and it seemed
natural to work with Jewel-Osco on a shared program.
"This is a wonderful internship opportunity for our students," Nilsson
said. "The partnership with College of DuPage, NIU, and Jewel-Osco will build
successful futures."
Jewel-Osco operates 188 stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin.
Of those, 162 are in combination with Osco Drug. Jewel also operates
80 stand-alone Osco Drugstores in Chicagoland and the Milwaukee area. The
company is a subsidiary of American Stores Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, one
of the nation's largest food and drug retailers operating 1568 stores in
26 states.
Jewel-Osco contributes over $1 million annually to support charitable and
community organizations focusing in three main areas; food and nutrition,
health, and education. For almost 100-years Jewel-Osco has demonstrated its
commitment to the communities it serves through charitable contributions and
community outreach programs such as neighborhood festivals and health fairs.
SOURCE Jewel-Osco
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Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/048750.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 048750
CONTACT:
Karen Ramos, Director, Public Relations of
Jewel-Osco, 708-531-6511
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