The second annual Beatrice Shipley Scholarship—created by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS) in 2019—was awarded to Rachel Burazer, a sales associate and custom designer at Argo & Lehne Jewelers in Columbus, Ohio.
The scholarship will cover complete tuition for the GIA Graduate Gemologist on-campus program in Carlsbad, California, along with the costs of the AGS Way Course and entry to the 2021 AGS Conclave event in Dallas, Texas, September 12–14.
AGS and GIA jointly established the Beatrice Shipley Scholarship, which was announced by Susan Jacques, GIA president and chief executive officer, at the 2019 Conclave. AGS administered the application process and awarded the scholarship.
“AGS would like to thank GIA for their ongoing commitment to AGS and for partnering on this scholarship. Beatrice Shipley, along with her husband, changed the course of the jewelry industry,” said Katherine Bodoh, CEO of the American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories. “We are so pleased to award Rachel with this scholarship. She is passionate about the jewelry industry, bettering herself, and serving her customers. I know this opportunity will propel her career forward.”
Argo & Lehne Jewelers
“Beatrice Shipley was a trailblazing businesswoman who believed in and helped establish GIA and AGS and our shared mission to protect consumers. At the core of this mission is educating the next generation of jewelers, and we are honored to do this together with AGS, our sibling organization,” said Susan Jacques, GIA president and CEO. “Congratulations to Rachel Burazer! I look forward to her continued success as a GIA alumni and member of AGS.”
“Earning this award demonstrates that patience, determination, and loving what you do can get you anywhere in life,” said Ms. Burazer. “I am so grateful to have this help to advance in my career and invest in my future. What an honor it is to represent my company and Beatrice Shipley! Thank you.”
Born in Northeast Ohio, Rachel moved to Chicago, where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design. After working in the food and beverage industry and at Bloomingdale’s, Rachel realized that she needed to combine her hospitality experience with a more refined retail environment. She first worked at Steve Quick Jeweler, where she was given the knowledge and trust to accelerate on her own. With that experience and success, the transition to Argo & Lehne was smooth. Currently, Rachel acts as a mentor to her colleagues, a liaison with many vendors, and an employee trusted by the customers.
Both GIA and AGS were founded in the 1930s when Robert and Beatrice Shipley cashed in their savings to create two organizations with the goal of educating jewelers, professionalizing the industry, and creating a guild for these jewelers to join.
