Natalie Frauenheim, a senior majoring in finance and supply chain management at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, is one of five students to receive an Excellence in Education Scholarship by AWESOME (Achieving Women's Excellence in Supply Chain Operations, Management & Education), a national organization which advances women's leadership in supply chain management.

"To be one of the final five is validation that you are doing the right things and other people recognize it," said Stephanie Thomas, clinical assistant professor in Walton College's Department of Supply Chain Management.

Each year the organization invites faculty at universities with top supply chain programs to nominate one female student leader to compete for the scholarship.

"I believe Natalie was selected for this national award because she is really the total package supply chain student," Thomas said. "She's excelled in her classes. She has gotten work and leadership experience during her undergraduate career. She's president of an organization focused on promoting women in supply chain, which is a key initiative of AWESOME as well. Finally, she is a charming, humble, hard-working young woman."

The scholarship will allow Frauenheim to attend the Annual CSCMP Edge Conference in September 2020 and the 2021 AWESOME Symposium tentatively scheduled for early May or June 2021.

"I am thrilled to be able to attend these conferences as this will allow me to broaden my supply chain network and will also allow me to meet even more exemplary supply chain leaders," Frauenheim said. "I think it is so important for young professionals, like myself, to experience educational and inspiring conferences with the nation's supply chain professionals."

In summer 2020, Frauenheim will be interning at Lockheed Martin as a supply chain intern in the Missiles and Fire Control Department in Grand Prairie, Texas. During the summer of 2019, she interned at Maxim Integrated in Addison, Texas, where she learned project management skills.

Frauenheim serves as president of Women Impacting Supply Chain Excellence departmental student organization and as the payroll coordinator for Delta Delta Delta social sorority at the U of A.