With June comes high school and college graduations, and at Cherry Republic it’s a time to celebrate the young men and women who have come to mean so much to us over the years.
Many of our Cherry Ambassadors and Cherry Factory employees work for us part time all through high school with many taking advantage of our Cherry Republic College Match Program (see details below) to help cover tuition costs.
This year we are proud to recognize the accomplishments of 12 bright-eyed, hard-working, and ambitious students representing each of our six retail locations, as well as our Cherry Factory in Empire. We have no doubt they will all go on to do great things in the world! Congratulations and best of luck to:
ANN ARBOR
- Lyra Boyce: An Ann Arbor Pioneer High School grad and CR employee since 2017, Lyra is planning to attend Washtenaw Community College in the fall and continue competitive weightlifting.
- Lindsay Hall: Having earned her Master’s from the University of Michigan, Lindsay has accepted a full time job, but will continue working part time at Cherry Republic.
CHARLEVOIX
- Devin Sutton: A graduate of Charlevoix High School, Devin has been with Cherry Republic since 2015 and will attend Grand Valley State University as a Poly Sci/Pre-Med major in the fall.
EMPIRE
- Alyssa Hlavka: A Maple City Glen Lake High School grad and PTO scholarship winner, Alyssa is Cherry Republic’s Red Ladder Coordinator and plans to attend Northwestern Michigan College in the fall.
- Kaitlyn Schaub: Also a Maple City Glen Lake High School grad and PTO Scholarship winner, Kaitlyn was the Class of 2019 Valedictorian as well as a 4-sport stand-out athlete. She has worked 5 years at Cherry Republic in Assembly.
FRANKENMUTH
- Malek Cummings: A 2019 grad of Frankenmuth High School, Malek has worked at Cherry Republic since 2016 and plans to join the U.S. Navy.
- Legend Quirin: Legend also graduated from Frankenmuth High School and will be attending Delta College in the fall.
GLEN ARBOR
- Sydney Hazelton: A Maple City Glen Lake High School grad and PTO Scholarship winner, Sydney has worked at Cherry Republic since 2014. She plans to complete her Associates degree in Applied Science in the spring of 2020, before transitioning to a university.
- Harley Dunkin-Stevenson: Harley is a Maple City Glen Lake High School graduate, currently working at both Cherry Republic and Leland Township Fire & Rescue Department. She will attend the Northwest Regional Fire Training Center starting in November, followed by EMT training at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.
- Kristin Swanson: Also a graduate of Maple City Glen Lake High School, Kristin was also a PTO Scholarship winner and this will be her fifth year working at Cherry Republic. She plans to attend Northwestern Michigan College for two years before transferring to Ferris State University’s nursing program.
HOLLAND
- Steve Penkevich: Steve recently graduated from Concordia College with a degree in Marketing and Human Resources.
TRAVERSE CITY
- George Whiting: A Traverse City West High School graduate, George will be attending Northwestern Michigan College in the fall and has an interest in studying Engineering.
Cherry Republic College Match Program
Open to all employees who meet certain requirements and are enrolled in a Michigan Education Savings Plan, Cherry Republic’s College Match Program starts with a dollar-for-dollar match in the student’s first year of employment ($1 for each hour worked) and then gradually increases its match by $.50 each year. By the fifth year, Cherry Republic contributes $3 for every $1 the student puts in his or her account.
For more information on openings at Cherry Republic, contact Kelli Stepka or visit CherryRepublic.com/employment.
