Ralph Destino, chairman, Gemological Institute of America Photo by David Beyda

On any analyst's list of jewelry industry imperatives – right up there at the top – you are sure to find the critical need to attract young people to the trade. And not simply to attract them but, further, to provide them with the training they must have to be effective professionals.

That's where GIA comes in.

With the most comprehensive and focused curriculum in the world, and with a dedicated team of teachers to guide them, GIA students have earned an enviable credential that is respected everywhere.

In addition to our campus at the Carlsbad World Headquarters and branches in New York and Los Angeles, GIA operates schools in 10 international countries and offers countless opportunities to study from home. Whether on campus or at home, aspiring professionals are provided with what they need to know to get ahead in their careers.

For some of our students, the costs of a GIA education are covered by their employers, who recognize that the expense is really an investment on which a return will later be realized. For others, the costs are borne by their families, who are committed to providing their children with the best education possible within their chosen trade.

For many other potential students, however, the costs are simply beyond their reach and GIA training only becomes affordable with significant financial aid. With that in mind – and the recognition that the industry's need for young talent must be addressed – GIA developed a scholarship program designed to help deserving applicants who have a passion for a gemological education, but who are without the means to pay for it.

In this issue, you will learn about how GIA scholarships have impacted the lives of six recipients from different parts of the world. As you read their inspiring stories, you will quickly understand why GIA has come to place such a high level of importance on our scholarship program and endowment fund, which provides a large portion of the monies.

You have read about GIA's global expansion program in previous issues of this magazine: new branches in South Africa, India, Thailand and Hong Kong; updated facilities in Italy; and projected classrooms in the Middle East.

Just as we commit our resources to these new locations, so too do we plan to expand our ability to provide scholarships to study at our international locations. The implementation of these opportunities, combined with our existing domestic grants, will result in a scholarship program that will be international in scope to keep pace with all of the other aspects of GIA's global expansion initiative.

It has become abundantly clear that more and more young people all around the world have a desire to learn about the gem and jewelry business. They know how important a GIA credential can be, and we know how the entire industry can benefit from their passion. When some financial aid is necessary to fuel that passion, the GIA scholarship program is ready to help.