We’re excited to announce that two Oregon residents are among the first class of the DaySavers Higher Potential Scholarship Award Winners, a first-of-its-kind initiative to help forge the next generation of cannabis industry leadership.
Consisting of more than 200 prizes totaling more than $25,000, the Higher Potential Scholarship provides opportunities for current and future members of the industry, all donated by 25 different brands, businesses and organizations inside the cannabis space.
This week, Sherita Coleman of Portland, Oregon, was named a Top Award Recipient and was awarded a tuition-free seat to the Operator Academy, a consulting mentorship with CEO and host of The Canna Boss Babes podcast, free seats in the Green CulturED Responsible Vendor Training Program and a specialized certificate program of their choosing, and two tickets to the annual Washington Cannabis Summit from The Cannabis Alliance.
“I am so excited,” Coleman said after receiving the news. “I’m feeling so blessed right now.”
Coleman has worked at several cannabis retailers since 2018 and founded Face4wrd Tailored Services, which draws on her experience to provide consulting, training and brand ambassador services to help cannabis businesses strengthen their foundation. She plans to continue to work to break the stigma associated with cannabis by emphasizing education and sustainable practices.
“I want to be part of shaping the future of cannabis as a professionalized, sustainable, and equitable industry,” Coleman wrote in her essay. “By creating training programs, publishing resources, and mentoring the next generation of professionals, I hope to give others the tools I wish I had when I started out.”
Additionally, Jennifer Joseph, also of Portland was awarded free seats in the Green CulturED Responsible Vendor Training Program and a specialized certificate program of their choosing.
Joseph is a former High Times magazine employee whose career has focused on children and adults with special needs, including time as an Autism Behavioral Specialist and Speech-Language Pathology Assistant. She has a master’s degree in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics from the University of Maryland, Baltimore and hopes to find a place in the wellness side cannabis industry where she can make a “real difference.”
Winners come from 30 different states and were selected based on their application and personal essay detailing their background, interests, passion and journey in the cannabis space.
The Higher Potential Scholarship Initiative is part of DaySavers’ broader mission to advance cannabis education, equity and industry innovation. Founding sponsors include Custom Cones USA, the DaySavers family of brands, Ganjier, SUNY Niagara and Cannabis & Tech Today, among others.
“These awards will help provide potentially life-changing access to education about one of the fastest-growing and most exciting industries in the country, impacting both the lives of the students and the business of cannabis in general,” said James Valentine, DaySavers’ Communications & Content Marketing Manager and Scholarship Administrator. “This is an investment in people and in the future of the industry.”
Other Higher Potential Scholarship recipients received:
- Education & Resources: Tuition-free seats in cannabis programs from Ganjier, SUNY Niagara, Operator Academy, Green CulturED, Veterinary Cannabis Society, and resources from DaySavers, Sage Advice, Women Employed in Cannabis, and CannaSiteCo.
- Mentorship: One-on-one developmental mentorships and experiences with industry leaders Dr. Miyabe Shields and Dr. Riley Kirk (Co-Founders of Network of Applied Pharmacognosy), Harrison Bard and Fredrik Rading (Co-Founders of Custom Cones USA), Jessica Ferranti (Founder & CEO of The Mycelia Group), Erin Kirk, Esq. (Connecticut Cannabis Ombudsman), Ashley Manta (Creator of CannaSexual), Trinity Madison (Founder & CEO of Camp Laughing Grass), Ishqa Hillman (Founder & Host of The Canna Boss Babes), and M. Omari Jackson (Founder & CEO of Ganjactivist).
- Industry Access: Event access and editorial opportunities through Marijuana Venture, Cannabis & Tech Today, NECANN, IgniteIt Cannabis, CannaCon, The Cannabis Alliance, Fill-a Blunts, and Smoke Temple.