Student Programs and Awards

LEF offers an array of programs and events to talented Business and Design students who want to become part of the luxury industry.

Click on a program to learn more about it!

  • In this half-semester, intense masterclass, 24 MBA candidates from Columbia Business School work in teams of eight to solve timely case studies created exclusively for this class by three LEF brand partners.

    Learn more about our Master Class here!

  • This course examines the challenges and opportunities in the luxury industry by studying multiple aspects of the business, from strategic planning and performance analysis to campaign initiatives and budgetary planning.

    Learn more about our Block Week here!

  • These intimate breakfast sessions allow a limited number of students committed to the luxury goods space to have rare access to important figures in the luxury field, and engage in informal and intimate dialogue with the presidents and CEOs of leading luxury firms.

  • This series of educational company tours allows a select group of 25 students to spend the day at the New York headquarters of leading luxury firms for a rare glimpse into the day-to-day operations behind the luxury sector’s most renowned brands.

  • This program is for Columbia Business School students to thoroughly experience working in luxury retailing. LEF’s Retailing Internship Program allows MBA students to better grasp the day-to-day retail operations of luxury brands.

  • This series of executive programming is designed to address a narrow brand specific topic or issue that a company is facing, allowing a small group of 8–10 select LEF students and alumni to participate in providing solutions and implementation strategy.

  • The Luxury Round Table is an annual panel discussion in which three to four industry leaders share their views on current trends and challenges facing the industry with an enthusiastic group of business and design students, alumni, and friends of LEF.

    Past Luxury Round Table topics have included Luxury, Culture, and Entertainment: Reflecting the Times?; Luxury & Diversity Inclusion; Luxury in 2020 and Beyond: Surviving or Succeeding?; and Blockchain and Luxury.

  • This lunchtime panel discussion provides MBA students interested in retail and luxury with the rare opportunity to have an open dialogue with leading professionals and gain a better understanding of career paths and opportunities for MBA graduates in the retail and luxury industry.

  • In the PhD Luxury Leadership Series, current PhD candidates have the opportunity to engage in an intimate setting with seasoned luxury executives on various aspects of their own research pertaining to this industry.

Student Awards

LEF PhD Scholarship Award

Launched in 2009, the LEF PhD Scholarship Program provides annual scholarships to PhD students at Columbia Business School (CBS) and Design students from Parsons The New School for Design. The scholarships are awarded to students who exhibit an extraordinary level of leadership and innovation in their work, and whose accomplishments are a testament to their commitment and talent in their fields.

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Fall 2023
Daniel Russman (CBS)

Jack Chen (CBS)

Jennifer Sun & Eric Park (CBS)

Jasmine Yang (CBS)

Xinyu Wei (CBS)

Fall 2021
Byung Lee Cheol (CBS)

Jasmine Yang (CBS)

Sibel Souzer (CBS)

Sonia Kim (CBS)

Fall 2019

Jennifer Sun (CBS)

Malek A Ben Sliman (CBS)

Maayan Malter (CBS)

Yada Thanyodom (Parsons) 

Teaching Assistant Merit Award

This award is presented to Columbia Business School first year students who demonstrate exceptional commitment and deep interest in the luxury field. The selected students will receive in-depth mentoring from the LEF President and other members.

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Fall 2023 - Spring 2024
Kristina Miele
Columbia Business School Candidate ‘24

Maria Alonso-Torras
Columbia Business School Candidate ‘24

Fall 2022 - Spring 2023
Aileen Lee
Columbia Business School ‘23

Allison Bart
Columbia Business School ‘23

Fall 2021 - Spring 2022
Francesca Magri
Columbia Business School ‘22

Soyeun Yang
Columbia Business School ‘22

Fall 2019 - Spring 2020
Christina Clark
Columbia Business School ‘20

Fall 2018 - Spring 2019
Brittany Ng
Columbia Business School ‘19

Fall 2017 - Spring 2018
Lauren O’ Meara
Columbia Business School ‘18