HIGH POINT, N.C., April 26, 2023 – Hannah Robertson, a Class of 2023 interior design and visual merchandising major from Richmond, Virginia, was honored as the 2023 recipient of the Havertys Cup.
“I was really surprised and happy to receive it,” said Robertson. “I had heard about the award since I came to HPU and wondered who gets it and why. I was surprised and grateful for receiving it.”
The Havertys Cup was established in 1986 by the late Rawson Haverty to honor annually an outstanding graduating senior in one of the home furnishings related programs at High Point University. The tribute was created to encourage students to pursue a career in the home furnishings industry.
Robertson recently accepted a job with Jennifer Stoner Interiors, a luxury residential design firm in Richmond, Virginia. She interned there last summer. At HPU, Robertson has proven to be an outstanding student. She has been a member of the Italian Club on campus and gained experiential learning experience by working at the High Point Market with Currey & Company. She was a Dean’s List recipient each semester since arriving at HPU and will graduate Summa Cum Laude.
Robertson received a personal replica of the Havertys Cup and a $3,000 award. Her name will be engraved on the base of the Havertys Cup, which is on permanent display in the library of Norton Hall on HPU’s campus. Steve Burdette, president of Havertys Furniture, and Scott T. Miles, senior vice president of stores for Havertys Furniture, presented the award while they were in High Point to attend the spring High Point Market.
“We’ve got a long relationship with High Point University,” said Miles. “We’re just pleased to be able to participate in the Havertys Cup scholarship. It’s an honor to continue a longstanding relationship with High Point University and to be able to honor Hannah for her scholastic achievement.”
Havertys Furniture tries to hire recipients of the Havertys Cup unless they have landed other jobs first, Burdette said. Nearly half of the recipients have gained their first full-time jobs working for Havertys.
“We still think it’s great because it promotes the industry, promotes what we’re doing and gets more young people involved in retail,” said Burdette. “If you like people, it’s a great business. It’s a fun business.”
Havertys stays in contact with many HPU graduates, not only recipients of the Havertys Cup but those who have become employees, said Miles. Store managers have visited the HPU campus periodically to make presentations to furniture design students, said Burdette.