We’re excited to announce that an Arkansas resident is 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, Angelina Smith of Fayetteville, Arkansas, received a tuition-free seat at the Operator Academy, free spots in the Green CulturED Responsible Vendor Training Program and a specialized certificate program of their choosing, and consulting and mentorship sessions with CEO and host of The Canna Boss Babes podcast.
“I’m so excited for this opportunity,” Smith said following her award announcement.
Smith is the founder of the ZaZa digital media brand and an advocate for the mindful, therapeutic use of cannabis. She is focused on helping break the stigma associated with cannabis and applied to the Higher Potential Scholarship to help enhance her knowledge and skills and to meet with industry leaders to learn how to further advance both ZaZa and her career in the industry.
“ZaZa is breaking stigma, creating visibility, and highlighting the people and products that make this plant so powerful,” Smith wrote in her essay. “My vision is to scale ZaZa into a cannabis-centered digital media agency that travels, collaborates, and elevates the culture nationwide.”
“This specialized education would allow me to strengthen ZaZa’s foundation, add authority to my storytelling, and expand the value I provide to both patients and brands,” she added.
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.