Spherion Awards Three High School Graduates with Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship

Franchise Community Honors Sandy Mazur’s Legacy with Its Largest Scholarship to Date, Supporting Students’ Higher Education Dreams

ATLANTA – Spherion Staffing and Recruiting (Spherion) announced today that its franchise community, in partnership with the Richland County Foundation, has awarded $5,000 each to five students across the country: Aaron Hudson, Estrella Ruiz-Sotelo, Lucas Cianflone, Amanda Han, and Jessica Pardo-Montoya. 

In its sixth year, the Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship was created in honor of former Spherion President Sandy Mazur to recognize outstanding students who embody the qualities of excellence, leadership, and passion that Mazur exhibited daily throughout her distinguished 18-year career at Spherion. Awarding a total of $25,000, this year marks the company’s largest class of recipients. 

“Every year, I’m amazed by these students: their drive, their creativity, and the ways they’re already making a difference in their communities,” said Mazur. “I feel incredibly privileged to have watched this scholarship program grow to where it is today. The best part is knowing that opportunities like these open doors for students determined to leave their mark on their communities. It’s a reminder that the lessons and principles that guided me in my career are still alive and making a real impact today.”  

For the past six years, Spherion franchisees have celebrated Mazur’s inspirational career by donating to the scholarship fund, keeping her “pay it forward” mentality at the forefront of their businesses. Her willingness to go the extra mile for others has encouraged Spherion franchisees to help students further their education through college, technical, or skilled training. 

The Spherion Scholarship Advisory Board, led by franchisees Beth DeLaney and Michael Chalmers, coordinates with Ohio-based nonprofit The Richland County Foundation to review hundreds of applicants and choose the finalists. From there, franchise community representatives, including DeLaney, Chalmers, and Mazur, choose the winners. With names and locations removed, the group reviewed the applicants and selected Hudson, Ruiz-Sotelo, Cianflone, Han, and Pardo-Montoya based on their high school achievements, aspirations to serve others, and future academic plans.

"This scholarship is always one of the highlights of our year at Spherion. It’s incredible to see our franchisees and communities rally together to support such deserving students. Aaron, Estrella, Lucas, Amanda, and Jessica truly represent the heart of what this program is all about. They’ve already shown leadership, service, and compassion – all qualities we hope to see in our future leaders,” said Kathy George, president of Spherion Staffing and Recruiting.

 “Sandy’s legacy reminds us why we do what we do: to invest in people, strengthen our communities, and create opportunities that have the potential to change lives for the better. Celebrating the largest scholarship award yet is proof of the impact we can make when we come together.”

For more information about the Sandy Mazur Excellence in Leadership Scholarship, visit spherion.com/scholarship.

About Spherion

Transform your workforce with Spherion Staffing & Recruiting, where local expertise meets national connections. For more than 75 years, we've been strategically helping businesses and job seekers thrive across America. Backed by the world’s most equitable and specialized talent company, our network of independent franchisees brings personalized service to 200+ communities, connecting more than 4,000 businesses with exceptional candidates through temporary, temp-to-hire, direct hire, and on-site hiring solutions. Our commitment to being a premier staffing partner shows through results: Our 4.8/5 national Google review rating and recognition as a Top 10 Staffing Company to Work for by World Staffing Awards, plus inclusion on Franchise Business Review’s Top 200 Franchises and a #68 ranking on Entrepreneur magazine's 2025 Franchise 500 list. Partner with Spherion to strengthen your business or transform your career.

About the Richland County Foundation

The Richland County Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization, was established in 1945 as a way for individuals to pool and invest their gifts for the long-term good of Richland County (Ohio) and its residents.

The Foundation helps people in Richland County give back to their community by investing their gifts for charity wisely so that grants can be made to improve the quality of life for all the county’s citizens. Working together with donors, the Foundation meets important needs today and plans for a strong future.

For more information about the Richland County Foundation, please visit https://www.richlandcountyfoundation.org