We’re proud to announce the winners of the eleventh annual Shelving.com Business Scholarship—a contest dedicated to supporting the academic and professional aspirations of Michigan’s brightest future business leaders.
Founded in Detroit and now headquartered in Madison Heights, Shelving.com has always believed in the power of local students to make meaningful change. This scholarship is available exclusively to Michigan residents pursuing a business-related degree, with applicants evaluated on academic achievement, community involvement, and a compelling essay on how they plan to use their education to benefit others.
The top scholarship of $4,000 was awarded to Gavin Hubner from West Olive. The second-place prize of $2,500 went to Rachael Kim from Rochester Hills, and the third-place scholarship of $1,500 was a tie between Kevin Zheng from Saginaw and Vincenzo Bonanni from Chesterfield.
“At Shelving Inc., we are deeply invested in the success of our local community, and we are honored to help Michigan students achieve their academic and professional goals,” said company President Michael Schodowski. “My father founded our company with the goal of helping others, and we’ve carried that mission forward through initiatives like this scholarship. Every year, we’re inspired by the resilience, drive, and compassion of these students.”
Gavin Hubner | West Olive, Michigan
Gavin is studying Political Economy at Hillsdale College and has already gained valuable hands-on experience through several internships, including at Meijer’s Government Affairs office, Raymond James, and a legislative office in Washington, D.C. These experiences showed him the real-world impact of financial and governmental policy on both businesses and individuals. Gavin plans to begin his career working on service-oriented policy in a Michigan legislative office, where he hopes to develop a deep understanding of the political process. Ultimately, he aspires to transition into the private sector to advocate for Michigan-based companies—like Meijer—that give back to the communities it serves. Gavin’s goal is to set the precedent that service from companies is not the exception, but the expectation, developing legislation to uphold community engagement and philanthropy.
Rachael Kim | Rochester Hills, Michigan
Rachael is pursuing a degree in Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University. She recently founded the MSU chapter of buildOn, an international non-profit organization committed to ending the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectation through service and education. In her chapter, she established the ambitious goal of raising $35,000 to construct a school in Senegal through fundraising events. Coordinating logistics, securing venues, managing transportation, and forecasting participation all required her to put classroom theory into practice. At the same time, she’s working to mentor Lansing-area high school students, encouraging them to pursue education. Rachael states she discovered that supply chain isn’t just about moving products, but also mobilizing people and resources to meet critical human needs. With her degree, Rachael hopes to expand buildOn’s impact and use her business skills to drive community-centered change.
Kevin Zheng | Saginaw, Michigan
Kevin is earning his degree in Accounting at Boston College. He credits his early interest in finance to working in his parents' Chinese restaurant, observing the strain that came with managing a business while lacking access to professional financial guidance. He took the initiative to redesign their inventory system, digitize their receipts, and introduce them to profit-and-loss tracking systems. This hands-on experience made him realize how essential financial knowledge is for small business success. Kevin now wants to expand his impact by creating a bilingual financial education initiative, potentially in partnership with local nonprofits. His vision includes offering free workshops and creating a student-led mentorship program to help immigrant entrepreneurs and working-class families with bookkeeping, budgeting, and long-term financial planning.
Vincenzo Bonanni | Chesterfield, Michigan
Vincenzo, a Finance major at Macomb Community College, is a proud Chesterfield resident. Deeply connected to his roots, he is passionate about giving back to the Anchor Bay community that helped shape him as a person. His role with the Michigan High School Athletic Association has sharpened his leadership, communication, and decision-making skills—traits he plans to bring into his future career. Vincenzo is motivated by a desire to help local businesses and families manage their finances more effectively, and he views a career in finance as a way to uplift his community through accessible financial guidance.
At Shelving.com, we know the importance of investing in tomorrow’s leaders. As a family-owned business, we’re proud to continue our commitment to community development and the next generation of changemakers.
Congratulations to our 2025 winners and thank you to all the incredible applicants who continue to inspire us!