To recognize the contributions Northwood University Alumni make in the global community, Northwood University Fashion Showcase created the Influencer of the Year award. This award is made to honor the creative influence of our Alumni and is presented annually at the NUFS fashion runway show. 

We seek alumni of Northwood University who can inspire and motivate our students to become free-enterprise leaders that take risks, follow their passions, and utilize their creativity through business and entrepreneurship to influence their communities and create change. As strong business leaders, focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, actively involved with Northwood University and the Fashion Showcase, Influencers enhance the level of participation among constituencies and extend engagement opportunities to others not currently affiliated with the University.

The award was established in 2019 when Leann Colella ‘17 was honored for her extraordinary entrepreneurial efforts – Sharp Spruce is a men’s daily-wear brand that started as a class project when Leann Colella, the brand’s founder, noticed the overall lack of interest, innovation, and attention in menswear. Following her graduation, Colella took this idea and launched the brand’s online marketplace to the public in 2018. This example of profound leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation epitomizes what an Influencer of the Year recipient should resemble. Recipients serve as role models for Northwood University students and as ambassadors for the University’s Fashion Marketing and Management program. Each year, the Influencer of the Year will be awarded at the annual runway fashion show.